Food…. What the Heck Should I Eat? That is actually the name of a FANTASTIC book by Dr. Mark Hyman that we frequently recommend to patients looking to pursue healthier eating habits. While we adamantly believe there is no one single diet that is perfect for every human on this planet, Dr. Hyman’s extensive career in nutrition and Functional Medicine has resulted in an abundant amount of research into healthy eating, food quality, and even the political infrastructure of the food industry in the United States. Keeping up with every new diet our society touts as the next best thing is challenging to say the least. Which pattern do you pick to lose weight or stay healthy? Fad diets come and go so frequently it seems as though by the time you learn all about your latest choice, suddenly there is a new, better, and more effective option.

There are two terms that we use in-clinic to differentiate the type of eating we might recommend- general nutrition vs. therapeutic nutrition. If you want to use food as a source of medicine, eating the RIGHT foods will vary from person to person and depend on your own unique constitution and current health presentation. For example, we don’t recommend a paleo diet to all the patients that walk through our door, but Dr. Meghan, who tests very reactive on food sensitivity tests to just about every grain out there, follows a mostly paleo diet. In contrast, recommending congee (a rice porridge) to people struggling with digestive concerns, illness recovery, or certain autoimmune issues is a very frequent occurrence at Balanced Thistle. We also talk endlessly about the foods that help keep your blood sugar steady throughout the day, as well as when during the day they should be eaten. This type of therapeutic nutrition is used for many patients with hormonal disruptions, such as cortisol dysrhythmia or issues like PCOS.

We decided to break down some of the pros and cons of a handful of the better-known “fad” diets out there. Some of these diets can be used therapeutically (paleo for autoimmune, keto for solid brain tumors, Mediterranean for heart and metabolic disease), we often find people using these diets for daily living. If you’re contemplating following a specific eating pattern there are two extremely important questions we ask- Is it right for you? And is it sustainable?

Paleo diet

While many of us have heard of or even potentially tried following a paleo diet, few of us know that one of the men behind making it so famous is Dr. Loren Cordain. Dr. Cordain studied and researched the paleolithic way of eating for over 30 years at- ready for this? Colorado State University (we love FoCo!). Dr. Cordain’s paleo eating emulates a time between the appearance of stone tools and the origin of agriculture and animal husbandry when humans consumed foods that could be hunted, fished, or foraged (check out more from Dr. Cordain here).

What you eat: Meat, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Animals at the time were not raised in feed lots, so it’s important to note that meat quality is essential in following a paleo eating routine. Choose grassfed and organic meats and wild caught fish for higher levels of anti-inflammatory omega 3’s.

What you avoid: all processed foods like soft drinks and fruit juices, candy, chips, ice-cream, cakes and pastries, all grains and gluten, legumes, dairy (some versions of paleo allow for grassfed butter), artificial sweeteners, table sugar, and basically anything packaged in a box.

Pros: As we are always trying to get people to eat more “whole” foods and avoid packaged or dry processed foods, the paleo diet is a great source of nutrition for people wanting to still eat healthy carbs such as fruits and vegetables, while avoiding processed carbohydrate junk food. It also emphasizes choosing wild caught fish and grassfed organic meats, which we know to be the healthiest ways to consume meat. Grassfed meats are known to be both more nutritious and way less inflammatory than standard meat, and wild caught fish contain much more trace minerals and are lower in saturated fat as they eat a natural diet as opposed to farmed fish, which also contain several contaminants. As the paleo diet excludes dairy, this could also be beneficial for those experiencing any trouble digesting lactose. Paleo is also a great diet for people with Celiac disease or people wishing to go gluten-free. Gluten can be very inflammatory and a trigger for people suffering from auto-immunity, unexplained fertility, and numerous other health issues.

Cons: Well, let’s be honest- this one is tough to follow! So ask yourself, is it sustainable? It also eliminates some foods that are also high in nutrients and absolutely delicious, such as high quality sprouted grains. And sometimes we see people get a little too into the meat aspect of paleo and not consume enough fruits and vegetables- this leads to low fiber intake. A properly compiled paleo meal is heavy on the veggies and rich in fiber, but it’s a mistake easily made.

Ketogenic diet

The keto diet is a very low carb, high-fat eating pattern that involves drastically reducing carbohydrate intake (very low carbohydrate diet) and replacing them with fats and proteins. The reduction in carbs puts your body into a state of ketosis, promoting your body to burn fat for energy rather than carbs. There are several versions of the ketogenic diet, and some allow more carbs than others or suggest just eating carbs when working out or doing lots of physical exercise.

What you eat: meat (including processed meats like sausages or deli meat), fish, eggs, butter and cream, cheese, nuts and seeds, healthy oils such as avocado oil, olive oil, and coconut oil, avocados, and low carb vegetables like greens, tomatoes, onions, and peppers, herbs and spices.

What you avoid: all sugary foods, grains, starchy vegetables like potatoes and root vegetables, beans and legumes, fruit with the exception of small amount of berries, unhealthy fats like processed vegetable oils, and alcohol.

Pros: Some research has shown that a ketogenic diet can reduce blood sugar and insulin levels which can especially benefit people with type 2 diabetes or PCOS. It is also starting to become popular in hospitals to help patients with certain types of cancer or epilepsy. And of course, arguably a HUGE part of why the keto diet became so popular- it can be a powerful weight loss tool.

