Diet reviews

Although the word ‘diet’ has gained negative popularity in past years, it can also be defined simply as what type of foods a person or group of people eats. That means not all diets are bad, nor are they always intentional. However, many diets of today have hard lines drawn for what should and should not be consumed. Below, I’ve given brief descriptions of some of the diets I’ve come across, as well as my own personal perspective on them.

Intermittent fasting

Intermittent fasting is refraining from or limiting your food intake for certain intervals of time.

Variations

Time restricted-eating consists of eating for a consecutive number of hours each day and fasts for the rest. The amount of hours of fasting is typically written first, followed by the amount of hours of the eating window. For example, a 16:8 would mean the person fasts for 16 hours, and has an eating window of 8 hours. Many believe that for this to be effective, fasting must be done for at least 14 hours a day.

Alternate-day fasting occurs when the person consumes no more than 25% of daily energy needs, sometimes none at all. On the feast days, food is not restricted.

Benefits

This diet has been said to aid in weight loss, reduce insulin resistance, and result in overall better health.

Drawbacks

Some downsides reported include headaches, hunger, irritability, and brain fog, mostly from lack of eating. It can also be restrictive and encourage a person to follow a diet rather than listen to their body.

Overall analysis

I have tried intermittent fasting, and it was a mostly positive experience. After some months, I did find myself to be leaner over time. It’s a good place to start for someone who has a unstable relationship with food, as it encourages discipline by setting strict eating windows. However, I did experience some of the common side effects as it took some time to get used to.

Paleo

The paleo diet consists mostly of fruits, vegetables, lean mean, and fish. Based on the idea that humans have not evolved as quickly as modern practices, such as those brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Furthermore, this diet excludes gluten, sugar, dairy, supplements, legumes, and nightshades.

Benefits

Beyond just looking at what foods one can eat, this diet focuses on traditional preparation of foods, as well. It eliminates processed foods altogether. However, it is focused on being flexible, encouraging each person to eat at least 85% of their diet following this criteria.

Drawbacks

The only drawback I can think of is the convenience factor. Preparing foods in a traditional way is much more time consuming and labor intensive than other diets.

Overall analysis

Of all the diets out there, this one seems the most logical while still being attainable. I appreciate the fact that it focuses on the preparations of foods beyond just the foods themselves. I could see myself having a diet resembling this one, as it is incorporates many of my same principles.

Raw food

Raw foods are exactly how they sound: un-cooked and unprocessed. Most following the raw food diet consider foods to be raw if they have never been heated above 118, never refined, pasteurized, or altered in any other way. They believe cooking foods destroy enzymes and reduce the ‘life force’. This diet also emphasizes plant-based foods, but some people will include raw eggs, dairy, and even meat. Supplements are often discouraged.

Benefits

Puts emphasis on whole foods, mainly fruits and vegetables.

Drawbacks

This diet can be restrictive, as not all foods can be eaten in their unaltered state. Also, there is not a lot of research suggesting this diet is beneficial, and suggests both raw and cooked foods are neccesary parts of any diet.

Overall analysis

I could never follow a purely raw diet, and simply don’t see the benefits in it. Not only is it potentially dangereous to eat certain foods raw, but it would be extremely restrictive.

Alkaline

Scientifically, alkaline refers to a ph level greater than 7. Many alkaline diets encourage an 80/20 ratio, meaning 80% alkaline foods and 20% acidic foods. The basis of this diet is that acidic foods cause inflammations, which leads to disease. This is why some people also encourage a raw food diet, as they claim cooking foods lowers the ph. Although there is not a definitive consensus on what foods are alkaline, most lists contain mainly fruits, vegetables, and legumes.

Benefits

An alkaline diet promotes healthy eating, and focuses on a fruit and vegetable based diet.

Drawbacks

Some conflicting information makes it hard to know what the diet actually consists of. It can be quite restrictive, even discouraging certain fruits and vegetables.

Overall analysis

Because it is quite confusing and non-specific, it so difficult to get it 100% right. However, it is a great guideline for eating real, healthy foods, while limiting or eliminating processed foods.

Standard American Diet (SAD)

This is not necessarily a diet people aim to follow, they just happen to be eating it. The standard American diet consists heavily of processed foods, red meats, sugar, preservatives, and wheat.

Benefits

The only benefit I can think of is convenience. In most cases, the ease fo this diet eliminates or drastically cuts down on preparation time.

Drawbacks

This diet has numerous drawbacks. The main one is the amount of disease this diet is known to cause.

Overall analysis

I think this diet is unfortunate, as it trades health for convenience. I wouldn’t recommend eating this diet,

Vegan/vegetarian/flexitarian

Vegan, vegetarian, and flexitarian are all variations of the same diet. A vegan diet completely eliminates all animal products and by-products. Some people are vegan as a lifestyle, too, meaning they don’t use animal fur or certain cosmetics. Vegetarians, on the other hand, cut out meat only. The most flexible of the three diets, as signified by its name, is the flexitarian diet. It promotes a mostly vegan or vegetarian diet, while still allowing meat, dairy, or other animal products in moderation.

Benefits

For those who believe meat or dairy is not go for you, this is a great diet.

Drawbacks

These diets on their own are quite vague. Just eliminating certain animal products does not guarantee a balanced diet. Oreos, for example, are vegan. A diet of 100% Oreos, also vegan, doesn’t do much good.

Overall analysis

Cutting out animal products can certainly be beneficial. However, more defined rules should be in place for this diet to be healthy.

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