This article is about different types of diets available worldwide.
We are going to go over the various diets out there, such as veganism, pescetarianism, ketogenic and also paleo diet.
In addition, the article will discuss why you may want to try one of these diets and how it might affect your health.
Keep in mind that you should consult a doctor before doing any diet.
- Veganism
The first diet we will discuss is veganism.
Veganism is a diet that does not include any animal products whatsoever.
Some vegans will even refuse to use honey and milk because they come from animals.
For this reason, you’ll often see vegans wearing pins that read, “I don’t eat anything with a face.” So why would someone be on such a strict diet?
Veganism has become more popular over the last few years for two reasons.
One, people are becoming more aware of how animals are treated on farms and in slaughterhouses, and they don’t want to be implicated in those practices by eating meat.
The second reason is the health benefits of a vegan diet. It’s hard to find reliable sources for vegans, but studies suggest that a vegan diet can help with myriad health problems such as heart disease, diabetes, cancer, arthritis and constipation. 1
While it’s not the only way to eat or be healthy, some vegans also choose the lifestyle because of their environmental concerns.
Some say eating meat and dairy products contribute to global warming by producing greenhouse gases and other pollutants in their cattle and ruminants such as cows which belch methane into the air.
Also, many vegans believe that the meat and dairy industry is the leading cause of pollution, deforestation, and water contamination.
Many vegans even claim that eating meat is a form of violence toward animals since it involves slaughtering animals for food.
Veganism has become a popular diet because it can help treat many common health problems.
In addition, some vegans believe that meat and dairy products contribute to global warming and soil contamination.
Finally, many vegans believe that eating meat is a form of violence toward animals since it involves slaughtering animals for food.
As you can see, veganism has many benefits and is becoming increasingly popular as more people realize the benefits of this lifestyle.
In addition, if there are any ethical concerns about meat production, it would be best to try the vegan diet first before trying other options.
2. Pescetarianism
The next diet we will discuss is pescetarianism.
Pescetarianism is like the middle ground between vegetarianism and veganism.
A pescetarian will not eat any meat or fish, but will still eat other animal products such as eggs, milk and cheese.
This belief system may sound contradictory for most people because a big reason why you wouldn’t need to eat meat in the first place is that it causes harm to animals.
However, many pescetarians are also concerned about the ethical issues of eating meat.
They don’t want to contribute to animal cruelty so they choose to only eat fish and seafood instead of chicken or beef.
Pescetarians usually believe that eating meat is more harmful to the environment than it is beneficial.
In addition, many pescetarians also believe that meat production contributes to global warming and soil contamination because of the increased carbon footprint it had caused. 2
On the other hand, some pescetarians are also concerned about animal cruelty and they don’t want to perpetuate or be part of this type of behavior.
Pescetarianism has become a popular diet because of its concern with animal cruelty in the food industry and its environmental issues. 3
3. Ketogenic Diet
The next diet we will discuss is ketogenic. Ketogenic means you are following a diet that restricts your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams per day or less.
This type of diet can be very dangerous and should only be tried by people who are conscious about their health and willing to accept the risk associated with eating such a low dose of carbohydrates.
As you may know, ketoacidosis is a serious condition that leads to multiple organ failure in severe cases.
People who are on this type of diet usually experience rapid weight loss, difficulty sleeping, fatigue and muscle weakness because most proteins (e.g., meat, dairy products) have low amounts of carbohydrates anyway. 4
An advantage of this diet is that it helps some people lose weight quickly because when carbohydrates are restricted, the body’s need for those carbohydrates decreases.
So an individual would be starving when the carbohydrate levels are low enough to make you lose weight without gaining it back.
A disadvantage of this diet is that it can be dangerous and can have serious health consequences if done improperly or in a dangerous way.
Finally, some people also choose to eat a ketogenic diet as a way to help them cut calories and reach a goal weight.
However, the health risk of such a diet shouldn’t be ignored especially if you are not conscious about your health and cannot take care of yourself properly.
4. Paleo Diet
The last diet we will discuss is the paleo diet.
It was started around the 1970s by gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin with the idea that Paleolithic ancestors, who lived in a range of time from 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago, could teach modern men how to eat healthily.
The Paleo Diet restricts many products containing processed carbohydrates and avoids food that was not consumed during Paleolithic times.
This type of diet has been criticized because it greatly reduces the daily nutrients needed for a healthy life.
Again, this type of diet should only be used by those conscious about their health and willing to accept any risks associated with such eating habits.5
Now that we have discussed the four types of diets, it is time to talk about how to choose a diet:
- First, you need to ask yourself if you are conscious about your health and don’t want to adversely affect it.
- Second, ask yourself if you are mentally prepared to accept the risks and consequences associated with this type of diet.
- Also, keep in mind that many diets can be very expensive especially when you start buying special products for them (e.g., meal replacement shakes).
You should also talk to your healthcare experts before starting any type of diet.
Many doctors do not support these types of diets because they think there is still no scientific proof that those diets are effective and safe for human consumption.
So, what are your thoughts about dieting and fad diets? Let us know in the comments section below!
References:
- Oyebode O, Gordon-Dseagu V, Walker A, Mindell JS. Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause, cancer and CVD mortality: analysis of Health Survey for England data. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2014 Sep;68(9):856-62. doi: 10.1136/jech-2013-203500. Epub 2014 Mar 31. PMID: 24687909; PMCID: PMC4145465.
- Environmental working group. (2011). At-A-Glance / Brochure – 2011 meat eaters guide | Meat eater’s guide to climate change + health. EWG | Environmental Working Group. https://www.ewg.org/meateatersguide/at-a-glance-brochure/
- Fox N, Ward K. Health, ethics and environment: a qualitative study of vegetarian motivations. Appetite. 2008 Mar-May;50(2-3):422-9. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2007.09.007. Epub 2007 Sep 29. PMID: 17980457.
- Smith, Yolanda. (2020, January 20). Ketogenic Diet Side Effects. News-Medical. Retrieved on June 05, 2021 from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Ketogenic-Diet-Side-Effects.aspx.
- Paleo diet: Eat like a caveman and lose weight? (2020, August 25). Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/paleo-diet/art-20111182