Top 20 Diets:
What are they & What do they do?
Detox / Cleanse Diet
What is it? What are Super-Foods?
The detox diet requires strict attention to superfood intake, vitamin intake, as well as concise portion sizing. Detoxing appears in the forms of: drinking juices, dietary supplements/vitamins, colon cleansing. Some popular detox food and herbs include: lemon, ginger, garlic, artichoke, beetroot, green tea, cabbage, fruits/vegetables, and brown rice. These superfoods are intended to aid in digestion, heal the gut, clear blockages, and strengthen the heart, mind, and body.
What are the Benefits?
Some of the many reasons individuals partake in cleanse is their ability to "holistically heal" the body. This means no medication (unless prescribed) and no additives of any kind (other than digestion aids and vitamins). This helps lower blood sugar, reduce fat/weight loss, builds insulin resistance, and stabilizes blood pressure.
Dukan Diet
What is it?
The Dukan Diet is a four stage diet that combines the low carbohydrate and low fat diet. This means they follow the rules of no added carbs and stick to lean meats, water, etc. This four step diet was created by Pier Dukan and the steps proceed as followed: attack, cruise, consolidate, stabilize. To learn more about the phases, click here. While most diets are designed with the sole goal of loosing weight and balancing the body, the Dukan Diet takes that a step further.
What are the Benefits?
The Dukan Diet also pushes you to achieve your "True Weight" and promises a healthy fat-muscle ratio. To learn more, click here. Not only does this particular diet keep you at a healthy weight, but it also retrains your mind and body to stick to this diet. By going in slow phases, you are able to make dieting habituative and integrate it to your everyday life. One of the most overlooked aspects of dieting, water intake. The Dukan diet helps track and monitor water intake as well.
Elimination Diet
What is it?
Unlike most diets, the elimination diet is not used to loose weight, however the health benefit of this diet is to rule out food intolerances. It is estimated that 2-20% of people worldwide suffer from food intolerances i.e.: nuts, corn, soy, dairy, citrus fruits, nightshade vegetables, wheat, gluten, pork, eggs, and seafood. Similar to the Dukan Diet, this diet also comes in phases. For more information, click here.
What are the Benefits?
Unlike most diets, this particular one helps to understand an individuals tolerance to or "allergies" to certain foods and their groups. In order to test for many groups (some mentioned above), the individual completes different groups in sections, monitors differences in gut health, and slowly introduces new groups till the root "problem-food(s)" have been discovered.
Flexitarian Diet
What is it?
Similar to the vegetarian diet, the flexitarian is more popular with older generations and those still wanting to cut their red meats. With this diet, the individual sticks to light meat and fish. Since proteins are still required for the body's sustainability, instead of removing foods entirely, meat is only consumed set days per week.
What are the Benefits?
One of the biggest reason for the popularity among older generations, the diet is heart healthy. This diet is know for cardiovascular health, protection against Type-2 Diabetes, promotes colon health. Another great aspect about this diet, it saves money at the grocery store! Click here for more information.
Gluten-Free Diet
What is it?
Unique to the group, this diet is specific for staying away from the proteins found in gluten- this can be for allergy or health reasons. This includes whole and processed foods that contain gluten or gluten was involved in the production process. These foods can include, breads, pasta, cereal, pizza, ice cream, and even soy sauce. To replace gluten, "foods that contain carbs, such as rice, potatoes and beans" (Hopkins Medicine) can be added to the diet.
What are the Benefits?
Aside from staying away from clear allergens, it also aids those with gluten intolerance. Meaning, the individual does not have Celiac Disease, however they are still affected negatively by the gluten. Aside from intolerances, the gluten-free diet has bee know to improve gastrointestinal health, improve athletic performance, and even weight loss.
Intermittent Fasting
What is it?
This unique way of dieting is designed to train the body and the mind through food control. Fasting is when an individual eats for a short amount of time, abstains, then has (maybe) on indulgent "cheat" day within a week; some even take fasting for weeks at a time. Not only is this used as a newer way to diet, but it is used in spiritual/religious practices.
What are the Benefits?
Some studied benefits are the impact fasting has on the brain, for example: improves memory, reduces stress, and even asthmatic issues. Fasting also aids in portion control, shrinks the stomach/intestines, and attains desired weight long term.
Ketogenic Diet
What is it?
While most diets cut the fat, the "Keto" diet does the opposite. When your body needs energy, the simple sugars and carbs are burned up first, then the fat. To shorten the fat burning process, the Keto diet is a low calorie, high fat diet mixed with exercise.
What are the Benefits?
Not only does this allow for a wider variety of food than other diets, but it allows quicker fat burning as well as attaining weight goals. This diet has also been known to stabilize blood pressure, type 1&2 diabetes control, level metabolism, and improve liver health. No wonder it's so popular!
Low Carbohydrate Diet
What is it?
This diet, while used to be an individual category, has become an umbrella diet for Keto, Paleo, and Low Carb Diet. The goal of this type of diet is aimed to reduce carb intake and increase vegetables/fruits. This diet is aimed to move your body into the state of ketosis.
What are the Benefits?
