Gluten, dairy, fats, refined sugar, meat… they are all much-maligned food groups that dieters spend their lives dodging, praying that abstinence is the key to radiant health or washboard abs. Ditching dairy allegedly worked for Beyoncé, shunning bread supposedly got Gwyneth Paltrow in enviable shape, and Kim Kardashian swears by a high fat/low-carb Keto regime to curb sugar cravings.
Even if we mere mortals manage to maintain such a restrictive diet without an army of personal trainers and chefs, are they doing us any good?
There are sound medical reasons for eliminating some ingredients if you suffer from coeliac disease, for example. But otherwise, you’re likely to be ridding your body of vital nutrients and risking osteoporosis, anaemia or even diabetes. Eating a healthy, balanced diet is possible but it requires research to ensure you’re hitting all nutritional bases. Here’s what that trendy diet could be costing you…
Queen of clean Gwyneth Paltrow claims that juice diets are a good way to detox by ‘reducing the amount of work the digestive system has to do’
Jump on the juicing bandwagon
Queen of clean Gwyneth Paltrow claims that juice diets are a good way to detox by ‘reducing the amount of work the digestive system has to do’.
ALLOWED: Fruits and vegetables. Some juice diets also include nuts and seeds.
BANISHED: Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, carbohydrates, animal fats, sugar.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Constipation, muscle weakness, poor concentration, weight gain, tooth damage.
WHY? Juice diets are too radical and unsustainable for a number of reasons. First of all, the lack of calories is a concern. When fruit is juiced, fibre is lost and the sugar in the fruit becomes ‘free’ – the type we need to have as little as possible of each day.
Without sufficient fibre, stools may not form properly in the bowel, leading to constipation or loose stools. The diet is also extremely low in protein unless nuts are included.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: HIGH
Veganuary may be long gone but the trend for shunning animal products is here to stay, with more than half a million Britons adopting a vegan diet like singer Beyonce
Ditching animal products like Beyonce
Veganuary may be long gone but the trend for shunning animal products is here to stay, with more than half a million Britons adopting a vegan diet.
ALLOWED: Fruit, vegetables, carbohydrates, sugar, nuts, seeds, vegetable fats, beans, pulses, wholegrains.
BANISHED: Meat, fish, eggs, dairy, animal fats, gelatin.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Muscle wastage and insufficient cell repair, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D and iodine deficiencies which may affect the metabolism.
WHY? Vegans risk not getting a sufficient range of protein, essential for growth, building muscle and repairing every cell in the body. Animal foods contain all the essential amino acids in adequate amounts, but plant sources of protein can contain lower levels of some, so you need to eat a mixture of plant proteins daily. Vitamin B12 – which boosts mood and energy levels – is only found in substantial amounts in animal foods although it is in some fortified products such as Marmite. Therefore, a supplement is advised. Iodine –essential for the production of thyroid hormones which regulate the metabolism – is abundant in milk, eggs and white fish. However, with the right supplementation, it is possible to be perfectly healthy on a vegan diet.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: MEDIUM
Dodging Dairy
One in six teenagers is cutting all forms of dairy from their diet, a trend that experts have called ‘a generational health disaster waiting to happen’. It is estimated that five to ten per cent of all Britons are intolerant to lactose, a sugar in milk. Most people with lactose intolerance can manage live yogurt, butter and hard cheese as these contain small quantities of lactose. However, those with a dairy allergy (sensitive to milk proteins) need to avoid all forms of dairy.
ALLOWED: Meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, pulses, grains, sugar, animal fat, nuts, seeds, veg oils.
BANISHED: Milk, yogurt, butter, cheese, cream, cakes, biscuits, pastries, ice cream, batter mixes and milk chocolate.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Calcium deficiency, reduced bone density, increased risk of osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
WHY? Calcium is essential for healthy bones, and dairy products offer an easy way of getting the recommended daily intake of 800mg, given that there is 240mg in 200ml of milk. While there is some bone-building calcium in vegetables, you’d have to eat a couple of bags of baby spinach to match a glass of milk. Vitamin D, found in oily fish and eggs, is essential for calcium absorption and a healthy immune system. The Government recommends at least 10 micrograms of Vitamin D a day during autumn and winter.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: MEDIUM
Apparently responsible for the shifting of Kim Kardashian’s baby weight, this high-fat, low-carb approach is based on the idea that without glucose for fuel, your body enters a state of ketosis, causing you to burn fat for energy instead
Going Keto like Kim Kardashian
Apparently responsible for the shifting of Kim Kardashian’s baby weight, this high-fat, low-carb approach is based on the idea that without glucose for fuel, your body enters a state of ketosis, causing you to burn fat for energy instead.
