5 Common Diets Explained
By Leia Mulroy
The foundation of good health begins with the food we put into our bodies. These foods break down into nutrients and these nutrients travel all over the body to aid in healing, repair, cellular energy, creating hormones and aiding every tiny process that happens day to day without you really realising. Without these important nutrients, the body’s natural metabolic pathways (think digestion, memory, energy, going to the bathroom) can start to slow down and sometimes stop altogether. Our body is very smart and can produce some of these nutrients by itself, but it does rely on us to provide it with the optimal nutrition to fill the tank.
In our modern way of life, there can be the tendency to get caught up with the newest fad diets that claim this that and the next thing. Now I am all for experimenting with our diet to see what works and what doesn’t, this can actually be a very educational process to see what your body responds to best. It can become a problem when we undertake these new ways of eating with a lack of understanding of how these diets affect our bodies natural metabolic pathways such as digestion, energy and nutrient deficiencies.
There is no one size fits all in nutrition, it should be personalised for your own body and unique makeup. You know your body best and it will tell you if it is responding well or not. Keep in mind that some diets can take a longer time for you to see any changes being beneficial or not so. I would suggest to anyone starting a new diet or way of eating to journal the process. What do you notice? How is your energy? Are you tired? Are you bloated? Have your symptoms subsided?
I would like to take you through 5 modern-day ways of eating and explain to you the benefits, cons and how to navigate safely through them. This advice is general and if you are thinking of changing your diet it is advised to consult with a nutritionist or naturopath to make sure you are getting the correct support.
Vegan
A vegan diet focus on consuming whole, plant-based foods such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds with the elimination of all animal products as well as animal by-products such as dairy, eggs, and honey. Strict vegans also do not use or buy consumer goods such as leather and body care that has been tested on animals or contain animal-derived ingredients.
Following a vegan way of eating can be very beneficial to the body and provide an array of phytonutrients (plant nutrients) and antioxidants providing you are consuming a large variety of plant-based foods. It is important to understand the basic fundamentals of nutrition when thinking about going vegan as you are required to put together meals that contain a balance of protein, fats and carbohydrates to nourish the body. When the diet is restricted, it can be tricky to constantly eat the right foods for your body’s needs.
A vegan diet can contain a higher amount of carbohydrates such as whole grains, beans, lentils and legumes and a lower or moderate amount of protein and essential fatty acids. It is important to understand how to balance these macronutrients in each meal. Let’s take protein as an example. Protein in a vegan diet will naturally be lower than someone consuming animal meats but it does not mean you cannot get the daily requirements. You just have to be creative. Some of my favourite plant-based foods high in protein include hemp seeds (a complete protein), quinoa (also a complete protein), nuts and seeds and fermented foods such as tempeh ( you can now get tempeh made on legumes if you are avoiding soy). This is just the tip of the iceberg. You can protein combine your grains such as millet or rice with beans and lentils to obtain a complete protein meal. Perfect!
If you are considering transitioning to a vegan-based diet it is best to consult with a practitioner first to understand what foods will work best with your body. As this way of eating can be restrictive there may be nutrient deficiencies that can occur over a period of time. Most notably iron, B12, vitamin D, calcium, zinc and essential fats. It is important to work with a trusted practitioner to monitor these nutrient levels especially if you have underlying medical conditions or previous deficiencies.
Vegetarian
A vegetarian diet is similar to a vegan diet with the emphasis on whole-plant based foods but with the addition of certain animal by-products such as dairy products and honey. Following this type of diet allows for more flexibility with food, for example, some vegetarians allow eggs and/or fish which in turn can provide a higher level of nutrients such as protein and essential fatty acids. This, of course, is up to each person to discern what is best for their health and individual constitution.
With any diet that has restrictions around food groups, it is again important to understand basic nutrition in order to get the most out of it. As mentioned in the vegan diet it is important to know how to protein combine using grains, lentils and beans as well as a variety of nuts and seeds. If you include eggs and/or fish, then you will no doubt get a higher protein intake and this may be useful if you have a very high activity level or sports routine. Some opt to also consider a plant-based protein powder such as hemp, brown rice or pea protein.
