What diets that are actually healthy?

[whm1974]

OK for years I've been watching various Fad diets nonsense and wondering just how do people come up with really strange dieting plans. I am also strongly opposed to to those that highly restrict the variety of foods allowed. The first question folks should be asking is what strong evidence is there that actually supports said diet, especially very strict ones.

I do agree with limiting the amount of refined carbs, sugars, and highly processed foods as the science backs that up. Granted that a person's budget and what is available in the area where that person live would impose some limits on the diet.

 

[mike8675309]

Nearly all fad diet plans are triggered by what can someone package up and turn into a product that they can sell. The Low Carb "atkins" type diet made big money back in the day and people love to go back to that one to squeeze more money out of it because doctors will tell diabetics to cut carbs. But what they mean are processed carbs mostly.

 

[deadlyapp]

I'd also say that a lot of the fad diets take off because it works well for one person - they apply that to others, with generally decent success, and then they package it up to sell to a broader audience. Usually these diets are so short term (rapid weight loss) that there are no long term consequences considered.

I don't think anyone can argue that some of these fad diets work very well for some people, but not everyone can apply diets in the same way as the human body is complex on its own. It also depends a lot on what you do outside of your diet. If you incorporate exercise as well, vs someone who lives a primarily sedentary lifestyle, you of course can make any fad diet work.

Generally, at the core, most of the fad diets are practical. Restrict carbs, higher protein, fat isn't the enemy. It's the people who say "Oh I can eat whatever and whenever I want!" who have issues. I remember I knew an adult when I was young who was on Atkins, and he kept costco sized bags of pepperoni sticks that he'd just munch on all day "because Atkins said it was OK"

 

[whm1974]

As a beginning Flexitarian I'm making efforts to reduce refined cards and other processed foods from my diet. Basically I want Real Food, which is food that you can prepare and cook yourself. I eating whole grain breads, whole fruit and veggies, And I am starting to consume more verity of potatoes then just plain old russets.

Oh and I use real butter, not the fake crap.

 

[TheVrolok]

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.


It's not rocket science.

 

[paperfist]

As a beginning Flexitarian I'm making efforts to reduce refined cards and other processed foods from my diet. Basically I want Real Food, which is food that you can prepare and cook yourself. I eating whole grain breads, whole fruit and veggies, And I am starting to consume more verity of potatoes then just plain old russets.

Oh and I use real butter, not the fake crap.

Whole grain breads are perplexing to me. There doesn’t seem to be many legit ones and the ones that are don’t seem to be as healthy as they make them out to be.

I’m just going to avoid bread except for ‘flat’ bread.

As far as fad diets go I always like Atkins as it just works and doesn’t require a leap of faith to follow. Note, not hardcore Atkins but a loose interpretation of it.

 

[whm1974]

Whole grain breads are perplexing to me. There doesn’t seem to be many legit ones and the ones that are don’t seem to be as healthy as they make them out to be.

I’m just going to avoid bread except for ‘flat’ bread.

As far as fad diets go I always like Atkins as it just works and doesn’t require a leap of faith to follow. Note, not hardcore Atkins but a loose interpretation of it.

Depends on what you get, and I think they taste a lot better then white bread does. I like dark rye especially.

 

[Carson Dyle]

Most "diets" are designed for the adherent to lose weight. They all work to that end if you consume fewer calories than you expend. How many are "healthy" or viable long-term is a different question.

 

[paperfist]

Depends on what you get, and I think they taste a lot better then white bread does. I like dark rye especially.

White bread is the devil, that's why it tastes so good! I give up on trying to find a good, real wheat bread. Besides there's even conflicting talk on if it's that great to consume.

Yeah me too, love rye and pumpernickel! Still though too many carbs for me in such a little format.

 

[whm1974]

White bread is the devil, that's why it tastes so good! I give up on trying to find a good, real wheat bread. Besides there's even conflicting talk on if it's that great to consume.

Yeah me too, love rye and pumpernickel! Still though too many carbs for me in such a little format.

I was told a while back that pumpernickel is one of the best breads for diabetics due to the fiber content.

White breads causes my blood sugar to rise quickly, while whole grains ones is more moderated.

 

[paperfist]

I was told a while back that pumpernickel is one of the best breads for diabetics due to the fiber content.

