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Osmolite: improve taste?

I just bought a case full of Osmolite 1.5 and I can't imagine how I am going to manage to drink such an awful liquid. I don't mean to sound trite, I was just hoping someone might perhaps be in agreement and could provide a recipe or something to mix it with that could improve the flavor?

Thanks!
 
I agree that stuff is foul! I once tried to add many things, but only made it worse (if that's even possible)...
Recent studies have shown that drinks like fortisip and ensure plus (which are known as polymeric diets) are equally effective at inducing remission as the elemental feeds like Osmolite. They are far more palatable, and humane!
good luck.
 

DustyKat

Super Moderator
My son was on osmolite in hospital, our local rural one, and on the advice of the Sydney Children's Hospital it was flavoured with Nesquik. He was never overly fussed with any of the nutritional drinks...Ensure and Fortisip...but the nesquik and chilling when it when mixed at least made the Osmolite as bearable as the others .

Dusty. xxx
 
When I was researching the formulas, I came across several references to flavoured straws that were made specifically for use with the formulas for children. You could ask your supplier to check into them for you.
 
I have used Osmolite for years. When the manufacturer discontinued producing their own flavor packets, I learned to do the following: (1) put chilled Osmolite in a blender, (2) add about a tablespoon of strawberry-flavored Nesquik, (3) add about a quarter-teaspoon of Crystal Light strawberry or strawberry kiwi flavoring, (4) blend, (5) serve over crushed ice. Crystal Light doesn't work by itself; you need the powder base that Nesquik provides. The Nesquik by itself is really bland. Together, they deliver the right consistency and good taste.
 
Sorry--I mistyped--it should be about one-eighth teaspoon Crystal Light, especially if you use the Strawberry Kiwi flavor (the "energy" strawberry flavor is not as strong). Osmolite was really designed for tube feeding. It's only if you're using it orally that flavor is an issue. The manufacturer used to make its own flavoring for this purpose. Even then, though, the "Vari-flavors" were so tasteless that I had to spike them with some Crystal Light. When the manufacturer stopped producing these flavor packets, it was kind of a crisis, because Osmolite really is undrinkable as is. My doctor recommended Crystal Light, but I found it didn't have the right consistency, which is why I came to use a tablespoon of Nesquik as a base, much like the old manufacturer's powder, and then one-eighth teaspoon Crystal Light for the flavor enhancement. Without the combination, varying the amounts, you wind up with something tasteless, or a chalky consistency, or too strong a flavor. Both Nesquik and Crystal Light obviously make the Osmolite less neutral, but it's still as close to elemental as you can get, more so than Ensure or other supplements. Again, my gastroenterologist recommended Crystal Light, and it's just an eighth of a teaspoon.
 
I used to take it with Nesquik. It didn't help much though. I now take Sustagen which is a powdered nutritional supplement, it tastes amazing compared to Osmolite.
 
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