With so many diet plans out there and research still continuing
you can't help but get confused as to which one will be the best for you, we are all made different and our bodies react differently to certain food depending on you blood type( now that's a topic for another post)...below is a breakdown of 5 of the most popular diets around the world to help you make an informed decision
The Atkins Diet
What’s it about?
You go through four phases, starting with very few carbs and eating progressively more until you get to your desired weight. Keeping carbs at bay isn't as simple as saying no to sugar and baked potatoes. You'll keep “acceptable foods” lists handy and polish your arithmetic skills. In phase one, for example, you're allowed 20 grams a day of "net carbs" (pull out the food list), 12 to 15 of them from "foundation vegetables" (pull out another list) high in fiber. But as for fat, you don't even have to trim it off your steak.
The claim: You'll lose up to 15 pounds within two weeks, and eat lots of fatty foods.
The research
Protein is more satiating than carbohydrates or fats, which may have helped those in the Atkins group to eat less without feeling hungry
The body is an engine; carbs are the gas that makes it go. Limiting carbs makes the body turn to an alternative fuel – stored fat. So sugars and "simple starches" like potatoes, white bread and rice are all but squeezed out; protein and fat like chicken, meat and eggs are embraced. Fat is burned; pounds come off.
The Problem
Atkins is a low-carb diet that strictly forbids potato, bread, pasta, fruit and certain types of vegetable. If you’re someone who likes to eat out, finding something on the menu that complies with the Atkins Diet could be impossible.
If you’re permanently removing foods from your diet, you’re bound to crave them from time to time. A lot of people fall off the Atkins wagon because they end up craving sugar, fruit and bread.
The Solution
Reducing total carbs isn't all there is to Atkins. Limiting the carbs you take in at any one time is also in the game plan. A carb-heavy meal floods the blood with glucose, too much for the cells to use or to store in the liver as glycogen. Where does it end up? As fat. and if you’re a meat lover, you’ll be in your element during the early stages of the Atkins Diet. Burgers, steaks and fried bacon are always on the menu, and for at least the first few days, that might be a lot of fun.
Low fat diet
What’s it about?
Very low-fat diets generally provide 10–15% (or less) of total calories from fat.
The 1990’s era low fat diet prescribed low intakes of dietary fat to less than 20% of total calories.
The research
Most Intervention trials show good health benefits and weight loss when a diet is restricted in fat. However criticism of low fat diets relate to a parallel increase in obesity. It is interesting to note though that fat intake has not appreciably declined, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Rather, total calorie consumption went up from the misapplication of the original guidelines.
The main reason behind this recommendation is that fat provides a greater number of calories per gram compared to the other major nutrients, protein and carbs.
The problem
The low fat diet may soon be obsolete with well-established evidence that not all fats are created equal. Intentionally limiting good monounsaturated fats like nuts, seeds, avocados, and olive oil can actually negatively influence health.
The solution
If fats have higher energy content than carbohydrates or protein, consciously limiting fat intake is one way to control total calories and weight loss. Plant-based fats such as olives, avocado, nuts, and seeds should be favored over animal fats like fat on meat, chicken skin, and full
cream dairy.
Low carbohydrate diets
What’s it about?
Low-carb diets are usually high in both protein and fat.
In one of the most heated debates in nutrition history the low carbohydrate/high fat has experienced a resurgence, in the diets of Americans in particular.
The research
Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, a study on 140 obese participants compared a low carb diet to a low fat diet of similar calories. Those on the low carb diet lost more weight with greater improvements in heart health indicators. Low-carb diets may work because they promote a healthier diet.
The problem
“Everything from lentils to lollipops contains carbohydrates,” notes Dr David Katz, a prominent nutrition researcher. Treating the expanse of foods containing carbohydrates as one all-inclusive food group is short-sighted as all plant-based foods (fruit, vegetable, nuts, seeds, and legumes wholegrains) are a source of carbohydrates.
The solution
Health professionals agree that Westernised diets are high in refined carbohydrates and simple sugars. However, a diet containing some carbohydrates is essential where focus is on less refined, slow release carbohydrates such as fruit, starchy vegetables, and legumes.
The Mediterranean diet
What’s it about?
In 1993 Oldways created the Mediterranean Diet Pyramid – in partnership with the Harvard School of Public Health and the WHO – as a healthier alternative to the USDA’s original food pyramid. Today the Mediterranean Diet is more popular than ever, with new research every month documenting its benefits.
Mimicking traditional dietary patterns of Mediterranean countries, the diet emphasizes liberal amounts of olive oil, fish and seafood, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and seeds, moderate intakes of red wine and low fat dairy, and limited red meat.
The research
Scientific support for Mediterranean eating is very strong. Rich in omega 3s and generous consumption of fibre, nutrients, and antioxidants, this dietary pattern is associated with vitality and longevity, improved neurological health, and reduced cancer risk. The Mediterranean diet also significantly supports weight loss. L
The problem
The stand-out nutritional factor in this diet is the quality of fat, favouring monounsaturated fats in olive oil over cholesterol-raising saturated and trans fats in red meat and processed foods. However regardless of the type of fat, gram for gram these fats have the same calorie content and this does not justify excessive intake of fat.
The solution
The Mediterranean diet is generally well-liked by dieters. The use of olive oil as dressings in salads, vegetables, and legume dishes enhances taste and palatability, encouraging intake of these healthy, low energy foods. A focus on portion control should be stressed. Whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil. Fish and seafood are typically eaten at least twice a week, and dairy foods – especially fermented dairy like yogurt and traditional cheese – are eaten frequently in moderate portions.
Paleo diet
What the diet is about
The Palaeolithic (Paleo) diet emulates the eating style of our ancestors: lean meat and fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables. Processed foods (including sugar and salt), dairy, legumes, and grains are excluded.
it allows for sweet potato, so you need to learn different ways to prepare it, such as roasted, baked, and mashed. make sure you up your water intake and cut out ALL grains, dairy, and processed food from your diet.
The research
There is a scientific case for the Paleo diet, based in part on anthropological studies showing low rates of chronic disease and obesity in our Paleo ancestors. A review in the British Journal of Nutrition suggests that raised blood amino acid levels, a consequence of protein breakdown after a protein-rich meal, sends feedback signals of fullness to the brain. This can be advantageous in managing obesity.
The problem
The Paleo diet’s key emphasis on lean protein coupled with low calcium intake from excluding dairy does not support bone health. Also, the support of protein may be misinterpreted as licence to eat large amounts of protein from processed meats such as viennas, polony, and cold meats while overlooking that the diet reinforces large intakes of fruit and vegetables.
The solution
A reasonable estimate of the Paleo diet would be one where 50% of the dieter’s calories came from plant foods and 25% from fat. If practiced with loyalty, the Paleo diet can be a great improvement over a poor diet regardless.
If we aggregate all the evidence, a healthy diet is one where processed, highly refined foods do not compromise nutrient-rich foods, with portion control practices and no exaggerated emphasis on any one food group. Nutritionist Michael Pollen aptly summarizes it in three pieces of advice we’d all do well to pay attention to: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly from plants.”
