You’ve probably heard of many different types of diets and wondered if any of them were right for you. Here is some information to help you make an informed decision.
All Protein & No Carbohydrate Diet
Pros:
-Initial rapid weight loss
-Fat loss
Cons:
-Long term causes muscle wasting
-Your body is forced to use fat and protein to do the job of carbohydrate. This produces negative symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, fast deep breathing and can be fatal if taken too far.
-Diet is high in saturated fat which increases cardiovascular disease
-Diet is high in cholesterol (note: only animals make cholesterol)
-Diet will be low in some vitamins and minerals and fibre
Why a Vegetarian Diet could be for you
-Reduced risk of disease (obesity, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer)
-Lifestyle often excludes smoking, alcohol and emphasizes physical activity
-Diet is high in vegetables, fruit, fibre and phytochemicals
-Lower fat diet and leaner body composition
What to look out for when you are a vegetarian
You need to make sure that you are getting enough complete proteins. In general, animal proteins are considered to be complete proteins because they have all of the amino acids present. Plant products need to be put together with out plant products in order to get the benefits of complete proteins. One example of putting two plant products together to make a complete protein would be rice and beans. You may also want to consider supplementation of certain vitamins and minerals that are not abundant in plant products.
Mediterranean Diet: Secret for a Healthy Heart
What is it? The Mediterranean diet is a mixed diet of grains, legumes (dried beans and peas), fruits, vegetables, olive oil, cheese and yogurt. Meats and sweets are occasional.
The good and the bad: This diet is high in total fat (42% of calories) because of the cheese and olive oil. It is lower in animal protein (complete protein) and fat (animal products are higher in saturated fat) while being high in complex carbohydrates and fibre. The benefit of yogurt is the live probiotic cultures that are said to be useful in disease prevention while the red wine contains protective antioxidants.
The verdict? Generally it is a very healthy diet where you can get most of what you need in food rather than supplements without trying very hard. It is higher in fat, but because olive oil is full of good fats, it makes for a heart healthy diet.
Canada’s Food Guide
Canada’s Food Guide takes the benefits of all of the diets and puts them together into one super diet. Some people shy away from the lifestyle of healthy eating because it takes longer to get results. In the long run though, by following the food guide you will get everything you need while maintaining a healthy weight and preventing many disease states.
To check out Canada’s Food Guide online visit: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/food-guide-aliment/index-eng.php
Keep Well…Kristy
