Foods to Avoid with Dysphagia

Contents show

Living with dysphagia, or trouble swallowing food and liquid, can be difficult at times. It can often be confusing for people with this condition to determine which foods they can eat and which foods to avoid, which can make mealtimes an unpleasant experience. If you have been diagnosed with dysphagia, then you should have been recommended a dysphagia diet which can make it easier for you to choose foods that you can easily handle. There are some types of foods that are more likely to pose a risk to people with swallowing difficulties. The main foods to avoid with this condition include:

Mixed Consistency Foods

This refers to any foods that have more than one consistency or texture. These can prove more challenging to eat and swallow for people with dysphagia. For example, this could include bread that has been dipped in soup, cereals that do not blend well with milk, or thin gravies with minced meat. You may be able to improve the consistency balance of certain meals by adding a product like SimplyThick thickener gel, which can be combined with liquids to thicken them and make them easier to swallow.

Crumbly and Crunchy Foods

Foods that are crunchy or crumbly can be particularly difficult to eat and swallow for somebody with dysphagia. This could include items like crisps, crackers, toast, biscuits, or pastry crusts.

Food with Husks

Food items that contain husks are also best avoided if you have dysphagia since they might increase the risk of choking along with being difficult to swallow. Husks are the dry, outer covering that you will find on some seeds or fruits. Some examples of food with husks to avoid include vegetables such as sweetcorn and multi-grain breads.

Fruit and Vegetables with Seeds, Pips or Thick Skins

In most cases, fruits and vegetables are easy to blend and are a good choice for somebody with dysphagia, especially as they are rich in nutrients and vitamins and will help you remain healthy while dealing with this condition. However, any fruits and vegetables that contain pips or seeds, or have a thick skin might be more difficult to eat. Tomatoes, grapes, or peas might be harder than other vegetables to successfully swallow, and may be harder to blend compared to others due to the skin.

Hard Foods

For people with dysphagia, a soft diet that is easy to swallow is the best way to avoid problems and complications. It is important to avoid adding any hard foods like tough meat, nuts and seeds, or hard-boiled sweets to your diet since these can be particularly difficult to swallow and may increase your risk of choking.

Stringy or Fibrous Texture Foods

Foods with a fibrous or stringy texture such as pineapple, green beans, celery, or melted cheese might be particularly difficult for somebody with dysphagia to swallow, so they are best avoided. If possible, it might be worth overcooking foods like green beans or celery before blending to help make them easier to eat.

Dysphagia is a condition that can make it difficult to have a balanced and varied diet. While blending or pureeing many foods can make them easier to swallow with this condition, some types of food are best avoided altogether.