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Three diets put to the test

Have you put on extra pounds over the festive period, as if working from home hadn't already left its mark? But we are now heading into the new year with good intentions. But which diet is suitable for long-term weight loss and which is not? We classify.

FDH – mother of all diets

FDH stands for “eat half”. The principle is correspondingly simple. There is no need to buy anything else or cook anything special. It’s all about simply reducing consumption. Either by skipping a meal or eating only half of each meal.

The advantage of FDH

No complicated menu plans, this diet can be followed anytime and anywhere.

The disadvantage of FDH

If you only eat half as much pizza, chips and chocolate and, admittedly, only half as many vegetables, the risk of deficiency symptoms is relatively high in the long term.

The conclusion: This form of diet should not be followed for a long time. In addition, the reduction should primarily relate to foods containing sugar and fat. From a nutritional point of view, this diet is not recommended because no attention is paid to the balance of the diet.

Intermittent fasting

This type of diet also does not prescribe which foods should be consumed. Rather, it is about not eating anything at all at intervals. This can be whole days or 16 hours a day at a stretch. This diet therefore relies on short-term fasting intervals for the body.

The advantage of intermittent fasting

Initial studies actually show improved blood sugar and blood lipid levels.

The disadvantage of intermittent fasting

With the relatively long fasting intervals, the method is only socially acceptable to a limited extent. In addition, the risk of hunger attacks increases because the body is not regularly supplied with energy.

The conclusion: This method is unsuitable for long-term weight reduction. Especially because it does not contain any recommendations for a healthy diet.

Keto diet

In contrast to FDH and intermittent fasting, the keto diet is not about reducing quantities, but about the choice of food. Carbohydrates and sugar are practically taboo, but lots of fats and protein are consumed.

The effect of the keto diet

The body lacks carbohydrates as a source of energy, resulting in a calorie deficit. The body breaks down its own fat reserves and the liver produces ketone bodies as an energy source due to the lack of carbohydrates.

The advantage of a keto diet

The ketogenic diet is simple in that there are clear dos and don’ts.

The disadvantage of the keto diet

The change in energy production puts the body under stress. The one-sided diet leads to malnutrition. A keto diet should therefore only be followed under medical supervision.

The bottom line: The keto diet is an extreme form of nutrition. A longer continuation or even a permanent change should only be medically indicated. This is because a diet that is only high in fat can lead to deposits on the blood vessels, which increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. This diet also increases uric acid production, which increases the risk of gout.