Fad Diets and Nutrition

Is Your Diet as Nutritious as You Think?

Finding a fad diet that works is a tall order, especially when many fall short on nutrition
By Hollis Templeton fitbie
 

Your Diet May Be Deficient

Is Your Diet as Nutritious as You Think? // Woman cutting carrots © Thinkstock

Image: Thinkstock

The connection between dieting and nutritious eating seems intuitive. In exchange for giving up fat, calories, carbs, animal products, or even solid food, you expect a better-looking—and feeling—body in return. The problem is, eliminating certain foods or nutrients from your plate is like taking a sledgehammer to the old food pyramid—cut a corner here, remove a few bricks there, and your diet ends up nutritionally unbalanced.

What does this mean for you? Plenty, if you’re following one of America’s most popular weight loss plans. For example, the Atkins, South Beach and DASH diets fail to provide sufficient levels of 27 micronutrients that the FDA recommends for daily consumption, according to a study published in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. What’s more, researchers at Stanford University found that dieters limiting their intake of carbohydrates and fat were deficient in micronutrients that fight cancer, fend off disease and fuel the body for physical activity.

When over a third of Americans are on a diet at any given time, you need to know what you’re getting—and what you’re not—when you buckle down to lose that belly once and for all. We’ve taken a look at what’s missing from six popular eating plans, what these nutritional shortfalls mean for your health, and what you can do to mend the gaps.

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