12 diets India tried in 2019

Eating is one of the great joys of life. Of course, there are many different ways we can eat great tasting food and reap tremendous benefits for our health at the same time. In 2019, India tried many diets in this pursuit. Some of these diets were new while some had been around for a few years before hitting the Indian shore. Some were successful at what they set out to do while some others were surprisingly huge fails. As we bid farewell to the last year of the decade, we relook at some of these health trends and separate the wheat from the chaff. [caption id=“attachment_7603731” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Image source: Getty Images.[/caption] 1. Morning banana diet:  A weight-loss fad that began in Japan over a decade ago, the banana diet finally came to India via the Western hemisphere. Yes, it is as strange as it sounds: eat a banana in the morning. Eat more bananas, if you want. But nothing else in the morning. If you often miss breakfast, or if you’re low on potassium, this diet could be for you. 2. Low-carb, whole-food diet:  A variant of the Atkins diet, this healthful meal plan has something for everyone: whole grains, fish, veggies, fruits, nuts, meat and good fats (think almond butter or hard cheeses like Parmesan, yum). Since it is a simpler version of the keto diet - which asks that you have no more than 20 grams of carbs in a day - it might actually be a surer bet. After all, a good diet is one you can actually stick to. 3. The FAST 5:2 diet:  An easier take on alternate-day fasting, this diet asks you to restrict your calorie intake below 500 for two consecutive days a week (compared with going hungry for 24-36 hours straight in alternate-day fasting). The diet has the advantage of overall calorie restriction and it jogs the systems without starving the body. Research shows that eating 300 fewer calories daily can improve heart health in grown-ups of all ages.

Also read:   **_Alternate-day fasting reduces belly fat, LDL cholesterol: Study_**

4. The Flexitarian Diet:  Finally, the world is catching up to what many Indians have been doing all along. This diet asks that you get most of your nutrients from plant-based foods and periodically eat a bit of meat. Other rules of this diet are: eat more fruits and veggies, have fewer packaged foods and cut foods with added sugar from your diet completely, if possible. Plant-based foods will typically have fewer calories and more fibre, which should make you full faster and keep you feeling full for a while. 5. Keto 2.0:  An easier version of the high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet, Keto 2.0 asks that you get 50% of your energy from fats, 20% from carbs and 30% from proteins. What this means is that you can now eat measured quantities of fruits, especially berries, apples and tomatoes, and vegetables like carrots and peas which were earlier a no-no on the keto diet. The principle is the same: when you switch to fats as a primary source of energy, you feel full for longer and the body burns fat from food as well as any excess around your belly and bum. 6. Blue Zones Diet:  Scientists looked at five regions in the world where the maximum number of people over 100 years old lived, to learn the secret of their longevity. Here’s what they found out about their diet: they eat till they are 80% full, they drink a glass or two of wine daily and they eat more plant-based foods like beans and lentils. Their observations weren’t limited to just their diet though - they noted many lifestyle habits that could have contributed to their long life as well.  

Also read:   **_Blue Zones Diet: Will following this diet help you live for 100 years?_**

7. The Long Breath Diet:  Developed by Japanese actor Miki Ryosuke, this “diet” actually comprises breathing techniques that can allegedly help you lose weight. Place one foot forward as you tighten your glutes and balance 90% of your weight on the back leg. Raise your arms overhead as you breathe in for three seconds and breathe out for seven seconds. The diet recommends doing this for two to five minutes daily. Sounds like a breeze, doesn’t it? 8. 1,200-Calories Diet:  This eat-anything-you-want diet has just one rule: make sure you stay under 1,200 calories a day. However, Indian doctors advise that grown women have at least 1,900 and men, about 2,100 calories a day. So while this diet can help you lose weight but creating an energy deficit, maybe don’t stay on it once you’ve achieved your ideal weight? 9. Souping:  Souping is a more recent and, dare we say, healthier variation on juicing. Broths and soups tick the box on many levels. Nutrition, check. Taste, check. Comfort food, check. Calorie restriction, check. Easy to digest, check. Because of its water content, soup makes you feel full fast. (However, you may feel hungry soon, too.) Be sure to eat enough soup, and mix it up in terms of ingredients, textures and flavours. Stay away from thickening agents and croutons, of course. 10. Low FODMAP diet:  If you feel gassy and bloated after eating but aren’t sure what’s causing it, try this diet. It takes out some foods from your diet week-by-week, before reintroducing them. Nutritionists remove some of these foods to check if the symptoms (like bloating) pass: fermented foods like kimchi and kombucha, sugars, alcohols, onions, leeks, garlic, legumes, wheat, dairy, fruits like apples and lychee, and vegetables like broccoli. Once you know what’s causing the bloating, you can avoid those foods. Sounds simple? It is.

Also read:   **_Low FODMAP diet: A diet that has nothing to do with losing weight_**

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11. Chess Grandmaster Diet:  Studies show that world champions can burn more than 500 calories in just 2 hours of playing the game and up to 6,000 calories a day when they’re playing a high-stakes tournament - just from the effects of stress and thinking. So what sustains them? What do they eat to keep the mind sharp, and the body fit? Going by recent evidence, low glycaemic foods that don’t cause a spike in blood sugar levels are a huge hit with the chess champions. According to a recent report in ESPN, World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen recently gave up orange juice in favour of a blend of chocolate milk and regular milk to avoid sugar crashes as well as to get more calcium, potassium and protein during the games. Carlsen has another neat trick up his sleeve to improve focus during games: chewing gum. 12. Universal Reference Diet:  Early in 2019, a special commission set up by The Lancet, a peer-reviewed science journal, shared their recommendations for a healthy diet that was also sustainable for the planet. Comprising plant-based foods such as rice, wheat, cassava, potatoes, green veggies, red and orange veggies, and all fruits, the diet also included whole milk, meat, fish and eggs, albeit in smaller portions. The idea: to eat local, and eat in a way that the planet can sustain a population of 10 billion by 2050. For more information, please read our article on   Bodybuilding Foods_._ Health articles in Firstpost are written by myUpchar.com, India’s first and biggest resource for verified medical information. At myUpchar, researchers and journalists work with doctors to bring you information on all things health.