How To Choose Diet That Suits you
A Brief Summary And Analysis of Eight Different Diets
Mikael Summer
© 2016 Mikael Summer
All rights reserved
ISBN 978-393613-711-8
Dietary philosophy is like religion. Some of us live in Paleo monasteries where silence and seclusion from a world of processed foods, dairy and grains are a life-long commitment. Others are Gluten-Free Adventists who abstain from any form of gluten consumption, convinced that it has led to the demise of the human body. You also have your Vegetarian Evangelists who refuse to eat meat for a variety of personal reasons and, on occasion, tell you why you shouldn’t eat meat either. Take that philosophy one step further and you have your Vegan Buddhists who value all forms of life so much so that they don’t consume any animal-related food product.
Let’s not forget those who fail to consider the impact of diet on health- AKA the dietary hedonists of the world. Dietary hedonists are those of us who don’t care, or lack the time and money to care, about what we eat. Any and all types of apparent food stuffs, whether in the form of chemically colored puffed corn or dollar menu items, are fair game. There is no judgment here, eat what is easy, eat what is convenient, and eat what makes you happy.
Within each sect of dietary philosophy there is a governing body. Authors who have created their dietary dogma after traveling on a deep and profound soul-searching journey. They return as the Joseph Smiths of the world, holding tablets filled with dietary secrets that need to be decoded in order to enlighten the masses. Some of these dietary authorities believe that abstaining from meat consumption will lessen the carbon footprint that is quickly destroying the planet. Other governing bodies believe that we are meant to eat in the same manner that we have been eating since the Paleolithic era; our bodies have not yet adjusted to a world filled with grain and dairy. Then there are those authorities who argue that we should be able to eat whatever we want, free to choose any food we please, regardless of the health-related consequence.
Most of us probably lie somewhere in between these various dietary beliefs, dissecting bits and pieces of what we hear from each dietary authority to create our own dietary dogma. You may describe yourself as a Paleo advocate in the sense that you believe that consuming food in its whole, most natural form is the best way to eat. You never see anyone leisurely munching on a stalk of wheat or barley after all. Rather, the most common way to consume a grain is after it has been processed to some extent, pounded to a powder and then mixed with sugar and other ingredients to create a palatable product for the human taste bud. But the dietary hedonist in you may turn you against your pro-Paleo thoughts and remind you that cheesecake is amazing. No amount of dietary education could convince you that French fries, burgers and calamari should be excommunicated from your diet. And even if it is definitively proven true that your body hasn’t evolved to efficiently digest and metabolize grains and dairy, these food products are still great sources of certain vital nutrients that everyone’s body needs.
Plus, one of the best things about being human is our inherent ability to invent, create, evolve and adapt to our surroundings. We are intuitive creatures, curious and capable of creating amazingly complicated recipes. Mad respect should be given to whoever figured out that you could pound wheat into a powder, combine it with yeast and add water and salt to make bread. And let’s not forget that the Renaissance and The Age of Enlightenment both took place during periods of agriculture. Taken from this perspective, processed food isn’t the product of laziness nor is it the source of all of the world’s problems. Instead, it is a reflection on humanity’s intelligent ability to take seemingly mundane food sources to produce an awesome creation.
But don’t twist these words to say that food like fruits and vegetables are mundane if they haven’t been cooked and combined with other ingredients. We should always remember that fruits and vegetables contain many nutrients that are vital for the continued maintenance of our body and that the more we cook them, the less available these nutrients are to our bodies.
So what’s the purpose of this book? Is it to judge? Is it to put down other peoples’ dietary beliefs and exalt others as the way, the truth and the light? No, that’s not the purpose at all.
This book is a summary and evaluation of eight popular diets currently circulating throughout the media. Ranked on a basis of five categories, these diets are graded so that the reader can determine which diets are best suited for their dietary preferences and lifestyle needs. The ultimate aim of this book is to educate the reader about the various dietary philosophies that exist so that they may choose the one that best suits their needs and ideological beliefs.
Each of the eight diets included in this book have been scored based on the categories listed below.
Overall Health
Scores in this category are based on the diet’s adherence to the recommendations made by the United States Dietary Guidelines for Americans. Diets based on research or created by health institutions will be rated more highly because they have been based on scientific research and designed by health and diet experts. Overall health evaluates the diet’s balance of various food groups, its promotion of physical activity and its ability to promote improved health outcomes such as reduced risk for heart disease and diabetes prevention and control. A score of 1 indicates that the diet is not conducive for an overall healthy lifestyle whereas as a score of 10 indicates that the diet is 100% fully conducive for an overall healthy lifestyle.
Weight Loss Friendly
Scores in this category will be based on the diet’s ability to achieve weight loss through smart, achievable goals that promote healthy eating habits. Diets that are specifically geared towards weight loss will be rated more highly than diets that focus on other aspects of health. A score of 1 indicates the diet is not conducive for weight loss while a score of 10 indicates that the diet is 100% conducive for weight loss.
Diabetes Friendly