Honey-thick liquids are slightly denser than nectar-thick liquids. Thick cream soups are also considered nectar-thick and are a good source of calories for those having a hard time meeting calorie needs. While there are a number of different causes of dysphagia, including damage to the brain from a stroke or nerve damage caused by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, treatment usually includes modifications to the diet that may include thickened liquids. As the name implies, nectar-thick liquids have a nectar consistency like an apricot nectar. They are liquids that when in a cup held upside down do not move or pour out. Jill Corleone is a registered dietitian and health coach who has been writing and lecturing on diet and health for more than 15 years. Talk to your speech therapist to help you determine how much of these thickeners to use in your liquids to get to the right consistency. How thick you need your liquid is determined by your doctor or speech therapist.
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You can purchase liquids that have already been thickened or use a commercial thickener to make your liquids nectar-thick. If you cannot find prethickened honey-thick liquids or the commercial thickeners, you can use food items to thicken your liquids to the right consistency. These types of liquids are less pourable and, like honey, drizzle out of your cup slowly. Food liquid-thickeners include rice cereal, banana flakes, cornstarch and instant potato flakes. Use 100 percent fruit juice when making your own thickened liquids to maximize the quality of your nutritional intake. It is important to note that food thickeners may change the flavor of your liquid and add extra calories. It may not be thought of as a liquid, but when talking about liquid consistency for people with dysphagia, pudding-thick liquids are sometimes needed. When it comes to thickened liquid, nectar-thick liquid is the least thickened, meaning that it is closer in consistency to a thin liquid such as water and is easily poured. Nectar thick enhance level 3 diet video:
