Keto diet
The keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet and was initially prescribed for epilepsy in the 1920s. The diet has gained popularity as a weight loss diet in the past 5 years. Keto forces the body to use fat (or more specifically, ketones) as the main fuel source instead of glucose. Carbohydrates are severely restricted to around 50g per day (equivalent to 2 slices of bread and a banana) and fat constitutes 70% of this diet. So foods like butter, avocado, coconut, bacon, cream, cheese and some nuts are in, but grains, milk, yoghurt, most fruits, legumes, potatoes and many vegetables are out.
Compared to the Australian Dietary Guidelines:
N Eliminates many foods, such as from the fruit and vegetables, dairy, and grain food groups.
N Carbohydrate-containing foods, such as breads, cereals, rice, pasta, legumes, fruit, and starchy vegetables (like pumpkin, peas, and potato) must all be limited.
N Not aligned with recommended number of serves for each food group.
N Low in fibre
N Early research indicates keto can cause havoc on gut health.
Rating: 2/10
Shutterstock
Paleo Diet
The Paleolithic Diet (Paleo) is based on modern foods that mimic the foods eaten by our hunter-gatherer ancestors. The diet focuses on quality protein such as grass-fed meats, eggs and seafood, healthy fats such as nuts and seeds and oils (olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, and coconut) and fresh fruits and vegetables. The diet eliminates grains, legumes, dairy, refined sugar and processed foods. Critics suggest that it is nonsensical to follow a diet like our predecessors for a number of reasons; the types of food available now are vastly different to what was available then, the human genome has had time to adapt to eating other foods such as grains and there is not one hunter-gatherer diet.
Compared to the Australian Dietary Guidelines
N Eliminates 2 food groups (dairy and grains)
N Not aligned with recommended number of serves for each remaining food group.
Y Consistent with guidelines in reducing sugar and processed foods.
Rating: 3/10
Shutterstock
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting refers to the restriction of food for a given period, followed by a period of regular eating. Proponents claim intermittent fasting results in rapid weight loss, mental clarity, improved sleep and increased energy. However, research indicates there is no significant difference in weight loss between intermittent fasting and continuous calorie restricted diets in the short or long term (Seimon et al. 2015) (Harris et al. 2018).
Furthermore, it appears that continuous calorie restriction preserves lean mass more than intermittent fasting (Roman et al. 2018). Early research in animals indicates intermittent fasting may impair normal insulin function and raise the risk of Type II diabetes (Cláudia, Bonassa & Carpinelli 2018).
Further research is needed to make definitive links between intermittent fasting and other health factors such as mental clarity and energy, insulin resistance and diseases such as diabetes and cancer. However, overall, evidence suggests that intermittent fasting regimens are not harmful physically or mentally in healthy, normal weight, overweight, or obese adults (Patterson & Sears 2017).
Compared to the Australian Dietary Guidelines
N Significant reduction in calories (less than half or a quarter) compared to recommendations on some days
N Risk of nutrient deficiencies on fasting days (e.g. you could eat 500Cal on a fasting day by having a slice of chocolate cake and a glass of milk only)
N Involves counting calories which is not promoted within the guidelines
N Some people find training performance suffers when fuel is insufficient
Rating: 6/10 if includes whole foods and minimal processed foods.
Shutterstock
The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet
The popularity of this diet may be partly due to the perceived credibility that the CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, lends to it. Created in 2005, the diet is a high-protein, low-fat, moderate-carbohydrate (low GI) diet (40% kJ from carbohydrate rich foods). The consumption of meat is recommended – beef, lamb or veal 4x week for dinner, plus fish and chicken or pork 3 x week. While no food group is excluded, the focus is on including protein-rich foods, healthy fats from fish and oils, wholegrain breads and cereals and lots of vegetables. Critics of the diet argue that it promotes the consumption of large amounts of red meat and other animal product and high red meat intake has been associated with and increased risk of some cancers.
Studies show this diet does result in slow steady weight loss, however no more than a higher carbohydrate diet.
Compared to the Australian Dietary Guidelines
N Red meat intake above recommendations for health and environmental sustainability
N Low in energy – approx.5500 kJ per day on Level 1. (Up to 8000kJ for more active people).
Y Includes recommended quantities of vegetables, fruit and dairy foods
Rating: 7/10
Shutterstock
Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet consistently performs well in relation to weight loss, reduction in cardiovascular disease and reduction of depression. There is not one Mediterranean diet, but the diets of the people living in the 16 countries that border the Mediterranean Sea share common aspects:
- High intake of plant-based foods
- Core foods enjoyed every day: whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans, herbs, spices, nuts and healthy fats such as olive oil
- Twice weekly servings of fish and seafood
- Moderate portions of dairy foods, and occasional poultry
- Infrequent servings of red meats and sweets. Low in red meat, sugar and saturated fat
- Rich in phytochemicals, antioxidants and fibre
- Focus on fish consumption over red meat
- 25-40% of total energy comes from fat (focusing on olive oil)
- Eggs consumed 4 x per week
- Wine and coffee consumed in moderate amounts
The “PREDIMED” study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in 2013 conclusively showed that the Mediterranean diet group had a third less heart disease, diabetes and stroke than the low-fat group. They also lost a little weight and had less memory loss.
The benefits can’t be narrowed down to one single food or factor but to some general themes. Extra fibre, a diverse range of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and legumes, yoghurts and cheese, small amounts of fish and meat, red wine, nuts and seeds and good quality olive oil all played their part. However, the authors believe that the olive oil itself was the most powerful single factor (Estruch et al. 2018).
The diet is more of an eating pattern, rather than a prescriptive diet, which makes it easier to follow consistently than other more restrictive diets.
Compared to the Australian Dietary Guidelines
Y Consistent with number of serves and variety from 5 food groups.
Y Focuses on food, not nutrients
N Slightly more fat 25-40% and the guidelines recommend 20-35%
Rating: 10/10
While it’s tempting to start a radical and restrictive diet such as cutting out carbs to lose weight, this approach can often cause more harm than good.
An analysis of popular diets shows that restrictive diets are generally ineffective in the long term.
Although some weight is initially lost on a restrictive diet, weight gain typically occurs post dieting. In fact up to two thirds of dieters gain more weight than they lost in the first place. Plus, dieting can wreak havoc on your metabolism, slowing it down for good.
Dieting is also the number one risk factor in the development of an eating disorder. And young people who diet are six times more likely to develop an eating disorder with severe dieters 18 times more at risk.
While dieting will always be popular, the cornerstones of good health should always be exercise (at least half an hour per day) and a varied diet full of whole, unprocessed foods, as well as the occasional treat.
For more on the weight loss course visit: https://www.fiafitnation.com.au/product/weight-loss-diets/
Shutterstock
