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The pros and cons of 4 trendy diets By Brierly Wright, M.S., R.D.
Think twice before following these 4 popular celeb diets
Here are four popular celebrity diets to be wary of:
1. PALEO DIET
The Paleo Diet is high in protein and fat--and there's an emphasis on getting health-sustaining omega-3s into your diet from oily fish like wild salmon, game meats, free-range chicken and grass-fed beef, all of which can be pricier than their farmed or conventionally raised counterparts.
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What's Missing From the Paleo Diet?
Dairy, which is how most of us get our calcium and vitamin D. The Paleo Diet is also low in carbohydrates--and there's research that shows limiting or eliminating carbs impacts your memory and your mood.
2. DUKAN DIET
On the Dukan Diet you only eat lean protein, plus a small amount of oat bran each day, and drink six to eight glasses of water a day in the first phase ("attack"). In phase 2 (the "cruise" phase), you introduce vegetables back into your diet, but starchy ones--like potatoes or corn--aren't allowed.
It's not until phase 3 ("consolidation") that you're allowed to eat fruit, grains and dairy again, which is why this diet isn't nutritionally sound.
There are some pros to the diet, though: Dr. Dukan incorporates walking 20 to 30 minutes each day into the plan and you're told to eat lean protein.
What's Missing From the Dukan Diet?
Key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D from dairy, and disease-fighting compounds from fruits and whole grains. Plus there's no mention of portion sizes. In fact, Dr. Dukan tells you to eat as much protein as you like. And ultimately to lose weight you need to eat fewer calories than what you burn.
3. RAW FOOD DIET
A raw-food diet is just that--you eat raw food. Your food can't be cooked above 118 degrees Fahrenheit. So you're eating mostly raw and dehydrated fruits and vegetables and things like smoothies and cold soups that you prepare without heat.
Some raw foodists drink unpasteurized milk and eat cheese made from raw milk, as well as eating raw fish and meats. The big thing to note here is that this can be risky; these foods can carry foodborne-illness bacteria.
There are a small number of studies that suggest there may be some health benefits to a raw-food diet, though: in one study, raw foodists had lower levels of "bad" LDL cholesterol.
What's Missing From the Raw Food Diet?
If you're not eating any animal-based products such as meat, fish, eggs, poultry or dairy you'll miss out on vitamin B12--a vitamin your body needs to transform fat and protein into energy, as well as other essential functions. You also won't get much, if any, vitamin D--and more and more research is showing that adequate vitamin D is important in warding off a host of chronic conditions, from heart disease to cancer.
4. 17-DAY DIET
As with the Dukan Diet, the diet becomes more liberal as you "graduate" to the different cycles. For example, in phase 2 you can introduce lean red meat and whole grains, legumes and starchy vegetables.
Overall, the 17-Day Diet is strict and, honestly, it'd be hard to follow without carrying the book around so you knew which foods from the various food groups you could actually eat. Also, the total daily calorie allotment from the meal plans provided is too low for some people, particularly if you're active.
What's Missing From the 17-Day Diet?
You aren't getting much of a variety of fruits and vegetables--and health experts recommend a colorful variety of produce so you can get a healthy mix of disease-fighting phytochemicals. This diet is also short on grains--and there's recent research that shows eating more whole grains can lengthen your life.
THE BOTTOM LINE
(EatingWell is a magazine and website devoted to healthy eating as a way of life. Online at www.eatingwell.com.)
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