BY FARIHA ESHRAT
Nowadays “eating healthy” is no longer as easy as eating more fruits and vegetables. Different kinds of “DIETS” are on the rise and it’s getting difficult to keep up. Which one works? Which one is best for you? In this guide, popular diets are explained.
Atkins
Atkins Diet consists of a low-carbohydrate content to control the release of insulin in the body. This is based on the fact that high insulin levels trigger energy storage, which means less of your body’s stored fat will be used
up and more new energy will be stored in your body. This diet thus encourages a healthier choice in dietary habits by limiting the intake of processed carbs.
The Zone
The Zone Diet aims to achieve nutritional balance by insisting each meal be 40% carbohydrates, 30% fats, and 30% protein. This allows intake of all kinds of food, and results in a high protein and low carb diet ideal for muscle building.
Ketogenic
The Keto Diet was initially formulated to help patients with seizure disorders or other neuronal illnesses. The low carb, high fat diet allows the body to burn fat in order to conserve any carbohydrate taken in for the brain’s usage. This diet allows liberal consumption of healthy fats such as nuts, oily fish, avocados and olive oil that help increase HDL or good cholesterol and lower LDL or bad cholesterol.
Paleo
Paleo Diet is based on the idea that our hunter-gatherer ancestors from the Paleolithic era lived disease-free longer and hence, consuming only foods that can be naturally found could help us live disease free for longer. This allows you to eat meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices but no processed dairy or whole grain foods. Also, this reduces the carbohydrate and salt intake from traditional diets and encourages for healthy fat consumption.
South Beach
This low-glycemic index-diet was developed for heart disease patients. Patients are not allowed fruit and vegetables that have a high-glycemic index or high natural sugar content such as carrots and radishes. Carbs are not allowed during the first two weeks. After the first two weeks, low-glycemic index carbs such as whole grains are reintroduced into the diet. This diet has no portion size or calorie limits.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean diet has many reliable research studies supporting its use in lowering disease risk. Following the traditional diet in Mediterranean countries, characterized by a high consumption of vegetables and olive oil and moderate consumption of protein, is easy, fun and flavorful. This diet has been linked to decreased heart disease and diabetes and has no potential risks.
Whole30
The Whole30 diet is a plan to stop eating all foods that are potential triggers for feeling unhealthy for 30 days and reintroduce them one at a time to determine which were causing issues. This idea is less of a diet and more of a means of finding out which foods maybe causing bloating or bowel problems. Potential triggers to eliminate from your diet for 30 days include dairy, grains, alcohol, legumes, processed foods and junk foods.
Weight Watchers
This is essentially a healthy lifestyle plan that consists of a calorie-controlled diet made simpler through a system of smartpoints allocated to each food item, an exercise plan, and weekly meetings to motivate you to stay on course. The system provides healthy recipes and access of calories burnt in each exercise plan with the use of smartpoints to simplify it. The most important take away from Weight-Watchers is understanding the great benefits of having a support system that keeps you in check and encourages you to continue making your healthy choices.
Raw Food
Advocates of the Raw Food Diet believe that cooking food breaks down its enzymes and destroys many of its nutritional benefits. This restricts the diet to raw vegetarian items such as fresh produce or food that is cooked or heated to no more than 118°F.
