The word “diet” is generally used as a reference to a food plan aimed at losing weight. It is temporary in nature, since the idea behind the diet plan is to lose weight. Once the targeted weight is achieved, dieters revert to their normal eating ways. This does not augur well for the dieter, as fluctuating weight does not help the cause of sound health. Temporary diets do more harm than good. So, I may suggest that it is necessary to continue with a diet comprising of essential nutrients on a consistent basis.

Constituents of a Diet

The Random House Dictionary defines “diet” as, “food considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and effects on health.” It further mentions “diet” as, “a particular selection of food, esp. as prescribed to cure a disease, gain or lose weight etc.” According to the definition, the quality of food is an important aspect of any diet. Your diet should be healthy so that it promotes the your health. My experience with diets says that a diet that helps you lose weight at the cost of your health, howsoever temporary, should not be considered good. Your diet should compose of healthy and essential nutrients, so that you are not deprived of good health in the process of losing weight.

Reasons to Diet

Generally, people love eating food, which may consist of healthy and not so healthy foods. If you ponder over the food you normally eat, you will find that more often than not unhealthy elements creep into your food; and they tend to stay there. Excessive calories taken every day obviously lead to weight gain in small amounts. This does not bother us much, until one day when we realize that the smaller weight gains have added up over a period to a substantial weight gain. The unhealthy elements in our food gradually push us to a state of poor health. Fast food, that a majority of us love eating, are mainly responsible for our poor health. The sad part is that not only we grown ups are addicted to these unhealthy foods; children too are growing fonder of junk food.

The two main reasons people resort to a diet are – to lose weight, improve health, or both. Poor eating habits lead to weight gain and bad health. Healthy individuals, who are neither overweight nor unhealthy, need not take to dieting. However, they need to be careful about their diet and follow the food pyramid recommendations of the USDA.

Over the years many diet myths have cropped up, which have no basis whatsoever in weight loss.

Myths versus Reality

Myth 1 – Low Fat Means Low Calories

A general myth doing the rounds is that low fat means low calories. The fact is that low fat foods do not mean low calories. For that matter, a fat-free diet does not mean that the diet is calorie-free. If you are buying a low fat diet, especially snacks such as cakes, biscuits, and ice creams, check its calorie content. These foods contain extra sugars and thickeners to enhance the flavor and texture. Extra sugars and thickeners contribute to the calorie content of the food, which is nearly equal to that of the standard products. Here are some more facts that you may consider.

Foods that claim to be fat free may contain high sugar content, which is converted to fat. The government has introduced guidelines not allowing the usage of ‘% fat free’ claims. Accordingly, low-fat food should have an upper limit of 3g fat per 100g. As part of a healthy food regime, we need certain fats in our diet. Foods that lack fats can raise certain serious health issues. Bad fats are related to specific disease, while good fats work in the reverse direction by lowering the risks. Good fats that we obtain from fish oils contain fatty acids that help burn fat better. Vegetables, fruit, and whole grains provide fewer calories and more volume, which are ideal as weight loss foods. On the contrary, processed foods that are fat free or low fat, are high calorie foods.

Fad diets are what people consider a quick and effective way of losing weight. These diets may lead to quick or effective weight loss initially, but are not necessarily healthy. Fad diets lack essential nutrients that the body requires. Generally, these diet plans restrict certain foods that people cannot do without. That is the reason people why cannot stick with fad diets for long. Whatever weight they may lose, is then regained once they give up these fad diets.

These low-fat fad diets are not considered healthy because of the missing nutrients. Weight loss at 1.5 kgs a week after the first two weeks is not healthy. Some diets offer less than 800 calories a day, which deprives the body of the requisite energy. It can lead to heart problems later. So, both high calorie diets and diets that do not provide enough calories are not suitable for health.

You will have to exercise extra caution when buying low fat or fat free foods. Fat free foods do not contain any fats that can be detected. Flavors in both dairy and non-dairy products come from fats. Fat free content of ice creams, chocolates, cheese and more such products deprives them of special flavors and texture. These flavorless items will just not sell in absence of fat. Available fat substitutes are not suitable because of their ill effects on the body, and they can be expensive too. The only alternative that can add flavor to edibles is sugar. Since sugar is high in calories, low fat products provide more than the desired level of calories.

Low fat or low calorie diets need to be taken in limited quantity. If a dieter has no regard for the quantity of food intake, chances are that the results will not be as desired. People take low fat breads that are rich in carbohydrates. Since carbohydrates breakdown into glucose that results in fat formation, excessive intake will only lead to weight gain. So, low fat foods in no way ensure weight loss. The other ingredients need also be checked carefully. Given below are some foods that may be considered good, but they do not have the desired health benefits.

Frozen Diet Foods: Your frozen diet food may be low fat, low calorie and high on nutrition, but the high sodium content can lead to high blood pressure and subsequent heart disease.

Popcorn: Popcorn packs are a source of high calories. The smallest popcorn bag with no extra butter can provide you up to 300 calories with 20 grams of fat. Certain microwave versions contain even higher calorie and fat content.