ALLOWED: Meat, fish, dairy, nuts, eggs, very limited fruits, a few leafy green vegetables, animal fat, gelatine.
BANISHED: Ketogenic dieters claim not to shun any food group entirely, but carbohydrates including grains and starchy root vegetables are limited to ten per cent of the diet, and followers are encouraged to avoid sugar.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: ‘Keto flu’, symptoms which include fatigue, brain fog, poor sleep, muscle wastage, bad breath.
WHY? A lack of calories could force the breakdown of protein in the muscles for energy, leading to extreme tiredness and loss of muscle if the diet is continued long-term. As the body burns fat, ketones are produced in saliva, causing a metallic taste and an unpleasant smell. The low amount of fruit, veg and grains could cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies, leading to cramps, palpitations and constipation.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: HIGH
Eating like a caveman on Paleo
Popular with Hollywood actresses such as Jessica Biel and Megan Fox, the back-to-basics Paleo approach is also called the caveman diet.
ALLOWED: Lean meat, fish, eggs, nuts, fruit, some vegetables, animal fat, vegetable oils.
BANISHED: Dairy, pulses, beans, starchy veg, grains, sugar, salt, fatty meats, ‘processed’ foods such as ready meals.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: You are likely to be eating too much meat and too little fibre, increasing your risk of heart disease and some cancers.
WHY? Although there is some fibre in fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, it is wholegrains, pulses and beans that are abundant in the nutrient. It is well known that a diet high in fibre can reduce the risk of many conditions such as bowel cancer and heart disease. If a high amount of red meat is consumed, there is an increased risk of heart disease, certain cancers and stroke.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: MEDIUM
Following gluten-free Gwynnie
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Despite only about five per cent of the population suffering from a gluten allergy (coeliac disease) or a non-specific gluten intolerance, a quarter of consumers are going gluten-free, according to a study.
ALLOWED: Meat, fish, dairy, eggs, animal fat, vegetable oils, fruits, some vegetables, nuts, beans, sugar, gluten-free carbohydrates such as rice potato and gluten-free alternatives
BANISHED: Wheat-based foods such as cakes, bread made with wheat, rye or barley, biscuits, pastry, pasta, couscous, crackers, barley, malt vinegar, soy sauce, beer, lager and stout.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Excess weight gain, lack of fibre.
WHY? A study by researchers at the University of Hertfordshire found that, on average, gluten-free alternatives contain more fat, salt and sugar than their gluten-containing equivalents, therefore increasing the risk of weight gain. Removing wheat could mean it’s not easy to get sufficient fibre into the diet if it’s not replaced, so try opting for naturally gluten-free wholegrains such as brown rice or quinoa.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: LOW
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Despite only about five per cent of the population suffering from a gluten allergy (coeliac disease) or a non-specific gluten intolerance, a quarter of consumers are going gluten-free, according to a study (pictured with soul singer John Legend)
Being a low-fat slave: Risky for your sex life
The low-fat diet has been a popular weight-loss option for years but fat is vital for our health. The consensus is that a combination of healthy fats and wholegrains is the best approach. In my clinical experience, limiting sugary foods such as confectionery, and alcohol usually leads to quicker weight loss.
ALLOWED: Oats, wholegrain bread, rice, pasta, low-fat spread, low-fat yogurt, fruits, vegetables, lean meats such as chicken and turkey, white fish, sugar (in small amounts).
BANISHED: Red meat, cheese, butter, egg yolks, salad dressings, pastry, cakes, biscuits, avocados, nuts, seeds.
POSSIBLE PROBLEMS: Low libido, weight-gain, low mood/depression, deficiencies in fat-soluble vitamins.
WHY? The body uses saturated fat to synthesise cholesterol which is then used to create the sex hormones testosterone and oestrogen. So a low-fat diet could contribute to a low libido.
Often, added sugar is used in many low-fat products to enhance the flavour, which results in excess weight gain.
The risk of low moods is increased due to an insufficient amount of omega fats, which are found in nuts, avocados and oily fish. These contain essential fatty acids the brain needs to function and the body cannot make itself.
HEALTH RISK FACTOR: MEDIUM