HOW TO EAT NUTRITIOUS FOODS WHEN YOU HAVE NO APETITE 2

Posted by Golden on August 18th, 2010

During illness, treatment or recovery, your need for calories may be greater than usual. The following suggestions can help increase the number of calories you consume.

Use butter or margarine generously on yam, plantain, potatoes, bread, toast, hot cereal, rice, noodles, and vegetables and in soups.

Spread peanut butter- which is also high in protein- on toast, bread, apple, or banana slices, crackers or carrots.

Add powdered creamer or dry milk powder to hot cocoa, milkshakes, hot cereal, white sauces, cream soups or puddings.

Add breading to meat, chicken and fish rather than boiling or roasting them or baking them without breading.

Top hot cereal with brown sugar, dried fruit or jam.

Top pie, cake, gelatin or pudding with ice cream, whipped cream or cream.

Use fruit canned in heavy syrup. It has more calories than does fresh or juice packed fruit. If you prefer fresh fruit add sugar and cream.

Drink beverages that contain calories. Good choices include fruit juice, lemonade, fruit flavored drinks, malts, cocoa and milkshakes. Nutritional supplement drinks are convenient options. Black coffee, water and tea have no calories.

Though some of these suggestions add sugar and fat to your diet, this should not be a worry since you are only adding the extra calories until you can get your appetite back on track. Check with your doctor or dietician if you have worries about changing the way you eat.

INCREASING PROTEIN

Protein is important for growth, health and repair of your body. If you have been ill you may need extra protein. Some suggestions include:

Add extra meat, poultry, fish or beans to casseroles, soups and stews.

Make your own high protein milk: add 1/4 powdered milk to one cup whole milk or I quart powdered milk to I cup whole milk. Use it as a beverage, add it to malts or shakes or use it in cooking.

Try a commercially prepared protein supplement such as proMod.

If illness has made red meat less appealing to you, try the following foods which are also good sources of protein: cheese, local curd cheese, cottage cheese, beans, lentils, egg, fish, poultry, nuts, peanut butter, milk, milkshakes custard, pudding and yogurt.

FLUIDS

Drinking adequate amount of fluids is as important as getting adequate calories and protein. Aim to get a minimum of 2 liters (about 64 ounces) of fluid in a day, unless your doctor has directed you to limit your fluid intake. Try to choose drinks that contain calories.

If your loss of appetite has prevented you from eating well in a couple of days you should try multivitamins to help you get the minerals and vitamins you need.