“You are what you eat ” True.. It is like a bank deposit.The little portions that we eat everyday accumulates into a lump some health deposit, that nourishes and sustains us into longer healthy life. Diet does influences our cholesterol level, sugar level and the overall state of internal health.
Diet influences our external appearance too. Fat or thin..Diet has the power to change how we look. Potential to change the external appearance, is a powerful motivator for common people to endure any kind of hardship. To tap into this human tendency, inquisitive minds always looked out for solutions. And of course the people in the businesses have always lured the people with their new but often weird dietary concepts.
Atkins dietary concept was born in 1989 and became very popular in early 2000. Atkins diet has been marketed with dodgy claims that carbohydrate restriction is the key to weight losing weight.There is only poor evidence of the Atkins diet’s effectiveness in achieving sustainable weight loss. On the contrary and it may actually increase the risk of heart disease. Following the death of Robert Atkins, the popularity of his dietary concept plummeted and his company became bankrupt.
Failure of one kind of diet concept, invariably has given way to another kind. Ketogenic diet, Dukan diet, Kimkin diet, Stillman diet, Fruit diet, Vegan diet, detox diet are some of the diets you often get to hear about. Latest addition to these weird and wonderful list of diet concepts is “Paleo” diet. Though the concept is well known for some years, it became the most popular keyword for weight loss in the google search, in the year 2013.
The primary aim of these dietary concepts, is to entice the public to believe that they could reduce their weight and they could live a healthy long life through their false claims.
Most of these diet ideas latch onto blaming the carbohydrate as the culprit and promote taking them off from our diet. They also encourage people to take high amounts fat in their meal.
Some of the differences between these diet concepts
Atkins diet : Low carbohydrate High fat High protein
Paleo diet : Low carbohydrate High fat Moderate protein …Grain free…Dairy free
Ketogenic diet : Low carbohydrate High fat Moderate protein
People have always claimed the benefits of these paranormal dietary concepts. Ironically proof of pudding is not in eating, but Testing.
Best evidence of what to eat for the healthy and longer life comes from the very latest study published in the world renowned Journal ” The Lancet” (in august 2018). The new study revealed that, if we consume diet that has either low or high amount of carbohydrate, increases the risk of early death. This study also found proteins and fats from plants are far better in ensuring longer life for humans. A big thumbs down for Paleo diet, which encourages the opposite.
Our diet should be wholesome with decent amount of plant based protein from Legumes and Dhal, Daily portion of fruits and vegetables. Reasonable amount of animal protein would ensure not only good health but gives joy to our life through our taste buds
Of course we should remove the taboo that comes with carbohydrate and take reasonable amounts of whole grain rice,wheat, ragi for our essential portions of our carbohydrate needs of every day
Healthy eating plate
healthy portions for everyday recommendation
Dr M Saravanan D.C.H., MRCP UK (Paediatrics)
Paediatrician
Rio Children and Maternity Hospital
Madurai