What Is an Elemental Diet, and Can You Use It for Weight Loss?

The elementary diet does not help lose weight because of the following reasons:

• High in carbs. May spike your sugar levels, give you constant hunger pangs and mess with your appetite.
• Low in fiber. Is typically low in complex carbs. The lack of fiber keeps you from feeling satiated and may cause constipation.
• Is liquid food. Empty faster from the stomach compared to solid food. Thus, you will feel hungry more frequently in a day.
• Not palatable. Artificially made liquid formulations may not always be palatable. Once the novelty wears off, consuming the same formulation every time makes it hard to sustain.

This pre-digested or elementary nutrition can get easily absorbed in the intestines and has the following benefits:

• It allows the digestive tract to rest and recover from illness, surgery, or injury.
• Curbs the cellular swelling and inflammation in the gut lining.
• Prevents the overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut (that otherwise causes bloating and cramps).
• Prevents autoimmune flares in cases of inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn’s disease.
• Administered in severe starvation cases, such as advanced cancer or anorexia nervosa.

If you want to give the elemental diet a try for the short term to lose weight, it is mostly safe (though not always effective).

These formulations are available over-the-counter and in prescribed packets. Given the restrictive nature of this diet and the requirement for caloric customization based on your lifestyle, get medical supervision and expert advice before you embark on this arduous dieting journey.

Your healthcare provider may recommend the elemental diet if you have one of the following conditions: 

• Inflammatory or autoimmune conditions of the gut
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Ulcerative colitis
  • Chronic pancreatitis
  • Eosinophilic esophagitis
  • Celiac disease
  • Irritable bowel syndrome
  • Radiation enteritis
  • Food allergies and intolerances
  • Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth
• Conditions requiring supplemental nutrition
  • Anorexia nervosa
  • Cachexia due to cancer
  • HIV or tuberculosis
• Conditions in which the digestive system is not fully functional
  • Short bowel syndrome
  • After gastrointestinal surgeries
  • Pancreatic insufficiency

The following people should avoid the elemental diet:

• People with eating disorders: Can trigger an episode of anorexia nervosa or binge eating behaviors in those with eating disorders.
• People with diabetes mellites: May cause blood sugar spikes and episodes of hypoglycemia in the patients on antidiabetic drugs or insulin.
• People trying to lose weight: The diet is designed to alter the way that you consume your calories and not the amount consumed. Pre-digested foods are not a better option for weight management.

The disadvantages of the elemental diet are:

• Abdominal cramping. The altered ratio of carbs, proteins, and fats may cause bloating and discomfort at the beginning of this diet.
• Symptoms due to bacterial death. If you have a little intestinal bacterial overgrowth, the elemental diet can effectively starve these bacteria, causing them to die off in great numbers. This may present with symptoms, such as cramps, nausea, loss of appetite, and altered bowel habits for a few days.
• Constipation. It is common to have less frequent bowel movements on the elemental diet because of its low fiber content.

1. Chill the formula: To make the elemental diet more palatable, chill it before you ingest it. This brings better satiety.
2. Take probiotics: As you start your gut detox with the elementary diet, make sure you take the prescribed probiotics and prebiotics.
3. Take a cheat day: Ask your dietician for an occasional cheat day and binge responsibly with foods containing complex carbs on that day.
4. Drink plenty of water: Keep yourself hydrated. It will keep hunger pangs away.
5. Distract yourself: Exercise, listen to music, and find ways to think about things other than food.
6. Regular follow-ups with your nutritionist: Because this diet is restrictive, you will probably need vitamins and fiber supplements to pull yourself through. Make sure your nutritionist knows if you alter your exercise schedule, work shifts, or physical activity when you are on this diet.
7. Plan a short-term diet: Elemental diet is not sustainable. So, follow it for about four to six weeks and switch to another diet mode.
8. FODMAP foods: If you have taken to this diet because you have frequent intestinal symptoms, ask your nutritionist to provide you with a list of low-FODMAP (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols) foods as you gradually ease back to your normal food habits.
9. Vitamin supplements: Make sure you take all as prescribed.
10. Always keep the diet formulations by your side: Keep them handy so that you would not be tempted to break the diet plan.