Posted by Brianna Maguire on Nov 13th 2020
Your family’s health and wellness is a priority, so when you or a loved one is struggling to eat, finding the right food additives can be critical. Specially formulated to target weight gain and maintenance, overall calorie counts, and advanced nutrition, these additives mix with your favorite foods and beverages to provide the nutrition you’re missing. Whether you or a loved one faces difficulty swallowing, severe food allergies, or just needs some extra calories in their diet, these additives have everything you need for you or your family to feel your best.
Food additives are supplements that can be mixed into food and drinks for added nutrition. They often feature high-calorie counts, and essential vitamins and minerals. Most come in powder-form, but some are liquids or a butter-like consistency. For those with severe allergies, some of our food additives can be mixed with water and consumed alone, and are completely hypoallergenic.
Food additives make it easy to enjoy the food and drinks you already love, with the extra calories you need to feel your best.
There are different kinds of food additives because there are different kinds of needs! While the additive that’s best for you is ultimately up to your doctor, we offer supplements for all kinds of needs, like:
For those with swallowing difficulties, thickeners offer a convenient way to keep enjoying your favorite beverages. You can just add a few scoops to the drinks you already love - juice, coffee, iced tea, and almost anything else - to make them easier to swallow. Whether your doctor has recommended honey-thick, nectar-thick, or spoon-thick consistencies, you can adjust the amount of thickener you add until the consistency is just right.
Some food additives are specially designed to add extra calories. These are ideal for those that need to gain weight, have food sensitivities, are facing malnutrition, or are on fluid-restricted diets. Often liquid consistencies, you can just mix these into the foods you love, for the extra calories you need.
Amino-acid based foods are powder-form food additives designed for those with severe food allergies, or with sensitive stomachs. While they’re typically used alone (mixed with water to create a formula), they can also be added to food and beverages for extra calories and nutrition. Keep in mind that while some - like Duocal - can be used in cooking or baking, others should not be heated or frozen (but can be mixed into smoothies, puddings, and other food types). These additives also come in formulas that are suitable for infants (as a replacement for baby formulas).
Food additives are first and foremost for those that have been recommended to use them by their doctor. Some situations where a food additive could be beneficial are:
Food additives are not ideal for:
Each food additive has its own unique instructions but in general:
If you’re looking to hit a certain calorie count each day, it’s important that you make note of each food additives’ calorie count.
Some of our products are specially designed for infant use, while others are best for toddlers and children.
Some additives are powders, while others are a little more oily or liquids. While this is mostly personal preference, more oily additives tend to work better in thicker foods and beverages (mashed potatoes, milkshakes, etc).
Some additives thicken the food or beverages they’re added to, which is ideal for those that have difficulty swallowing.
While some additives do have flavor, you’ll likely want to look for unflavored options, to keep recipes and preparation simple.
If you’re looking to cook or bake with a food additive, double-check that it can be heated - some products cannot
Some additives cannot be frozen - keep in mind, though, that these can still be added to things like milkshakes and smoothies (added during the blending process)
Some additives have extra protein (for those that aren’t getting protein in their diets), and some have no protein (for those that are sensitive to protein).
Kids have special nutrition needs! That’s why some of our additives are specially designed to support growth and nutrition for children.
For those with lactose intolerance, you’ll want to look for lactose-free options. Keep in mind that many of these are still not suitable for those with galactosemia (an intolerance to the sugar component of lactose).
Most of the food additives we offer are gluten-free, Kosher and Halal.
First, talk to your doctor about what’s right for your needs. Then, ask yourself: Why am I looking for a food additive?
If you’re just looking for extra calories, a calorie additive like Benecalorie is likely the best choice for you. They easily mix with your favorite foods, and are easy to cook or bake with.
Calorie additives like Benecalorie contain high-protein levels. Steer clear of products like Duocal, which are ideal for high-calorie needs, but don’t contain protein.
If you’re looking for pediatric nutrition, you’ll likely want to go with EleCare, Jr. or Duocal, though you should check in with your doctor about what’s right for your needs.
For severe food allergies, look for amino-acid based foods that are hypoallergenic.
Some of our caregivers’ favorite food additives are:
Packaged in convenient single-serve pods, you pour this calorie additive into your favorite foods to instantly add extra calories and protein. This highly-concentrated pod adds 330 calories and 7 grams of high-quality protein to whatever you add it to.
A convenient solution for those with difficulty swallowing, this powder can be added to any beverage or pureed food to achieve a desired consistency. You can even add this powder to nutritional shakes, for those that struggle to meet their nutritional needs with food alone.
Duocal is a powder additive that offers high calories with no protein, making it ideal for those with sensitive stomachs or for those that are on protein-restricted diets. Note that Duocal should not be used without first speaking with your doctor.
