Fad Diets Flashcards
What is a fad diet?
A diet that becomes popular for a short time without being a standard dietary recommendation and often making unreasonable claims for fast weight loss or health improvements
What are the problems with fad diets?
Restrictive
Unrealistic Goals
Costly
What is the keto diet?
high fat, low car diet intended to promote burning ketones rather than glucose for energy
What are the benefits claimed by keto?
Increased metabolism
Decrease in hunger
Increased in muscle mass
Improved blood pressure and heart disease risk profile
What are the actual benefits of keto diets?
Reduces frequency of epileptic seizures in children
Weight loss (1-2 pounds per week)
What are the risks of a keto diet?
-Keto flu (short term brain fog, insomnia, fatigue, constipation)
-High saturated fat = high LDL
-Nutrient deficiency (selenium, mg, ca, Vit B/C)
-Liver problems (too much fat)
-Kidney problems (too much protein)
-Constipation
-Mood swings
What is the paleolithic diet?
high-fat, low-carb diet based on eating foods similar to what humans ate in the stone age
What are the claimed benefits of a paleo diet?
-Improved blood sugar
-decreased hunger
-less processed food consumption
-blood pressure and heart disease risk profile decreased
What are the health benefits of a paleo diet?
- reduced sodium and sugar intake
- weight loss (5-10 lbs in 4 weeks)
- improved glucose tolerance
- better BP
- lower triglycerides
- better appetite management
What are the risk of a paleo diet?
- no grains and legumes = low fiber, vitamins
- no dairy = low Ca and protein
- nutrient deficient (B vitamins, calcium, vit D)
- high cost
- constipation
- altered gut flora
- overconsumption of meats
What is a raw food diet?
Based on only eating uncooked, unprocessed foods
What are the claimed benefits of a raw food diet?
-weight loss
- fiber, vitamins, other nutrients
- better cholesterol and blood sugar
- Better energy, vitality, and global health
- reduced environmental impact
What are the benefits of a raw food diet?
-increase fruits and vegetables
- weight loss
- lower CV risk and all-cause mortality
- better BP
- lower triglycerides and LDL
- better appetite management
What are the risks of a raw food diet?
- nutrient deficiencies (protein, iron, B12, Vit D, iodine, beta carotene, lycopene)
- foodbourne illness
- high workload for food prep
- not based in real science
What is the mediterranean diet?
Diet based on the the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the mediterranean sea. Emphasizes plant based foods, whole grains, healthy fats, and fish
What are the claimed benefits of a mediterranean diet?
- weight loss
- CV and DM prevention
- Lower cancer and neuro disease risk
- healthier overall aging
What are the benefits of a mediterranean diet?
- reduced process foods
- weight loss
- less risk of HTN
- less risk of DM
- prevent CV disease
- lower risk of cancer
- lower risk of neurologic disease
- healthier overall aging
What are the risks of a mediterranean diet?
- no portion size emphasis
- temptation to partially adopt
- restaurant mediterranean food doesn’t count
- risk of nutrient deficiencies (iron, Ca)
What is intermittent fasting?
Eating patterns of normal eating with restricted or no intake
What are the claimed benefits of intermittent fasting?
-weight loss
-positive metabolic changes
-improved glucose metabolism and stress resistance
-decreased inflammation
What are the actual benefits of intermittent fasting?
-weight loss
-increase lifespan
-decreased rates and better outcomes with numerous diseases
-improves cognitive function and memory