Fat-free Snacks: With hardly any fiber content, these fat-free snacks end up providing more calories than you bargained for. Since these are not filling, the tendency is to eat more than normal. Fat free food products are normally flavorless and contain high calorie substitutes, which ultimately lead to weight gain, more than what your regular high-fat food item could give.

Fast-food Items: Between grilled and fried chicken sandwiches, I would say on the basis of research that the grilled variety is certainly lower in fat content. However, the cheese and creamy toppings more than compensate for the original low fat content.

Tuna Sandwiches: Tuna fish is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and protein, and low in calories and fats. That makes it a healthy food. But, a tuna sandwich with mayonnaise can provide an awesome 750 calories and 45 grams of fat.

Myth 2 – Watching Carbohydrates In Diet Helps Lose Weight

The myth attached here is that carbohydrates help enhance insulin production, which leads to weight gain. So, by watching and controlling our carbohydrate intake, we can lose weight.

I may state here that the fact is far from what the myth states. When you are on a low carb diet, you deprive your body of its share of carbohydrates. As a result, the body starts burning the stored carbohydrates to produce energy. The resultant release of water that comes from burning glycogen leads to rapid initial weight loss.

The famous low carb Atkins diet provides just 20 grams of carbohydrates per day initially as against the National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine’s recommendation of 130 grams. Atkins diet excludes most fruits, potatoes, beans, rice, grains, pastas and some vegetables.

You may take a note that some low carb diets that reduce the intake of vegetables and fruit cause more harm. Vegetables and fruits are known for their high-fiber content, and the antioxidants that come from vitamin C. These are important ingredients that ensure good health, and need to be part of any and every diet.

The reason why people lose weight initially when they take up a low-carb diet, besides the water loss factor, is the lower calorie content. The calorie content of such a diet on an average is 1000 to 1400 calories a day as against the daily requirement of 1800 to 2200 calories. By restricting your daily calorie intake by less than 500 calories of the daily average requirement, you can lose weight without resorting to low carb diets. This, I believe, is a healthier way of doing it.

Not much is known about the long-term effects of a high protein low carb diet plan. Protein rich foods like eggs, meat, and cheese do give you the requisite calories, but then they give you more than your share of fats and cholesterol. People on predominantly high protein diets run the risk of acquiring heart disease. A balanced approach to diet consisting of leafy vegetables, fruits and whole grains, in addition to high protein intake, ensures of dietary fiber necessary for proper elimination of the dietary waste. High protein low carb diets may sound great, but their use over a period will leave you weak, tired and feeling nauseous.

Another fact about low carb diets worth noting is that you could end up with a host of health problems. According to dieticians, your daily diet should consist of a minimum of 130 grams of carbohydrates. Any intake below the minimum requirement could lead to formation of ketones. These partially broken down fats in the blood make the body produce excessive amounts of uric acid, which could lead to gout. This condition is marked by swelling of the joints that can be very painful. Excess of uric acid can also lead to formation of kidney stones. Presence of ketones in the blood spells risk for diabetics, pregnant women, and people with kidney disease.

Low carb diets deprive you of energy and vitality. They lead to constipation, fatigue, and weakness. In the long run low carbohydrates can cause heart disease and colon cancer. You may replace refined carbohydrate intake in the form of white flour and soda by whole grains, vegetables, and fruits for healthier carbohydrates.

Another myth attached to carbohydrates is that it is fattening. Believe me, there is no scientific evidence to support the myth. Carbohydrates and protein provide just about the same quantity of calories per gram i.e. approximately 4 kilocalories per gram of carbohydrates and 3.75 kilocalories per gram of proteins. So, carbohydrates are in no way fattening if you are careful about the way you consume them. Foods with carbs when fried can be fattening. You cannot blame carbs for that.

Disadvantages of Low Carb Diet in a Nutshell

• Initially, low carb diets make a person lose a lot of weight owing to water loss in the body. It might seem impressive, but the resultant dehydration can cause weakness and lethargy.

• The ketones formation in the blood suppresses hunger. It may sound good, but it can lead to excessive production of uric acid resulting in painful swelling of the joints – a condition called gouts.

• When on a low carb diet, you are likely to face other harmful effects on your health. The restrictive use of whole grains, fruits and vegetables deprive you of essential nutrients and dietary fiber, which in the long run can lead to build up of fatty deposits in the blood vessels, and lack of calcium in the bones.

Myth 3 - Eating After 8 p.m. Causes Weight Gain

Some people are highly misinformed about the time of their meals at night. They believe that late night meals can cause people to gain weight. Nothing could be farther from dietary truth. The fact is that more than the time of the meal, it is the content that determines your weight gain or loss. Be careful about the calorie intake. Calorie awareness is important, which comes from eating at the dining table rather than eating while watching TV or working at the computer.

Our busy schedules have necessitated quick, ready to eat meals, which go against the health norms. Excessive fats and lack of nutrients are the features of such quick-fix meals. Anyone looking to be healthy would best keep away from fast foods. Dieticians do recommend lots of fruits and vegetables in your diets. One can argue whether the fruits and vegetables that we eat ensure us of enough nutrients. Intensive farming methods over the years have depleted the soils of nutrients. Fully ripened foods can provide the requisite nutrients, but all foods that we eat are picked before they ripen. This is done to prevent the food from putrefying before it reaches the consumer. The use of preservatives and cold storage of food further destroys the nutrients.

