According to health experts, fad diets are not sustainable for the body in the long run as they cause deficiency of many nutrients
Health experts say while there is no shortage of these diets that promote a certain lifestyle that gives short-term success, ultimately, they are difficult to sustain and deprive your body of essential nutrients that a balanced diet offers.
While being obese and overweight has many health risks, leading to dangerous and life-threatening conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart issues, there are no shortcuts to a healthy life.
What is a fad diet?
According to Cleveland Clinic, fad diets are plans sold as the best and fastest approach to losing weight quickly. However, health experts say that these diet limit intakes of necessary nutrients that your body needs for the healthy functioning of vital organs.
Most of these diets eliminate important sources of nutrition, such as whole grains, or lectins that are very important for overall health.
Because they often cut out key foods, fad diets may cause the following symptoms:
- Dehydration
- Weakness and fatigue
- Nausea and dizziness
- Headaches
- Constipation
- Deficiency of various nutrients like vitamins
Popular fad diets
A few popular diets that have been endorsed over decades are:
- Atkins diet: It is a low-carb diet that consists of four stages in which you are permitted unlimited amounts of protein and fat. Health experts have criticised it for the fact that one cannot remain low or off carbs for which, which you have to be to achieve the weight goal.
Keto diet: This is a much-hyped and popular diet regime that has been conceptualized around eating low-carb, moderate protein, and very high amounts of fat to lose weight. The diet does work for some time as the body shifts shape in a state of ketosis for energy that comes from the breakdown of fats in the body as there are no carbs as a source of energy. The problem arises when the diet becomes rigid and difficult to follow in the long run. It also puts additional stress on the organs that need to derive energy despite the absence of carbs.Vegan diet: World over, many people follow a vegan diet to lose weight and derive energy and nutrients from plants. However, it has been criticised for being unbalanced and extreme since there is no animal nutrition that the body gets. According to health experts, vegans tend to develop vitamin B12 deficiency which causes irreversible neurological effects.Paleo diet: The Paleo diet has been derived from the paleolithic era when our ancestors used to live in caves and went hunting for food. The diet limits many food groups like milk, lentils, and grains and only promotes fruits, vegetables, and milk. It is said to increase the risk of kidney and heart diseases.
Disclaimer: Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice. Always consult your doctor or a dietician before starting any fitness programme or making any changes to your diet.
