Paleo, Gluten free, GM: Which diet is best to reduce weight?

It is no big secret that people often follow fad diets to quickly shed some flab. However, dieticians and health experts say that a healthy lifestyle is important than blindly following a diet that is just in vogue. Here are some of the popular diets that are followed by millions of people.

Paleo diet

This was the diet that was followed by primitive men. They hunted down animals for meat and caught fish from the oceans and rivers. Besides, they ate wild fruits, tubers and vegetables too. They had cooked as well as raw food. Paleo diet mostly consists food items that are easy to digest. Grains that are cultivated, salt, milk and milk products have no place in this diet. Instead of sugar, honey is used.

Gluten free diet

Grains like wheat and barley contain a protein called gluten. In this diet, all food items that contain gluten are avoided. Veggies like beans, eggs, fruits, milk and milk products are gluten free. Besides, rice, corn, flax seeds, millet, tapioca and soy chunks too do not have gluten. However, fast food, breads, beer, cakes, cookies, salad dressing, soy sauce, potato chips are loaded with gluten. The amount of gluten would be marked on the labels of packaged food. This diet is perfect for those who are allergic to wheat.

GM diet

This is a seven day long crash diet that is followed to quickly shed body weight. On the first day, you could eat any fruits except bananas. On the next day, you could consume a potato in the morning followed by vegetables. You could eat both fruits and vegetables on the third day. However, make sure to avoid bananas and potatoes. On the fourth day, all you could eat is milk and bananas. You can eat either 6 big bananas or 8 small bananas. Drink up to 3 glasses of fat free milk. The next day, you can eat 250 gms fish/chicken/ beef twice. Do not forget to eat six tomatoes too. If you are a vegetarian, then try eating paneer. On this day, drink two extra glasses of water. Eat 250 gms fish/chicken/beef twice the next day too. But, include lots of vegetables in your meals. Do not forget to drink two extra glasses of water.

This is a diet that has less fat, sweet and salt. This is an amazing diet to quickly reduce weight and to detoxify. Following the GM diet once in six months would be beneficial for the body. More than following any diet, a healthy life style, exercising and eating well balanced meals are the keys to a wholesome life.

(The writer teaches at the Delhi University.  )