Like the Keto diet (and Paleo), this diet is geared toward attacking excess fat and retraining the body. This diet has also been known to stabilize blood pressure, type 1&2 diabetes control, level metabolism, and improve liver health as well as cardiovascular health.
Low Fat Diet
What is it?
Opposite of the low carb diet, this diet requires a cut down on the fats. This includes meat, butters/oils, sugar, eggs, and dairy. While you can keep fats in your diet (low not no), it is recommended to cut the fats off meat and avoid extra fats.
What are the Benefits?
While it is good for weight loss, the best known advantage of a low fat diet is the benefits for the heart. It improves blood flow, reduces the risk of cancer, and improves overall muscle health.
Macrobiotic Diet
What is it?
The most holistic health diet option and one used even among Buddhists, the macrobiotic diet incorporates fatty foods, balanced foods, and meditation as the diet. They use the 60/40/20 method: 60% wholegrains, 40% fresh fruits/veggies, and 20% bean. While most avoid meats and dairy, they are not excluded from the diet within fat and carb allowance intake.
What are the Benefits?
By reducing the sodium intake, you may also notice a change in water retention, or the body's' ability to store water. This diet also aids in stroke prevention, cardiovascular health, and overall body functionality.
Mediterranean Diet
What is it?
Popular near coastal areas like Spain and Italy, this diet consists of fruits/veggies, whole grains, low fat, low sodium, and low carbs. They also replace fatty meats with fish and seafood. This diet is to help weight loss, energy levels, and builds a more broad approach to all food groups.
What are the Benefits?
The Mediterranean diet not only has heart benefits, but mind as well; this diet has been known to improve memory. For health reasons, this diet is good for cardiovascular health, improved vision, and fertility.
Whole30 Diet
What is it?
The Whole30 diet is a 30 intense diet that restricts fats, carbs, sugar, processed foods, beans, dairy, soy, and additives. Not only is the diet limited to what foods are considered "whole," but this diet also requires exercise, socialization, and A LOT of self control.
What are the Benefits?
This diet, by far, has been one of the more strict diets. However, during the 30 days, you see immediate results such as: fat burned, increased focus, ease of anxiety/depression symptoms, and lightened sense of self.
MIND Diet
What is it?
Did you know Alzheimer's can be prevented by keeping an eye on your diet? It is true- this diet, similar to the Whole360 diet, is a strict diet that allows slightly more food groups and an occasional glass of wine. However, the MIND diet is also a diet in your life style. Such as religion/spirituality, family/inner circle(s), food, and self-betterment.
What are the Benefits?
This diet, by far, has been one of the more strict diets. However, during the 30 days, you see immediate results such as: fat burned, increased focus, ease of anxiety/depression symptoms, and lightened sense of self.
Paleolithic Diet
What is it?
A good way to look at this diet, would be to think about a farmer diet. Whole foods, veggies/fruit, lean meat, poultry, and fish. While this diet is not as restrictive, but this diet focuses on the "free-range" side of dieting.
What are the Benefits?
With this diet, you will experience some weight loss, cardiovascular health improvement, and even dementia protection. Another reason paleo is popular, because you stay away from harmful GMOs, artificial foods, and additives.
Pescatarian Diet
What is it?
Want the benefit of the vegetarian diet, but can't cut out fish? This diet sticks to the vegetarian diet with the exception of seafood, eggs, and dairy.
What are the Benefits?
Along with the other fat reducing diets, this diet is also know for cardiovascular benefits, muscle and bone health, vision and memory strengthening, and stabilization of blood pressure.
Raw Food Diet
What is it?
"Raw" food is food that does not/has not been cooked/processed of any kind. This means no meats, no breads, and no dairy. You must also be aware of preservatives and additives in store groceries.
What are the Benefits?
Since the food is not cooked or processed, this diet fights against cancers and takes out the toxic processing of foods. This also allows for bigger meals an, less caloric intake, and a higher absorption of vitamins/minerals.
South Beach Diet
What is it?
One of the more popular diets, the South Beach diet "is rich in low-glycemic-index carbs, lean proteins and unsaturated fats." (Healthline) This 14 phase diet allows progressive results that keep the individual on track and in-tune with their exercise and eating habits.
What are the Benefits?
This diet promotes heart health and weight loss. The South Beach diet also promotes an active lifestyle and a continued diet/meal planning for more conscious life and body decisions.
Vegan Diet
What is it?
The Vegan diet is a more strict variation of the Vegetarian diet. This diet does not allow the consumption of meat or animal products in general. This means eggs, dairy, honey, and any product produced by animals.
What are the Benefits?
This diet promotes heart health and weight loss. It is popular as well among animal activist groups and people looking to cut meats and toxic byproducts out of their diet. It also lowers cholesterol levels and keeps glucose levels in check.
Vegetarian Diet
What is it?
While vegans have more limits, the vegetarians will also eat plant based foods, but they have less dairy and animal byproduct limitations. While most do cut down on dairy and byproduct, they are still promoted within the diet.
What are the Benefits?
One of the largest benefits of the vegetarian diet (or any variation) is the heart health benefits. It fights against coronary heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and hypertension (high blood pressure).
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