After the New Year holidays, many people think about how to go on a diet and lose weight by spring. But not all dietary regimes are safe for the body. Doctors and nutritionists have evaluated the risks and benefits of the most popular diets. And today in the magazine “Furilia” I’ll tell you:
About the best and worst diets for 2020
Find out which of them is considered by experts to be one of the most harmful and why.
Mediterranean diet
Distinctive features of a good diet are its taste, balance, ease of maintenance, lack of age restrictions and health benefits. According to experts, the Mediterranean diet meets all these criteria. For the third year in a row, she tops the ranking of the best diets, being, in fact, an example of proper nutrition.
It focuses on eating vegetables and healthy unsaturated fats, such as omega-3s. But red meat and sugar are practically reduced to zero. All products that make up the Mediterranean diet are easy to find in the store. For example, broccoli. It contains only 30 calories, despite the fact that it is one of the most healthy vegetables. Dietary fiber and the antioxidants contained in it fight free radicals and toxins, prolonging human life.
Instead of butter, extra virgin olive oil protects the heart and reduces the risk of repeated heart attacks among people prone to cardiovascular disease. Whole grain foods such as barley, brown rice and quinoa are a rich source of protein, which is needed to keep your muscles toned. Due to the low calorie content, these cereals also contribute to weight loss.
Raspberries, strawberries, and especially blueberries have many antioxidants and phytonutrients that can lower bad blood cholesterol and even prevent cancer. Moreover, these berries are useful not only in fresh, but also in frozen form. Shaving nuts a week (for example, almonds) reduces the risk of heart disease and weight gain, because it perfectly satisfies the feeling of hunger. Nuts are rich in dietary fiber, monounsaturated fats and proteins.
Including salmon in your diet 2 times a week, you will saturate the body with omega-3 fatty acids, protecting the heart and blood vessels. Black, white and pockmarked beans contain proteins and dietary fiber, perfectly satisfying the feeling of hunger, contributing to weight loss and gaining muscle mass, while there is absolutely no fat in it. The choline contained in eggs prevents memory loss and protects the liver from obesity.
Spinach is another component of the Mediterranean diet. This is a source of iron, which is so necessary for the body to saturate the muscles with oxygen and generate energy. Walnuts contain tryptophan, which promotes the production of serotonin – a mood hormone. In addition, they are slowly digested, long satisfying the feeling of hunger. And asparagus is rich in B vitamins, which take part in the synthesis of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine, providing a good mood and strong memory.
Unsurprisingly, the Mediterranean diet has been hailed by doctors as the best in the fight against overweight, heart disease, oncology, diabetes, high blood pressure, memory loss, and bone fragility. Moreover, it is scientifically proven that it prolongs life.
DASH diet
The Mediterranean is followed by a well-studied and proven DASH diet. According to doctors, it is safe and reasonable. It is often recommended for people suffering from high blood pressure. At the heart of the diet are many vegetables and fruits, as well as low-fat dairy products. But foods high in fat and salt are limited in quantity.
Following a DASH diet for just a few weeks, you will not only lose weight, but also get rid of hypertension, lower blood cholesterol, prevent the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and stroke. It was developed in order to follow the diet was possible throughout life, which means that you will not remain hungry. Based on the allowed products, it is easy to make a varied menu, the main thing is to adhere to the basic principles: eat 5 times a day in small portions, drink up to 2 liters of water per day, reduce sweets, salt, baking, canned food, smoked meats and fatty foods. Do not drink or smoke.
Flexitarian diet
Doctors put this diet on second place in the ranking along with the DASH diet. Flexitarianism involves the inclusion in the diet of whole grains, vegetables, fruits and vegetable proteins. In fact, this is a vegetarian diet in which the use of meat or fish is sometimes allowed, which makes it flexible.
Flexitarian diet promotes weight loss, prevents the development of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and oncology. There are no strict restrictions and hard rules. It is enough to minimize meat and consume no more than 1,500 calories per day (300 for breakfast, 400 for lunch and 500 for dinner + snacks of 150 calories). Adhering to this diet, you can lose about 500 grams of weight per week.
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MIND diet
This diet is made by experts in third place and combines the principles of the Mediterranean and DASH diets. Its purpose is to keep in shape not only the body, but also the brain (mind). In support of these words, the fact that following this diet helps to avoid the development of Alzheimer’s disease and memory loss. The MIND diet limits the intake of sugar, cheese, red meat, smoked meats, fried foods and desserts.
Instead, vegetables rich in vitamin E, folic acid, flavonoids and carotenoids, which improve brain function, are added to the diet; dried fruits and nuts; berries to maintain memory in order; legumes in which there is a lot of protein and antioxidants; boiled or stewed chicken, turkey, fish; as well as whole grains (brown rice, oatmeal, bread and whole grain pasta).
Weight Watchers Diet
In the list of the best diets, she is in fourth place, but at the same time she is the first in terms of weight loss. You can only join the program and get support from like-minded people for a fee, although some information is freely available on the Internet. So, the diet of weight watchers is focused on counting the “points” that all products have. For convenience, they are collected in a single table. “Points” are calculated individually, depending on goals, age, gender, height and lifestyle.
Nutritionists note that this diet has a beneficial effect on the cardiovascular system, due to a decrease in the level of bad cholesterol; prevents the onset of diabetes by lowering blood glucose levels; saturates the body with all necessary substances and satisfies the feeling of hunger; and also contributes to smooth weight loss and consolidation of the achieved result.
Keto diet
Despite the huge army of fans around the world and the 3rd line in the rating of diets for quick weight loss, doctors call keto one of the most unhealthy dietary regimes. It is based on the launch of a metabolic state – ketosis, in which fat is burned, not carbohydrates. The consumption of the latter is reduced to 5% per day, while the main diet consists of fats (80%) and proteins (15%).
A sharp decrease in carbohydrates (only 20 grams per day, which is equivalent to an eaten apple or banana) causes headaches, nausea, vomiting, constipation, kidney stones, fatigue, apathy, dizziness, drowsiness, decreased attention and activity. The temperature may rise, chills or fever may appear. A high content in the diet of proteins, fats and dairy products contributes to the development of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases.
A ketogenic diet excludes most fruits, legumes, grains, and starchy vegetables — that is, all wholesome foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals. It is very difficult to hold out on it and it can only be considered as a start for the fight against excess weight.
HMR Program and Atkins Diet
The HMR (Health Managment Resources) diet helps to quickly get rid of extra pounds, but is included by doctors on the list of some of the most dangerous to health. It involves eating low-calorie smoothies, fruits and vegetables. At the same time, active physical activity must necessarily be present in life.
As for the Atkins diet, it is in many ways similar to the ketogenic and Ducane diets, since it also significantly reduces the consumption of carbohydrates. As a result, quick weight loss. But there are many more minuses: headaches, nausea, constipation, heart and kidney diseases, diabetes, problems with the gall bladder, bones and immunity, the risk of infertility.
Why are the most effective diets in terms of weight loss the most dangerous to health? Yes, because they intend to do something stupid and unreasonable. They are far from the best, but just fast. Strict food restrictions, cutting back on healthy foods leads to the fact that with the cessation of the diet, the lost kilograms return again, but the shaky health is gone. Therefore, aiming for a quick result, you need to be prepared for the harsh consequences. Lose weight gradually and correctly so that the new diet does not affect the general condition of the body as a whole.
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