The Diet

Diet is a four-letter word, yes literally.  It should have been one of those bad words your mother instructed you not to say.  For most of us diet means deprivation of the things we like to eat.  Diet has also been the “answer” to being healthy, losing weight, or managing chronic illnesses.  Today there are so many popular types of diets, it is hard to keep track, let alone know the risks and benefits to each of these diets.  Let’s review the most popular diets out there.  I will do my best to not use the “diet” word and will refer to them as ways of eating or a lifestyle.

Vegan

Vegan is a way of eating that excludes any food that is from an animal source.  This means not only meat including poultry and seafood, but eggs, dairy, or any product that has been produced by an animal or has a derivative of an animal byproduct is avoided.  Many adopt this type of lifestyle as a way to support animal rights and others find it is a healthy lifestyle that has improved their overall health.

Vegetarian

Vegetarians are mainly plant based eaters, which includes vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, and fruit.  Some vegetarians will also eat seafood.  Unlike their Vegan counterparts they may eat products produced by animals including eggs, dairy, and honey.

Paleo

A Paleo way of eating reverts to the days of the caveman.  Those following a Paleo lifestyle will abstain from grains, sugar, processed foods, and most dairy products as this was not a source of nutrition in man’s early history.  Paleo foods include lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, healthy fats and oils, vegetables and fruits.

Keto

Keto followers try to consume high protein foods doing their best to avoid carbohydrates.  Keto foods include all meats, certain nuts, vegetables, and fruit.  Many use this to lose weight.  By eating very few carbs your body goes into ketosis.  Ketosis is a metabolic state where your body turns to burning its fat storage for energy.  There is no restriction to fat intake and it can be very high in saturated fat.

Whole30

Whole30 followers refrain from eating foods deemed inflammatory, this includes dairy, sugars, sweeteners, alcohol, legumes, grains, and processed foods.  They do this for approximately 30 days and then start to reintroduce withheld foods one at time to ensure they aren’t one of their trigger foods, that causes bloating, stomach upset, bowel problems, skin irritation, or any other allergy type symptom.

Overview

This was a very brief overview of the most popular ways of eating.  What I see in common with all these lifestyles is that those following them are trying to improve or maintain their overall health.  Secondly, these plans for the most part avoid processed  foods.  So, whether you are Vegan, Vegetarian, Paleo, Keto, or Whole30 the most important factor is that you are including foods that are both nutritious and free of chemicals including preservatives, pesticides, or additives.  Like with many things there is not always just one way to get to your goal, find what works best for you.