Still, you can determine for yourself, in most cases, based on your drinking experience. Thickened liquid moves more slowly, allowing more time for your muscles to respond appropriately and decreasing the likelihood of your drink entering the 'wrong pipe.' Your doctor and/or speech therapist should suggest a consistency that best meets your need. When you have dysphagia, swallowing may be challenged by weak muscles or slowed reaction time leaving your airways unprotected from the fluid. Level 4/ Extremely Thick/Pudding-Like Liquids- can hold shape, no longer pourable, and require a spoon to eat.ĭrinking is a safe, easy task when your muscles react as they should.Level 3/ Moderately Thick/Honey-Like Liquids- still pourable but flows more slowly like honey.Level 2/Mildly Thick/Nectar-Like Liquids- easily pourable and flows from a spoon more slowly like a thicker cream soup Pureed means that all food has been ground, pressed, and/or strained to a soft, smooth consistency, like a pudding.Level 1/ Slightly Thick Liquids- flows a little less quickly.Level 0/Thin Liquid- flows like water from a faucet.

'The International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI) is a global standard with terminology and definitions to describe texture-modified foods and thickened liquids used for individuals with dysphagia of all ages, in all care settings, and for all cultures.'(1) In the world of dysphagia, where swallowing thin liquids can be dangerous, a standard or guideline helps determine the consistencies of thickened liquids. When a thickener is added to any thin liquid, it changes. Thin liquids have the viscosity of the water that comes from your faucet.

Knowing that a beverage usually starts as a thin liquid is essential to better understanding thickened liquids.

Nectar thick diet examples