White breads causes my blood sugar to rise quickly, while whole grains ones is more moderated.

Hmm I didn’t know that. I haven’t mastered the whole fiber to carbs ratio yet. I just notice like you white bread spikes the heck out of my blood sugar levels. I haven’t really tracked pumpernickel bread.

 

[whm1974]

Hmm I didn’t know that. I haven’t mastered the whole fiber to carbs ratio yet. I just notice like you white bread spikes the heck out of my blood sugar levels. I haven’t really tracked pumpernickel bread.

I read that the UK during WWII only allowed whole wheat flour and breads to be made and strongly encouraged citizens to plants food gardens if they could.

It turned out that people in the UK became healthier during the War due to rationing.

 

[paperfist]

I read that the UK during WWII only allowed whole wheat flour and breads to be made and strongly encouraged citizens to plants food gardens if they could.

It turned out that people in the UK became healthier during the War due to rationing.

From just the wheat flour or was there more?

I believe the garden stuff, best to grow your own food if you can. My grandparents from Italy grew everything, fished and cooked. They were as strong as ox.

 

[whm1974]

From just the wheat flour or was there more?

I believe the garden stuff, best to grow your own food if you can. My grandparents from Italy grew everything, fished and cooked. They were as strong as ox.

Well there was more then just the whole wheat flour and gardening, for one thing meats were tightly rationed as was sugar. Due to gardens producing more carrots then they could eat, they found creative uses for them, such as fozen treats for children.

 

[whm1974]

healthy food enriched with protein, nutrition, vitamins etc... make you healthy

Be careful as you can consume too much protein. You also don't want to end up with vitamin poisoning on top of that.

 

[deadlyapp]

Be careful as you can consume too much protein. You also don't want to end up with vitamin poisoning on top of that.

This is mostly debunked. If you eat too much protein you'll just shit it out undigested. Only people with some significant underlying issues can truly get poisoned by protein. Vitamins are a bit different.

 

[whm1974]

This is mostly debunked. If you eat too much protein you'll just shit it out undigested. Only people with some significant underlying issues can truly get poisoned by protein. Vitamins are a bit different.

Too much protein can damage the kidneys.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I am also strongly opposed to to those that highly restrict the variety of foods allowed. The first question folks should be asking is what strong evidence is there that actually supports said diet, especially very strict ones.

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-we-fell-for-clean-eating

 

[whm1974]

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/why-we-fell-for-clean-eating

Thanks for the link. AFAIK eating mostly whole and home cooked foods with limited processed foods but a wide variety of foods is the most healthy way to go.

 

[KeithP]

White bread is the devil, that's why it tastes so good!

Actually, you can get white whole grain bread. Sprouted grain breads are the best though.

-KeithP

 

[whm1974]

Actually, you can get white whole grain bread. Sprouted grain breads are the best though.

-KeithP

I will have to try that as I prefer to consume whole grain breads, especially Rye and Pumpernickel.

 

[bfun_x1]

Intermittent fasting. Fast for 16 hours a day everyday or for 24 hours twice per week.

 

[whm1974]

Intermittent fasting. Fast for 16 hours a day everyday or for 24 hours twice per week.

Snort!!! Where is the evidence that Intermittent Faster is beneficial? Another Quack Dieting Scheme.

 

[paperfist]

Actually, you can get white whole grain bread. Sprouted grain breads are the best though.

-KeithP

hmm interesting, I'll have to look for some.

Snort!!! Where is the evidence that Intermittent Faster is beneficial? Another Quack Dieting Scheme.

I haven't seen any research, but the people I've read or heard about say what doing that basically does is re-trains your body to live on less food and make you feel fuller. So not really a diet per say.

I know when I lose a bunch of weight I can no longer eat the same amount of food as before. My gut just feels like it's going to explode.

 

[deadlyapp]

Snort!!! Where is the evidence that Intermittent Faster is beneficial? Another Quack Dieting Scheme.

There's a lot of mixed science and I don't think we can really say one way or another. For dieting purposes I agree it's no better than other methods however the best diet is one you can stick to, so if people can stay in a long term time restricted or intermittent fasting schedule, then good for them.

There's been a handful of studies in animals that show improvement in lifespan and reduction in cancer through IM, but nothing in humans AFAIK.