Nutrition expert reveals the pros and cons of popular diets, including Intermittent fasting

Many of us want to drop a few pounds but with so many diets and eating plans to choose from, it can be difficult to know which ones work best – and deliver lasting results. 

Diets such as Intermittent Fasting, the Mediterranean diet and Keto have gained popularity over the years due to their results.

Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston are among the many celebrities to endorse the benefits of Intermittent Fasting, while celebrities such as Vanessa Hudgens and LeBron James committed to the Keto diet.

Speaking to FEMAIL, American nutritionist Anthony O’Reilly, from BarBend, explained that there are pros and cons to any popular diet and that none is a magic quick fix. 

Anthony said: ‘It is crucial to do your own research before changing your diet and to have an understanding that there is no quick-fix for losing weight, or one particular diet that is guaranteed to work better than another. 

‘Make sure to prioritise calories first, and then choose a diet style based on your preference.’

However, by better understanding the most common types of diets, you can decide which one works best for your lifestyle and overall goals. 

Here, Anthony explains the pros – and cons – to six of the most popular… 

Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent Fasting involves consuming all your calories within a set time period and then fasting for the rest of the day. 

There are different approaches to intermittent fasting, with the most popular being an 8:16 split – meaning you consume your calories in an eight-hour eating window and fast for the other 16 hours of the day. 

You can also do a 10:16, 16:10, or even a 6:20 eating: fasting split. The concept is that you will be eating fewer calories since you are squeezing them into a narrower timeframe, instead of consuming them throughout the day. 

Intermittent Fasting is the most popular diet online, receiving a huge 1.2 million average monthly searches worldwide. 

Kourtney Kardashian and Jennifer Aniston are among the many celebrities to endorse the benefits of Intermittent Fasting.

Mediterranean Diet

As the name suggests, the Mediterranean diet is inspired by the eating habits of people who live near the Mediterranean Sea, for instance, Greece, Italy, and Spain, who have some of the longest life expectancies in the world.

The diet is rich in heart-healthy foods such as vegetables, grains, fish, fruit, olive oil, and nuts. 

Consumption of red meat is kept to a minimum, and dairy intake is moderate and consists of high-quality sources such as yoghurt and cheeses. 

The Mediterranean diet is the second most popular diet online, receiving 610,000 global monthly searches worldwide.

Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet, sometimes called ‘the Caveman diet,’ involves only eating meat, fish, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds. 

Any grains, dairy, processed foods, beans, legumes, and sugars must be avoided while adhering to this diet.

The Paleo diet is the third most popular diet online, with an average of 200,000 monthly global searches. 

Celebrities such as Matthew McConaughey, Miley Cyrus and Uma Thurman all reap the benefits of the Paleo diet.

 Sirtfood Diet

Thanks to Adele and Pippa Middleton’s endorsements, the Sirtfood diet has grown in popularity in recent years. 

The diet focuses on foods high in sirtuins, a group of proteins found in the body that regulate metabolism. 

Foods high in sirtuins include red wine, dark chocolate, walnuts, arugula, coffee, and extra-virgin olive oil. 

The Sirtfood diet receives 52,000 average monthly searches, making it the fifth most popular diet online worldwide.

Advantages of the Sirtfood diet:

Many of the foods recommended on the Sirtfood Diet are full of beneficial micronutrients and antioxidants.

Disadvantages of the Sirtfood diet:

There is little proof that the Sirtfood diet leads to weight loss or better health.

You must follow a strict routine.

The Ketogenic Diet

In recent years, the Ketogenic diet has arguably been one of the most discussed and debated diets. 

Keto, as it is called for short, prioritises fat (65-75 per cent of your daily calories), with moderate protein consumption (20-30 per cent) and very few carbs (only about five per cent, though some versions prohibit carbs altogether). 

The Keto diet ranks as the sixth most popular diet online, with 44,000 average monthly searches worldwide.

The Keto diet was designed to keep the body in a near-constant state of ketosis, a metabolic state where the body creates ketones from fat to use as energy instead of sugar from carbs (the body’s primary and preferred energy source). 

The Keto diet has become more popular in the last few years, especially with the Hollywood elite, with celebrities such as Vanessa Hudgens and LeBron James committed to the Keto diet.

It is important to note that none of these options are the be-all, end-all for your health needs. You can lose weight on about any diet, so long as you are in a calorie deficit (that is, you burn more calories than you consume). 

Prioritise calories first, and then choose a diet style based on your preference.

Studies have also shown that the quality of food is just as if not more important than the number of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and fats) you take in. 

In other words: if you’re following a low-carb diet, you need to make sure you’re eating quality fats and protein, too. 

On the flip, opt for whole grains over refined starches if eating a diet lower in fat.