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There are three possible types of effects gained by using food in FFXI:

A standard food effect. This type of effect is provided by the majority of the items in FFXI. A standard food effect has a fixed duration, as listed in the chart below. Food effects can also be removed with the medicine item Antacid, or by trading a Gysahl Green to the Tarutaru NPC Parike-Poranke. The many different types of effects provided by standard food are outlined in the guide below.
A Refresh effect that restores Magic Points (MP). The items that provide this effect are mainly juice drinks. The effect from these is rather short, lasting between 1-5 minutes. These juice items are primarily used in specific, tough fights such as BCNMs, although veteran casters also often keep some in their inventory for emergency use during experience parties. The amount of MP refreshed varies between the juices, with the juices that are harder to craft providing a more powerful refresh than the low crafting skill level ones. This effect is the same as the Red Mage spell Refresh; the spell and the juice will over-ride each other, and will not stack. The MP refresh effect does stack with Bard Ballad songs. These juices are listed in the Regen and Refresh Juice section.
A Regen effect that restores Hit Points (HP). The items that provide this effect are drinks, primarily the au Lait items. These drinks are also mainly used in BCNM fights, or to get out of a tight situation. The HP regen effect last between 2-10 minutes, depending on the drink. Like the Refresh drinks, the amount regenerated varies between the drinks. The HP regeneration effect is the same as the Regen spell; the spell and juice effects will over-ride each other, and will not stack. The HP regeneration effect does stack with Bard Paeon songs. These juices are also listed in the Regen and Refresh Juice section.
A character can have one of each of these types of effects active at once. To gain these effects from food usually requires eating three different foods. There are two drinks that provide both Refresh and Regen effects, however: Amrita, which is created through Abjuration; and Vampire Juice.

It is common to use three food items to gain all three effects during specific, tough fights. A Paladin in a BCNM fight might use these three foods, for example: a Defense food such as a Fish Mithkabob for defensive boosts; a Regen drink such as a Pear au Lait to gain a Regen effect; a Refresh drink such as a Melon Juice to gain a Refresh effect.