What is a diet? Simply put, diet is the total amount of food ingested by an individual or other living organism. It usually involves food that is taken directly from the dieter’s food source without undergoing any processing, such as the cooking process. Generally, diet is recommended to people who are trying to lose weight by limiting calories or carbohydrates in their diet. On the other hand, low-carb diets are another popular type of diet that restricts carbohydrates and fats in the diet while increasing protein and fiber intake at the same time.
The objective of eating a healthy diet is to control weight gain, decrease risk of heart disease and promote general health. With the wide variety of eating plans and meal replacement options today, it is difficult to know which ones work and which do not. However, there are some criteria that you can use to determine if a particular plan is good for you. These include:
o How the diet affects your body. Some diets like low calorie, low fat or low carb diets, restrict certain nutrients such as fat and cholesterol intake. Other diets may include foods that contain high fat content or fiber content. Therefore, it is important to understand what the diet consists of so that you will know how to maintain a healthy diet and still receive all the nutrients you need.
o Dietary balance. A balanced diet should provide all the nutrients that you need and have a minimal amount of calories. Diets that are too low in calories may lead to weight gain, dehydration and other negative consequences on your health. In contrast, diets that are too high in calories may result in hunger pangs and overeating.
o Artificial sweeteners. It has been observed that people who frequently consume artificial sweeteners are likely to have diet problems. This is because artificial sweeteners are easily converted into fat and contribute to weight gain. Although artificial sweeteners are now available in alternative forms such as natural and organic sugars, it is advisable to use them sparingly to reduce your diet risk factors. Opt for natural sugar sources like honey, maple syrup and cane sugar instead.
To lose weight quickly without suffering from diet side effects, you can resort to various healthy diets such as the raw food diet. Eating fresh fruit and vegetables in their raw form is considered to be the best form of diet since the nutrients preserved in the natural form are easily absorbed by our bodies. This makes it easier to control our appetite and prevent cravings.