Cons: The long-term effects of a very low carbohydrate diet aren’t clear- carbohydrates are important macronutrients that provide fuel for the body and the brain. Similarly, the long-term effects of replacing carbohydrates with fats is also unclear- but could potentially lead to an increase in kidney stones and kidney damage, acidosis, or cardiovascular disease. It’s important to note you can technically follow a ketogenic diet while eating lots of processed food, which we are always trying to steer people away from, consuming excess dairy, and missing vital nutrients due to insufficient fruit and vegetable intake.. There are also several short-term side effects reported from starting the ketogenic diet which include: sleep troubles, leg cramps, mental fogginess, or the “keto-flu”. However, truth be told, this diet is particularly hard to sustain: actually achieving a state of ketosis requires adamantly and properly following the diet which, to be completely honest, we don’t often see in our patients following this eating pattern.

Mediterranean diet: It might surprise you to know that the Mediterranean diet is arguably the most highly researched dietary pattern in the world. It has been used by health care professionals of all types and all around the world and is considered to be the number one way to eat for heart health. It’s also been used for the treatment of many other chronic disease, obesity, age-related cognitive decline, and cancer. As the name suggests, it mimics the traditional cuisine of countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea. It is high in fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans, fish and olive oil and rather low in red meat.

What you eat: fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, very small amounts of dairy such as Greek yogurt, healthy fats such as olive oil and avocados, increased seafood/ fish and a very limited intake of red meat. Poultry and eggs are also eaten moderately- but the main source of protein comes from fish. Properly assembled Mediterranean meals emphasize quality plants based foods.

What you avoid: processed grains like white bread or pasta made with refined wheat, processed meats like sausages and hot dogs, sugar, candy, ice cream, refined oils such as soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, etc.

Pros: The Mediterranean diet, being mostly about consuming whole foods such as fresh fruit, vegetables, and fish, while still consuming small amounts of red meat is very nutritional and a well-researched diet that offers numerous health benefits. Plus, with such a wide variety of foods to choose from, many people find following a Mediterranean style diet more sustainable than particularly restrictive dietary patterns such at keto. The Mediterranean diet is also often linked to some of the world’s “Blue Zones”, which are small pockets around the globe where researchers have found that people tend to live longer, healthier lives.

Cons: Be sure to choose high quality, wild caught seafood- quality matters. The grains recommended in the Mediterranean diet are whole and high quality, so it can be deceiving- it’s not about just eating whatever and calling it a heart healthy Mediterranean diet! This diet isn’t optimal for people who struggle with grain consumption or those who don’t process seafood well or have an allergy to it.

Plant based diet-A plant-based diet has become increasingly popular these days, as more people are becoming aware of the meat industry and its effects on the animals themselves, our environment, and our own health. Eating a plant based diet most definitely has its benefits- but there are some things to look out for. Any time an individual cuts out a whole food group (such as meats in a plant based diet or grains in a paleo diet), extra care should be taken to examine nutrients that have been eliminated and how, given new restrictions, those nutrients can be achieved with the foods the make-up the dietary pattern you’re choosing to follow.

What you eat: vegetables, fruits, soy products such as tofu/ seitan, soy “cheeses”, non-dairy yogurts, nuts, seeds, beans, legumes, grains, healthy fats such as avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, gluten- breads, pastas

What you avoid: meats, cheeses, eggs, gelatin and other animal derivatives.

Pros: It is considered very anti-inflammatory and a very nutrient dense diet if solely vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains are consumed. It is also very high in fiber which can lower cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar. If you’re truly eating a diet very high in vegetables, you will be high in a whole lot of awesome and essential nutrients!

Cons: As is the case with any diet that eliminates food groups, there is just as much processed vegetarian junk food as there is processed meat junk food. You can definitely achieve appropriate iron and protein levels on a plant-based diet, but often times it requires you to pay more attention in order to make sure you’re doing it right. Also, it’s important to note that non-heme iron (found in plant sources of iron) and heme iron (found in meat sources) are absorbed differently in the body. Beans and legumes, which are often used to achieve proper protein levels, can also be extremely harsh on the GI tract and lead to digestive upset. And last, but not lease, some nutrients, such as B-12, are very commonly low in a plant-based diets and will likely need to be properly supplemented.

Eating a diet high in soy can also be problematic, as most soy is genetically modified- which means its seeds have been engineered to tolerate being sprayed with Round Up, or Glyphosate. Glyphosate is an extremely toxic herbicide/pesticide that has been linked to several gut issues, endocrine concerns, and is categorized as a “probable carcinogen” and linked to lymphoma. It is banned in more than 25 countries but is widely used here in the United States.

Tangent- Glyphosate is a big deal, is extremely hard on the human body, and not just involved in soy. But now that we brought that up with feels like a whole new BIG can of worms so we’ll save this one for another post…

Well, now that we’ve bombarded you with some pros and cons of some popular fad diets, we leave with you a few final thoughts:

Whole Foods- no matter the dietary pattern you choose, there is solid consensus in the world of nutrition that eating whole, non-processed foods is an essential key to proper nutrition.

Nutrients- The body needs a lot of different nutrients and they can be found in many, many different foods- so when you start eliminating foods, dig in to see what you’re eliminating so you can be sure to get your body what it needs.

Food Quality- Buying farm raised fish or conventional meat offers different nutrients than grass-fed and wild caught. The research is there- this is real!

One size DOESN’T fit all- if you are facing certain health concerns or your body is feeling off, seek out help. The fact of the matter is Google will offer you tons of conflicting information. Seek out someone trained in nutrition, we can help find what works for you!

This blog post was written by Samantha Kloss, L.Ac. and Dr. Meghan Gray, DACM

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1325029/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5902736/

https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2006.tb00232.x

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Fad Diets- The Pros and the Cons