Singapore is a well known food paradise with a wide varieties of cuisines from all walks of life. With so much good food around that we consume on a daily basis, be it buffets or through cafe hopping, you probably know a friend or two that is on a diet in order to stay fit.
With the number of diets out there and new diet trends being started by celebrities or influential people, it’s hard to keep up so here are some of the popular diets that you should know about:
The Ketogenic Diet
The ketogenic diet’s main goal is to go into ketosis (burn fat for energy) by restricting carbs and increasing fat intake. It is a low-carb, high-fat, and adequate-protein diet. To start, processed foods and sugar-laden drinks which are typically very high in carbohydrates have to cut out from your current eating habits.
It is important to keep in mind that the ketogenic diet changes your metabolism and may not be appropriate for everyone. It can help with weight loss and controlling type 2 diabetes but it can also lead to nutrient deficiencies and dehydration.
The Paleolithic Diet
The paleo diet focuses on eating what the cavemen ate that can be obtained by hunting or gathering. It typically includes lean meats, fish, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds while avoiding grains, dairy products, refined sugar and processed food.
This diet is meant to mimic the way humans lived before the advent of agriculture 11,000 years ago while also being nutrient-dense and satisfying. If you are interested to try this diet, proceed with some caution as it has been linked to negative health effects for some people. This can be especially true if someone is not eating enough calories, too many calories at one time or not consuming a wider variety of products for essential nutrients.
The Vegetarian Diet
Vegetarians primarily do not consume animal based meats. Instead, a diverse mix of fruits, vegetables, grains, healthy fats and proteins are consumed. To replace the protein provided by the lack of meat in their diets, a variety of protein-rich plant foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, tempeh and tofu are eaten by vegetarians as well.
It is said that vegetarians have lower rates of cardiovascular disease and cancer than meat eaters however, the vegetarian way of living is not easy to maintain. Most people do not fully know what foods can be consumed and tend to just restrict the variety of food they consume when they hear that meat or by products of meat are involved in the cooking which may lead to malnutrition, vitamin B12 deficiency as well as anemia.
The Lacto-Ovo-Vegetarian Diet
Lacto-ovo vegetarian diets exclude meat, fish and poultry, but allow dairy products and eggs. You can consider them as a subset in between vegetarians and vegans. It is a popular and healthier way of eating as there are lesser restrictions imposed by sticking to this diet.
Those who choose to start on this type of diet need to however be careful about getting enough iron and calcium from their food. Plant based products tend to have lesser amounts and one would have to consume more to get sufficient nutrients. They should also be careful about their sodium intake as well as vitamin D needs.
The Vegan Diet
Veganism is a lifestyle that excludes all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty in terms of the food they consume, clothing, or any other purpose. As such, the vegan diet abstains from the use of animal products, particularly meat, dairy, poultry, and eggs. The benefits are numerous which includes better gut health, healthier heart and lower cholesterol levels.
There is also however a risk of not getting enough proteins on a vegan diet and this may cause blood sugar swings in some individuals. One should also be aware of over-consuming carbohydrates as legumes are often consumed as a protein source but are high in carbohydrates.
These are just some diets that will help you understand the differences between the more commonly known ones and there are hundreds of others that Wikipedia has listed out for those who are interested to learn more.
No matter if you are doing it for health reasons, the environment or even animal rights, dieting is a personal choice but do at least couple it with some exercise in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for your overall well-being.
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