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Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5369778 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5369778 Nestle produces something called Modulen specifi

by recuter 14y ago

Previous discussion: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5369778 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=5369778 Nestle produces something called Modulen specifically for people with IBD. The idea is for people with Crohn's to switch to a liquid diet during bad flare ups to settle things down as digesting food causes inflammation. It is rather expensive. Luckily for me, my insurance covered it (I'm from Israel, so YMMV). The hard part is that you have to pound a dozen glasses of the stuff every day. Some people can't even drink that much water and this is a heavy drink. Soylent may be an improvement in terms of price and preparation because Modulen comes in powder form and doesn't mix well with water and goops up quickly. It is simply not easy getting it down. To those of you suggesting this sort of thing can solve world hunger - doubtful. I'm the only one my doctors know of who actually was able to adhere to a liquid only diet for a stretch of multiple months, people simply don't have the willpower. You miss food quite badly and are never satiated. What I think Soylent could possibly be is an ultimate supplement, like a protein shake - in fact, fitness companies like Beachbody (P90X) hawk all kinds of dubios concoctions, it is a lucrative market. One that actually works would be neat.

FaddiCat 14y ago
Abbott Nutrition has a range of nutritionally complete drinks called Ensure. If you just can't be bothered eating that's probably the best way to go. http://www.abbottnutrition.com.au/Portals/0/img/Oral%20Nutrition%20April%202012.pdf http://www.abbottnutrition.com.au/Portals/0/img/Oral%20Nutri... No idea how much it costs though.
- duskwuff 14y ago
  Ensure is available over the counter. About 200 calories per dollar, if you want to do the math that way.
  - schiffern 14y ago
    At the costs given, Soylent provides over 500 Calories/dollar.
alex_doom 14y ago
I don't think anyone is advocating going an all liquid diet, I like metaphor that meals become like a movie. We all like movies, but we don't want them 3 times a day.
- XorNot 14y ago
  Also plenty of people have awful dietary habits precisely because they're either hurried or bored by the process of cooking and simply aim for the easiest thing - which in our society these days trends far away from "nutritionally complete" and usually has serious problems with providing satiation.
jaggederest 14y ago
> I'm the only one my doctors know of who actually was able to adhere to a liquid only diet for a stretch of multiple months, people simply don't have the willpower My experience was due to jaw surgery: 1 week clear liquid, 4 weeks completely liquid diet, 1 week extremely soft food (baby food). I lost 30 pounds over that 6 weeks (incidentally, more than should have been possible on a complete fast. Healing is energetically expensive.) . I actually found by the end that I didn't really want to go back to solid food - it was extremely convenient having everything set up for me. On the other hand, I also essentially lost my sense of taste for that six weeks too - probably made it easier when there's functionally no incentive. However, when I did return to solid food (after my sense of taste returned), dear god the first bite of mashed potatoes were the best food I have ever eaten.

by recuter 14y ago

FaddiCat 14y ago

Abbott Nutrition has a range of nutritionally complete drinks called Ensure. If you just can't be bothered eating that's probably the best way to go. http://www.abbottnutrition.com.au/Portals/0/img/Oral%20Nutrition%20April%202012.pdf http://www.abbottnutrition.com.au/Portals/0/img/Oral%20Nutri... No idea how much it costs though.

duskwuff 14y ago
Ensure is available over the counter. About 200 calories per dollar, if you want to do the math that way.
- schiffern 14y ago
  At the costs given, Soylent provides over 500 Calories/dollar.

alex_doom 14y ago

I don't think anyone is advocating going an all liquid diet, I like metaphor that meals become like a movie. We all like movies, but we don't want them 3 times a day.

XorNot 14y ago
Also plenty of people have awful dietary habits precisely because they're either hurried or bored by the process of cooking and simply aim for the easiest thing - which in our society these days trends far away from "nutritionally complete" and usually has serious problems with providing satiation.

jaggederest 14y ago

> I'm the only one my doctors know of who actually was able to adhere to a liquid only diet for a stretch of multiple months, people simply don't have the willpower My experience was due to jaw surgery: 1 week clear liquid, 4 weeks completely liquid diet, 1 week extremely soft food (baby food). I lost 30 pounds over that 6 weeks (incidentally, more than should have been possible on a complete fast. Healing is energetically expensive.) . I actually found by the end that I didn't really want to go back to solid food - it was extremely convenient having everything set up for me. On the other hand, I also essentially lost my sense of taste for that six weeks too - probably made it easier when there's functionally no incentive. However, when I did return to solid food (after my sense of taste returned), dear god the first bite of mashed potatoes were the best food I have ever eaten.