With summer right around the corner, this year’s diet trends are all the rave. From intermittent fasting to the Whole30 diet, this blog serves as a crash course on the hottest nutrition trends out there. Let’s take a look at the diets generating the most buzz, who they are best suited for, and their unique benefits.

Trading Carbs For Fats With The Ketogenic Diet

While the keto diet has been used to treat epilepsy in children for decades, several big-time celebrity endorsements have led the high-fat, low-carb diet into the headlines. In its simplest form, the keto diet cuts carbs and replaces them with healthy fats. Why? To force the body to burn fat, rather than carbs, for energy. With limited carbohydrates to burn, the liver releases ketones into the blood which leads to “ketosis.” Once in ketosis, you’ve reached the goal of using fat as your main source of fuel.

The ketogenic diet requires a major increase in healthy fats like olive oil, nuts, and seeds, as well as non-starchy vegetables like broccoli and leafy greens. The low-carb protein sources such as grass-fed meat, cage-free eggs, and wild-caught fish are meant to ensure an adequate amount of protein in the diet, while carbs are limited to 20-30 grams per day. This cuts sugar, pasta, grains, and potatoes out. The ketogenic diet has become a popular choice for weight loss, while also having a positive impact on blood sugar levels, Type 2 Diabetes, mental focus, and energy. That said, the sudden decrease in carbohydrate intake coupled with the body’s transition into ketosis can lead to the keto flu. This reaction has symptoms ranging from electrolyte imbalance and dehydration to intense sugar cravings and nausea. As with any diet, hydration is crucial to avoid fatigue, aid digestion, and battle hunger. It is even more important when considering the effects of the keto flu. We suggest you discuss the keto diet with your doctor before going all-in.

The Paleo Diet Focuses On Old-School Options

The Paleo diet has gone mainstream due to the CrossFit community. This unique set of guidelines is an ode to our ancestors. Also known as the “Caveman diet,” fruits, veggies, nuts, roots, and meat are a big part of the diet. Paleo guidelines encourage the elimination of dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, processed oil, and alcohol, but its “rules” are a hot topic for debate. Grains, legumes, and dairy are typically three categories that are eliminated for all Paleo followers.

Paleo-friendly tequila and cookies are examples of the program’s flexibility. Bending the rules can make the diet more sustainable. There are also no firm rules against recreating Paleo versions of your favorite treats. The Paleo diet aims to have a positive impact on body composition, making it a solid option for fitness enthusiasts and athletes.

Whole30: An Extreme, Short-Term Solution

True to its name, the Whole30 program is a 30-day diet focused on whole foods. While it is similar to the Paleo diet in many ways, it is far more extreme. In fact, it’s so extreme that it should only be used as a short-term solution to learn about — and fix — your relationship with food. Whole30 eliminates sugar, alcohol, grains, legumes, soy, additives, and dairy. This leaves you with meat, poultry, fish, veggies, and fruits to make up the majority of your diet.

Once the 30 days are over, the foods you had cut are slowly reintroduced into your diet. There’s no bending or breaking of rules with the Whole30 program, so this one is not for everyone. If you feel you need a reset or find your relationship with food is triggering issues such as a lack of energy, digestive problems, or acne, Whole30 may be worth considering. Due to its severe restrictions, we suggest talking with your doctor before beginning the program.  

Intermittent Fasting Alternates Feeding and Fasting

Unlike other diets, intermittent fasting is about when you eat, not what you eat. This form of dieting rotates between several hours of fasting and feeding. In some cases, people will go a whole-day fasting, while many others will limit their eating to a several-hour window. For example, an individual might fast for 16 hours a day followed by an 8-hour feeding window.

Intermittent fasting is associated with a long list of benefits including weight loss and improved heart health. Much of this success is due to the short feeding windows, which lower the individual’s total daily caloric intake. Intermittent fasting can help teach your body to use the food you eat more more efficiently, and to burn fat as fuel. If you plan to fast for any longer than 16 hours, we suggest talking to your doctor. Since there are no specific restrictions with I.F., it can be beneficial for the general population.

Proven Nutrition Advice

You don’t have to diet to be healthy. Some nutrition advice has withstood the test of time, while many other fad diets like the Fruitarian diet and the chewing diet have come and gone. Here’s a few basic things to consider as you upgrade your nutrition game:

Tip #2: Focus on lean protein sources. Protein is a must in all diets. The leaner the source, the better. Chicken, fish, and tofu are excellent options, chocked full of protein.

Tip #3: You can’t go wrong with vegetables. All of the diets in this blog allow vegetables and for good reason. From carrots to cucumbers, veggies are nutrient-dense, low in calories, and have a positive impact on your health.

Tip #4: Limit sugar and alcohol. The two things that do more bad than good are sugar and alcohol. While it’s not always necessary to eliminate them, they certainly can be limited.

Tip #5: Stay hydrated. Regardless of diet, hydration is a must. If you are looking for an extra hydration boost, try a beverage high in electrolytes, like Liquid I.V., which delivers fluids to your bloodstream at a rapid pace.

Now that you know all about this year’s diet buzz, you have the tools to determine which diets are or are not for you. As always, consult with your doctor before committing to any extreme diet changes and do your best to practice the healthy habits described above. Best of luck as you take nutrition to the next level!