Identify common therapeutic diets.

Identification should include

• special diets based on care plans (e.g., liquid, soft, low-calorie, high-calorie, bland, diabetic)
• documentation of calorie counts and food intake studies
• ways to plan nutritious, therapeutic-diet menus in accordance with the patient’s/client’s care plan
• the purpose of therapeutic diets.

Process/Skill Questions:

• Why should common therapeutic diets be understood?
• When a care plan specifies a special therapeutic diet (e.g., liquid, soft, low-calorie, high-calorie, bland, diabetic), how can the health assistant locate detailed helpful information about this diet?
• What is the role of nutritional supplements such as Ensure®? Can these products substitute for all other foods? Why, or why not?