Many individuals use the term “diet” to describe an eating pattern aimed at achieving rapid weight loss, significant physical transformation, or the prevention of chronic diseases. However, a well-balanced diet and consistent, healthy eating habits are recognized to provide more stable health and weight benefits over time.
In the following video, we will discuss trending diets before delving into fad diets. Understanding your current eating habits can help you decide whether to make lifestyle changes or maintain your existing approach.
Current Trending Diets: Trending diets gain momentum gradually and have staying power, addressing a wide range of needs including plant-based diet, keto diet, animal products and the most Effective DASH and MEDITERRANEAN Diets.
Plant-based diet comes in various forms:
- Vegan: Excludes all animal products or by-products. This includes meat, poultry, game, fish, eggs, dairy, honey, and animal-derived food ingredients like gelatin.
- Lacto-Vegetarian: Allows dairy but excludes meat, poultry, and eggs. Including dairy increases calcium intake, protects bones, and aids in muscle tissue functioning and metabolic processes
- Ovo-Vegetarian: Includes eggs but excludes dairy and meat. The inclusion of eggs makes up for the loss of some B vitamins. Eggs provide high-quality protein and variety nutrients.
- Lacto-Ovo Vegetarian: Includes both dairy and eggs but excludes meat, poultry, and fish. This is the most common type of vegetarian and what most people mean when using the Vegan term.
- Pescatarian: Allows dairy, eggs, fish, and other seafood. Frequent fish consumption poses a risk of mercury exposure. Fish is a lean protein source, and fatty fish provides essential omega fatty acids.
- Pollotarian: Includes dairy, eggs, and poultry. Individuals on this diet must be careful to get enough iron, zinc, and vitamin B12 from foods or supplements.
- Flexitarian: Primarily plant-based but occasionally includes animal products. The diet is mostly plant-based but leaves room for animal products.
A vegan diet may be limited in omega fatty acids, vitamin B12, and folate. They may need to supplement these nutrients.
PLANT-BASED DIETS minimize, restrict, or completely leave out meat and animal products. It is not only cost-effective but can help lower body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and heart disease risk factors.
Keto Diet: The ketogenic (keto) diet with low carb, medium protein and high fat has demonstrated benefits such as increased HDL cholesterol, reduced LDL cholesterol, lower blood glucose levels, significant BMI reduction, and weight loss. However, reintroducing carbohydrates can reverse these effects. Please watch previous video “Is Keto diet right for you”.
Atkins Diet: The diet is very low in carbohydrates, with 90–95 percent of calories from protein and fats. It may increase metabolic output but can impact hormones like leptin and ghrelin, potentially increasing appetite.
There are four phases. The first two weeks of the diet, the induction phase one, limits carbohydrates to just 20–25 grams per day. This is intended to induce ketosis.
KETOSIS: A metabolic process that occurs when the body does not have enough carbohydrates for energy; the liver metabolizes fatty acids to produce ketones as a replacement energy source.
METABOLIC SYNDROME: is a cluster of conditions that encompass obesity, elevated blood sugar levels, high blood pressure, reduced levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and elevated triglyceride levels. Keto diet is right for these group people.
In phases two, three, and four of the Atkins Diet, carbohydrates are gradually reintroduced, starting at 25–50 grams per day and eventually reaching 100 grams per day for the long-term maintenance phase.
This diet will cause low energy, impairs cognitive function, and increases gastrointestinal distress because of the high levels of fat. However, certain concerns warrant attention when following a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet:
- Deficiencies in Trace Minerals and Vitamins: emphasizing the importance of nutritional balance.
- Inadequate Fiber: it could affect overall gastrointestinal well-being.
- Comparative Long-Term Weight Loss Results: When compared to low-calorie diets, high-fat, low-carbohydrate diets may not exhibit superior long-term weight loss results.
- Side Effects of Low-Carb Diets: individuals on a low-carb diet may experience side effects such as bad breath, headaches, fatigue, dizziness, constipation, and dehydration.
