In nutrition, the diet is basically the amount of food ingested by an animal or person. It can also mean the amount of calories consumed per day. The diet can be categorized into three major groups: vegetarian diet, vegan diet and traditional diet. Among these, the vegan diet is the most popular nowadays and this is mainly due to the fact that it provides the most health benefits as compared to the others.
Vegetarian diet, on the other hand, is a type of diet that doesn’t allow any animal-derived foods or processed foods such as milk, eggs, cheese, etc. These foods contain high amounts of calories but low in nutritional value, making them poor choices for someone who wants to lose weight. A balanced diet for a vegetarian should include beans, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. It should also have a low intake of fats, salt and sugar to ensure good health.
Vegan diet is often compared to vegetarian one, but it is actually quite different. On the vegan diet, no calorie or fat-containing foods are allowed or preferred. Some of the foods that are commonly included on this type of diet are grains, nuts, seeds, soy products, fruits, vegetables, and water. However, because of the large consumption of dairy products, some vegans who follow this type of diet also choose to drink milk.
In terms of traditional diet, the traditional type is based on fruits, vegetables and cereals. It may contain very small amounts of other food and drink regularly provided or it may contain a large amount of protein and fat. This diet is usually fed to children during infancy until they are weaned from breast feeding. It should not be limited to women who are pregnant because the protein and fat can affect the baby. Some studies indicate that in women, it may lead to hypercalcemia (high blood pressure) or heart disease.
A diet may be considered healthy if it meets all the requirements for good health like enough fruits, vegetables and cereals. In addition to this, it should be complemented with exercise or activities that make the body uses up its natural resources and fats. Regular exercises and dieting will decrease the risks for developing diseases like diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and osteoporosis. A good diet may also contribute to weight management, especially for obese people.
Usually, a dietitian is involved in planning the daily food consumption of a specific weight loss diet. They usually provide suggestions on how many servings of each food group is acceptable. They also determine the amount of added sugars allowed or to be avoided. There are certain food groups which are recommended to be included in the diet such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, beans, and nuts. Low-fat dairy products and added sugars are added to help individuals achieve health benefits.