‘Nutritional’ drinks shouldn’t be part of anyone’s diet — let alone their only ‘nutrition’

I’m sure you’ve seen the ads for these “nutritional” drinks with dancing bottles kicking out the “bad” food from a refrigerator.

And certainly, if you’ve ever visited someone in a nursing home or care facility, it looks like they have enough of them to stock a fallout shelter.

So are these liquids the easy nutrition the ads say they are? What if someone — from a kid to an elderly parent — won’t eat? Is the solution to be found in these handy little containers?

By no means. They’re certainly no substitute for real food — no matter how easy they are to grab from the fridge. And now, experts are warning how lacking in nutrition such drinks really are.

The latest to sound the alarm was the American Geriatrics Society.

In its most recent meeting in May, it declared that these beverages are little more than “liquid candy.” And that they should only be given to someone who is very sick, malnourished and in a hospital.

What it didn’t mention, however, are some of the other ingredients in these products — things that no one should be consuming. Especially if they’re malnourished and very sick.

These include additives like soy protein isolate and milk protein concentrate. All are forms of MSG — something that can be dangerous to the very young and very old. Most of these drinks also contain carrageenan, an ingredient that can cause inflammation in the colon. That’s definitely something that a malnourished person doesn’t need.

But what about the very sick, the people this geriatric group says these drinks should be reserved for?

I can’t imagine why you would want to give the very worst form of nutrition to those who need it most, especially when there are other options.

Right now, “real” meal replacements are available for those on a feeding tube or needing a liquid diet. So the idea of giving these patients “liquid candy” shouldn’t even be on anyone’s radar.

Sources:

“Geriatricians: Beware ‘liquid candy’ Paula Span, May 22, 2014 newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com