ANIMAL PRODUCTS: Any material derived from the body of an animal, including dairy products, eggs, honey, and gelatin.
- Carnivore Diet: Exclusively based on meat and animal products. Beef, lamb, pork, veal, chicken, and eggs are staples of the diet. Carnivore dieters avoid vegetables, low-lactose dairy, fruits, legumes, nuts, seeds, and grains. Carb restriction on the carnivore diet triggers ketosis and is associated with weight loss, improved digestive health and higher testosterone levels.
However, critics highlight concerns about nutrient deficiencies, specifically plant-based vitamins and minerals, as a major issue. High protein intake increased uric acid levels, which can lead to conditions like gout.
- Paleo Diet: Avoiding dairy, legumes, processed foods, and refined sugars. It is a simple plan based on ancestral hunting and gathering. It is generally low in carbohydrates and high in protein along with avoidance of sugar and processed foods and then naturally leads to a lower calorie intake. People truly interested in a strict Paleo diet should avoid consuming anything other than whole foods.
- Gluten-Free Diet: Gluten is a mix of proteins found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley. It gives elasticity to dough made from these grains. This includes ingredients and foods like malt, beer, and brewer’s yeast. Candy, baked goods, popcorn, pretzels, chips, crackers, and many condiment sauces like soy sauce and teriyaki sauce include gluten or gluten-based ingredients.
Gluten triggers an immune response that damages the lining of the small intestines which causes discomfort and disrupts nutrient absorption. Ultimately, it can lead to serious health conditions, including constipation, diarrhea, depression, infertility, headaches, skin rashes, seizures, and neuropathy. It’s necessary for individuals with gluten allergies or celiac disease to avoid those products.
Gluten-free diet may actually increase calorie intake for weigh loss. Many processed gluten-free foods include added sugar and calories to replace the grains removed. These products are often fortified with micronutrients like vitamin B and iron to avoid the deficiencies on this diet.
The most Effective Diets: While no perfect diet exists, the general guidelines and tools created from the US Department of Agriculture and Department of Health and Human Services to promote balance and moderation for eating style that prevents chronic and preventable diseases.
THE DIETARY GUIDELINES AND MYPLATE
- focusing on a lifetime of healthy eating;
- choosing a variety of foods and focusing on nutrient density and amount;
- limiting added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium;
- choosing more healthy foods and beverages;
- focusing on whole foods like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and high-quality protein.
The DASH and Mediterranean diets are recommended and approved by the ADA and the WHO for their sustainability and balanced approach. The DASH diet focuses on managing hypertension, while the Mediterranean diet emphasizes fresh, whole foods and has been linked to reduced cardiovascular disease risk and weight loss.
THE DASH DIET: DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. There are no special food restrictions, just a weekly plan of a healthy 2,000 calories per day. The diet focuses on low-fat dairy, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils while avoiding fatty meats, full-fat dairy, coconut and palm oil, and sweets.
The DASH diet recommends that 55 percent of daily calories come from carbohydrates, approximately 27 percent from unsaturated fats, 6 percent from saturated fats, and 18 percent from protein.
Tips include filling the plate with colorful, whole foods and including two or more servings of fruits and vegetables per meal, with a particular emphasis on dark, leafy green vegetables.
In addition to lowering blood pressure, the DASH diet has other health benefits: prevention of bone loss, improved cardiovascular health, and weight loss or maintenance.
MEDITERRANEAN DIET: The benefits of the Mediterranean diet are so widely recognized and accepted. It consists of moderate portions of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, potatoes, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish, poultry, dairy, and eggs, with minimal red meats. Olive oil, nuts, and seafood are eaten regularly in this diet.
The fresh, light foods that make up this diet are filling and satisfying. Over time, this naturally leads to a decrease in calorie intake and helps promote weight loss. Studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can reduce cardiovascular disease risk up to 30 percent and trigger a significant reduction in the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
In conclusion, individual dietary needs vary, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Consulting with healthcare professionals and registered dietitians can provide personalized guidance based on health status, goals, and preferences.
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