How We Can Help | Dysphagia Diet Food Texture Descriptors
Special Diets – Dysphagia
Life with dysphagia means food preparation is a challenge. Our textured, reshaped pureed range offers attractive, delicious, nutritionally balanced and peace of mind for the diner.
People with dysphagia experience difficulty, sometimes pain, when swallowing. They may have trouble with liquids, foods, saliva or even be unable to swallow at all. Often taking in enough calories and fluids to nourish the body is a constant worry.
Dysphagia is caused by problems with swallowing. Weak tongue or cheek muscles may restrict chewing. Food that is too large for swallowing may obstruct the passage of air. Inability to start the swallowing reflex, which allows the safe movement of food and liquids through the pharynx, can result from stroke or other nervous system disorder, stalling the movement of food from mouth to stomach. Weak throat muscles may not move all of the food toward the stomach and particles of food can also fall or be pulled into the windpipe (trachea), resulting in lung infection.
People who suffer from dysphagia may require a pureed diet of pureed or texture modified food. Commonly the constituents of, for example, a roast dinner are pureed and served as an unrecognisable blend of the original ingredients. Unappealing visually unappearance can distress the patient, manifesting as psychological and physical dread of mealtimes. This can lead to malnutrition just at a time when the patient needs as many calories and nutrients to aid recovery.
Our Simply Puree range of meals provides the complete solution with 28 meals in the range, and accompanying desserts. Working to the British Dietetic Association national descriptors, our meals reflect appropriate textures eliminating the worry of achieving the correct consistency for soft diet meals.
Our textured, pureed and reshaped meals are visually appetising, nutritionally balanced and above all delicious! Whether needed for two square meals a day or as a backup during recovery, flavour and quality are assured every time.
Dysphagia Diet Food Texture Descriptors
Detailing the types and texture of foods needed by individuals with pharyngeal swallowing difficulties, who are at risk of choking or aspiration (food or liquid going into their airway) the descriptors provide standard terminology for all health professionals and food providers about an individual’s requirements for a texture modified diet.
The food descriptors are:
| Current System | New IDDSI Standard |
|---|---|
| Texture E Fork Mashable | 6 Soft & Bite Sized |
| Texture D Pre–Mashed | 5 Minced & Moist |
| Texture C Thick Puree | 4 Pureed |
| Texture B Thin Puree | 3 Liquidised |