The best diet is the one that works for you
February 27, 2019
Ranking of the best diets according to US News.
When on a keto diet, your body will be forced to rely ketone bodies, a type of fuel that the liver produces from stored fat, instead of sugar. This happens as carbohydrates are cut out of a person’s diet which are often found in fruits, vegetables, and grains.
** At time of posting no one to our knowledge follows the Keto diet.
Fasting is the voluntary withholding of food for a certain period of time. Having an absence of food from dinner to breakfast the next day can be considered fasting and some believe it is a natural part of life. When your body runs on little to no food, it begins to eat its own fat for energy. This diet helps digestion and builds up a healthy immune system.
“The beginning of fasting sucks,” junior Julia Young said. “Your body has to adjust to what you’re doing to it so you’re super hungry. After about three days, your body adjusts because of its biological clock. After that it’s normal and people ask me ‘aren’t you hungry?’ and I swear I never am until right around when my feasting window starts. Now I’m super in tune with my body and I feel so much better than I did before I started fasting.”
For more info about intermittent fasting, click here.
The Mediterranean diet is a diet low in red meat, sugar, and saturated fats. It was ranked number one in Best Diets Overall, according to US News. It emphasizes eating fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans, nuts, legumes, olive oil, fish, seafood, poultry, eggs, cheese and yogurt in moderation according to the Mediterranean diet pyramid.
** At time of posting no one to our knowledge follows the Mediterranean diet.
There are numerous different vegetarian diets: the lacto-ovo, lacto-vegetarians, and ovo-vegetarians. Lacto-ovo vegetarians cut meat, fish and poultry out of their diet, but still eat meats and drink milk. Lacto-vegetarians also cut out eggs while ovo-vegetarians cut dairy out as well.
“In November I started watching some food documentaries and saw the ways animals are treated within the industry,” junior Lindsay Sepulveda said. “It really upset me and I decided I no longer wanted to support it. It hasn’t been too bad. Most places offer vegetarian options, so it’s not usually too big of a deal. One challenge I have is feeling bad eating at friends houses when no one else is vegetarian because they end up planning the meal around what I can eat and not what they want.”
Just like vegetarians, vegans exclude meat, poultry, and fish from their diet. However, the main difference is that they also exclude all animal products from their diets including dairy and eggs. A key part of the diet is consuming enough fruits, vegetables, leafy greens, whole grains, nuts, and seeds to keep a healthy diet.
“I was not very good at being vegan and it led to a protein deficiency,” freshman Mary O’Rourke said. “I just was not eating the right things. My diet at that point was a lot of carbs. Of course a diet of only carbs is not good for an active student athlete, which is why I just about fainted at swim practice. I had no energy, and felt very irritable and tired all of the time. If anyone is considering a vegan lifestyle, I highly suggest doing your research and making sure that you are getting the right kinds of protein. It is possible to live a healthy life that way, but it is very difficult and complex.”