So, foods and vegetables that we eat are not as nutritional as we think they are. Anyway, they are still better than the fast foods that we have got so used to eating. We stand to benefit more from fruits and green leafy vegetables. If you want full nutritional value from your greens, you can grow them in your backyard. The kitchen garden is a source of healthy food, free from pesticides and germicides. The diet fiber that you obtain from the leafy greens, cleanses your digestive track thoroughly. People suffering from constipation will help themselves immensely from the ingestion of green leafy vegetables and fruits. Fruit and vegetables juices provide a lot of nutrition, but the diet fiber content is missing from juices.

People, who do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables, can opt for supplements of green vegetables. These supplements include dried vegetable juices, soy lecithin, bee pollen, bee propolis, royal jelly and more. Supplements that contain herbs may best be avoided, since herbs have medicinal value and should be used only to treat some ailment. Vitamin and mineral supplements should only be taken under advice from a dietician or a health care practitioner.

Myth 4 – Fish Has No Fat or Cholesterol

Most people believe that fish has no fat or cholesterol. Most fish do have both these elements, although lower in saturated fat and cholesterol in comparison to pork, beef, turkey and chicken. Fish are a rich source of protein, and some fish are rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are believed to be good for the heart. Omega 3 fats are polyunsaturated fats and are termed good fats.

Free foods are low calorie foods that make the body burn more calories to metabolize them than the number of calories they provide. These are also known as fat burning foods. Anyone looking to lose weight can rely on these free foods. You may have met a number of people who find losing weight a hard proposition despite their effort at exercises and dieting. The metabolic and genetic structures are responsible for the amount and rate at which one loses weight. These two factors also determine how much weight a person gains.

The Fat Types

Fats are bifurcated into two types – good fat and bad fat. Both monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats are good fats, whereas saturated fats and trans fats are termed as bad fats.

Monounsaturated fats are termed good fats because of their role in reducing cholesterol and triglycerides in your body. They are also known to control diabetes and blood pressure. Foods such as olive oil, canola oil, peanut oil, peanuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, and chicken fat contain monounsaturated fats. This is something you should be aware of about your meals.

Polyunsaturated fats too are known as good fats for the reason that they bring down triglycerides, swellings, and tumor growth. They also support and strengthen the immune system, while protecting the heart. Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils are well known examples of polyunsaturated fats. Canola oils, sardines, tuna fish, trout, mackerel, herring, flaxseeds, and walnuts contain omega 3. You can source omega 6 from foods like sunflower oil, sesame oil, safflower oil, beans and nuts.

Saturated fats are called bad fats because of their role in raising cholesterol levels and enhancing the risk of heart ailments and stroke. Saturated fats are found in most foods that we take and cannot be completely avoided. Thankfully a number of fat free milk products are available, which can be consumed to cut sown the intake of these fats. Whole milk, meats, cheese, and coconut oil are sources of saturated fats.

Trans fats are equally bad since they increase LDL (bad cholesterol) and reduce HDL (good cholesterol). LDL (low density lipoprotein) is a lipoprotein of the blood plasma made of a moderate quantity of protein with little triglyceride and a large quantity of cholesterol. HDL (high density lipoprotein) is a complex of lipids and proteins that plays the role of transporting cholesterol in the blood. Higher the levels of HDL, lower the risk of coronary heart disease and atherosclerosis.

Trans fats are found in foods such as cookies, cakes, shortening, margarine, vegetable oils, and hydrogenated oils damaged by heat while cooking.

The Role of Fish Oil (Omega 3) in Weight Loss

A recent study conducted and published in the International Journal of Obesity showed the effects omega 3 fish oil supplement had on the increase in the number of fat calories burned in a single day.

Volunteers were divided into two groups and given the same diet, except that in addition one group was given 6 grams of fat comprising of butter, sunflower oil, olive oil, and peanut oil, while the other group was given 6 grams of omega 3 fish oil. The actual ingestion of omega 3 long chain fatty acids was 1.8 grams per day.

The following changes were noticed in both the groups after three weeks.

Fish Oil Group

Non-fish Oil Group

Body Fat

(-) 2 pounds (-) 0.7 pounds

Daily Metabolic Rate

1775 calories 1710 calories

The results obtained showed that the group that took the omega 3 supplements burned about 1.1 milligrams of fat per kilo per minute, which was approximately 26% higher than the non-fish oil group. What makes omega 3 fish oil have a strong effect on fat metabolism is the reduction by 50% of insulin levels instilled by it. Insulin has a diminishing effect on the use of fat for fuel. It also enhances fat storage in excess calorie situations, encouraging fat storage.

As such, lower insulin levels promoted by omega 3 fatty acids help the use of fats for energy.

It is important to clear all the myths related to diet and dieting. The facts stated above are sure to help you make an informed decision on the diet you need to opt for. A wholesome meal scores heavily over fad diets, which can give you temporary weight loss results and harm your health in the bargain.