Essential fats are just as important to include on a vegetarian diet so pump up your intake of healthy plant oils and fats such as hemp oil, flaxseed oil, avocado, nuts and seeds. Some other possible nutrient deficiencies seen on a vegetarian diet include iron and B12, zinc, vitamin D and calcium. If you suffer from food allergies or multiple food sensitivities, then following a restricted diet may be challenging to acquire all of the essential nutrients. Although if you are consuming a wide variety of foods then you can successfully be nourished on a vegetarian diet as plants contain an abundance of nutrients and phytochemicals. If you are unsure if you are consuming the right foods, consult a qualified practitioner for support.
Plant-Based
Plant-based is much a newer and looser term to describe a diet based on whole foods (fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans etc), similar to a vegetarian and/or vegan diet. They all promote the consumption of fresh produce with the elimination of highly processed foods and refined sugars. Those who choose to follow a plant-based way of eating may also include small amounts of animal meats such as fish, eggs, poultry and meat with the overall intention to gradually reduce and/or eliminate it completely.
This way of eating provides much more initial freedom with food choices to allow the person to become comfortable with preparing and cooking plant-based meals and allowing them to have a starting point on which to slowly transition into a vegetarian or vegan diet if they choose.
This diet is great for those with high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and other metabolic and inflammatory conditions as it provides key nutrients to support important metabolic pathways in the body to reduce systemic inflammation and toxicity. Consuming a plant-based diet provides a balance of macro (carbohydrates, fats and proteins) and micro (vitamins and minerals) nutrients and is easy to transition into if you are coming from poorer eating and lifestyle habits.
Ketogenic
The ketogenic diet is a very low-carb, moderate protein and high-fat diet. This dramatic reduction in carbohydrates puts your body into a metabolic state called ketosis. Ketosis is a normal metabolic function that happens when the body does not have enough glucose (from carbohydrates) to use as energy so instead, it switches sources and starts to utilise fat stores as energy.
The concept of the Ketogenic diet has been around for a long time with it being originally introduced in the 1920s. It has since then been extensively researched with its positive effects against chronic conditions such as epilepsy, neurodegenerative conditions, diabetes as well as metabolic imbalances such as high cholesterol, endocrine dysfunction and weight loss.
This type of diet is very specific and will need to be tailored to each individual. It requires a lot of pre-planning around meals and calculation of the intake of macronutrients such as carbohydrates, fats and protein to get the best results for your individual needs. This will depend on a number of factors including gender, weight, activity level, health and medical conditions and lifestyle. It is best done under the guidance of a qualified practitioner so that you can benefit from the best results.
Intermittent fasting
Intermittent fasting is more of a particular eating pattern where you cycle between periods of eating and fasting. It is not necessarily based on which foods to eat, but rather when you eat. This type of fast will vary from person to person but can look roughly like the example below.
An example of an intermittent fast day:
12pm to 8pm (eating time), 8pm to 12pm (fasting time) or 7am to 3pm (eating time, 3pm to 7am (fasting time).
Depending on a person’s medical history, lifestyle, activity level, age and gender, it can vary from around 6-10 hr windows of allowed eating time a day. An important factor here when following a fasting diet is to be mindful of the food you consume when you do eat. It is important to utilise that time to consume nourishing whole foods to provide the body with the right nutrition. There is no point eating processed foods in this important window of nourishment as you will only do more harm than good, sending the bodies blood sugar and nutrient status (just to name a few) into disarray. Intermittent fasting is best done under the guidance of a health practitioner to provide you with personalised support so you can reap the benefits.
Some final words…
The important thing here is to not get too caught up with labels around “diet” and focus more on connecting with who you are, what your body needs and what makes you feel great. This will be different for each BODY and it is up to you to decide what is best for you. The more you take the time and listen and feel to what your body is asking for, you will become more receptive to its needs. Once we remove the stress around the food, we can become more aware of what we actually want. And yes, it maybe we want a slice of chocolate cake, and that is OK! Be gentle with yourself, this life is a journey of learning.
Leia Mulroy is a Pilates instructor and creator of Kambaba Wellness & Kambaba Herbals in Melbourne, Australia.
Qualified in Matwork Pilates with Polestar Pilates, Yin Yoga and an extensive background as a Naturopath, Leia combines contemporary mat pilates, strength & functional training, with a sprinkle of meditative movement practices to support both the physical and emotional body.
Learn more about Leia here