By Lauren Felts, Advertisement Manager
Diets have been around for a long time. In the early 1900s, a man by the name of Horace Fletcher proposed Fletcherism: the idea of over chewing food until it liquidized to prevent overeating.
According to The Atlantic, the word diet itself stems from ancient Greece. They referred to it as diaita and meant eating food with a purpose of maintaining a healthy weight and/or lifestyle. Since then, diet culture has become oversaturated with misinformation.
With the diet industry now being worth over $60 billion dollars, marketers and brands spend less time on the science behind diaita and more on the consumer demands of a “quick fix”.
While it can be difficult to determine the difference between what is legitimate and what isn’t, there are two terms that lack a clear-cut definition: nutrition and diet. What are they, and what purpose do they serve?
“The difference between diet and nutrition was created through marketing…both words refer to the items [food and beverages]you consume and how they impact the body”, says Brandy Pollicita, instructor of health and wellness at Saint Leo University. “However, a fad diet is very different… and is what really altered the undertone of the word “diet”.
What is the distinction between a good diet that promotes a positive and healthy lifestyle, a fad diet, and one that is only effective for a temporary period of time?
To understand which diets are beneficial for the body and which diets are not, the first clue is how much time they claim to take. The ones that focus on long-term results, opposed to ones that claim work wonders within weeks, are more likely to be healthy and safe.
“An individual’s diet should be a way of living focused on long-term habits,” says Pollicita.
When looking for a fresh start to a new and healthy lifestyle, focus on foods and beverages that promote lifelong optimal health, like real produce, protein, and vegetables. When at the grocery store, foods that are fresh and organic are the foods to look for. Stay away from brands that create the diet themselves such as SlimFast or Weight Watchers.
It’s also important to research which foods promote healthy living for your specific lifestyle. A diet that works for one person, such as being vegan, may not work for another person whose body needs more protein to sustain energy throughout the day. For more information on how to help determine a healthy diet, visit myplate.gov.
For best results, plan and set short-term goals to stay accountable. Adjust calories and develop habits of consistent meal timing. Portion control and timing both help significantly. For in-depth knowledge on what is best for one’s dietary plan, consult a nutritionist to navigate the best course of action and better understand what your body needs.
“There is evidence that meal frequency and meal patterns assist, though,” said Pollicita. “Specifically, eating 4-5 small meals with a variety of nutrient-dense foods”.
To gain the most knowledge on nutrition and the science behind what works, there several terms to consider researching to further an understanding in diet vocabulary. Firstly, good fat and bad fat.
According to Pollicita, “healthy fats are unsaturated [liquid at room temperature], offer health benefits, and are mainly found in foods from plants”. For example, avocados are a great source of healthy fats. According to healthline, avocadoes are about 77 percent fat, but also offer benefits such as a high source in fiber, and about 40 percent more potassium than bananas.
Another great source of healthy fats could include a variety of nutrient dense foods such as cheese, full-fat yogurt, fatty fishes (salmon), eggs, chia seeds, nuts (almonds, walnuts), and oils (coconut and olive oil) says healthline.
Bad fats are the foods that are saturated. They can be linked to certain diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and obesity. Types of bad fats include butter, beef, dark chicken, sour cream, and lard. Consuming too much of these foods can potentially lead to a plethora of health issues and should be limited to a minimum.
Carbohydrates, also referred to as carbs, are another term which can be misleading when it comes to the research behind its dietary effects.
“Carbohydrates should make up approximately 45 to 65 percent of one’s diet,” mentions Pollicita. The instructor continues that carbs should be the focus on one’s diet plan as they are the body’s primary source of energy.
Just like there is a difference between saturated (unhealthy) and unsaturated (healthy) fats, there is also a distinction between good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs are complex carbs that are high in fiber that take the body a longer period to break down and digest.
Good carbs are also the body’s main source of energy, and for the most part, are generally consumed through their most natural state. Some examples of good carbs are whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Typically, there aren’t many modifications or GMOs (genetically modified organisms) linked to these types of foods when they are consumed.
However, bad carbs are simple carbs that often contain added sugars. The body can break down these foods much more easily than complex carbs, and they are often stored as glycogen before getting converted into fat, says the American Diabetes Association.
Moreover, since the body digests these foods so much quicker, eating simple carbs can lead to a sudden spike in blood sugar levels. The spike in blood sugar can lead to a variety of health concerns including ones listed previously, as well as more severe issues such as cardiovascular disease.
Foods with added sugars are something to avoid when maintaining a healthy diet. Examples of these foods include white bread, soda, candy, sweets, and baked goods.
Having a solid understanding of these terms can significantly help determine what a healthy diet should look like and how it should be maintained. Implementing goals into each diet plan and by researching the factual evidence and science behind these terms will lead anyone into a healthy lifestyle of diaita.
