Diets shape a great deal of who we are and what we do. Today, more than 17.1% of Americans follow a specialty diet in some way, and for many people the diet they follow becomes a part of their identity.
As a culture, we tend to fall into specific diet camps that espouse a single method of eating while denouncing all others. We lose focus on what’s important, namely being metabolically healthy.
I’m often asked what the best type of diet is, or for my thoughts on the various options. My answer is this: I am in favor of any diet that allows you to improve your health and enhance your metabolic function. And contrary to the belief that any singular diet is the key to metabolic health and heart disease prevention, there are many great diets that can be followed in a metabolically healthy way.
The Mediterranean diet
The Mediterranean diet is perhaps the oldest and longest researched diet on the list. It also happens to be one of the most scientifically beneficial diets as well. It was primarily popularized by research pointing to longer, healthier lives in the Mediterranean, although other factors are involved in its widespread adoption.
This diet has many positives and its reliance on high quality fats, such as olive oil, is a big plus.
However, when you look at the olive oil that is largely consumed in the US versus Mediterranean countries, there is a significant difference.
Many US olive oils are not made from pure olives, and are cut with cheaper vegetable or seed oils to reduce production costs. Unfortunately, labels do not need to reflect this and there are no industry guidelines for terms like ‘pure,’ ‘cold-pressed,’ or ‘authentic.’
This means that it’s possible to think you’re following a healthy diet, while actually replacing one of its key benefits with one of the worst foods you can consume. Whether you follow this diet or not, you need to be very careful when choosing which olive oil to buy – poor quality fats will stop any diet being metabolically healthy in the long term, including the Mediterranean diet.
The gluten-free diet
The gluten-free diet was my personal introduction to the world of metabolic health.
A significant benefit of this diet is that it often ends up being a lower carbohydrate plan, and eliminating breads and pastas usually eliminates the bulk of processed carbs from your diet.
This does not mean gluten-free meal plans are without their flaws. The biggest problem with this diet is found in the market capitalization of the food industry.
Many of the gluten-free substitutes on the market may actually be detrimental to the body. In fact, many sweetening alternatives used in gluten-free products are no better than processed sugar.
If you choose to follow the gluten-free diet, you will probably see many benefits – especially if you have a gluten intolerance such as celiac disease. However, swapping out glutenous foods with a list of high-carbohydrate substitutions will likely not present lasting results.
The vegetarian or vegan diet
It would seem on the surface that vegetarian or vegan diets are polar opposites to the carnivore diet. However, both of these approaches to food take drastically different stances from the Standard American Diet. Done correctly, both eliminate processed foods by substituting them with whole, real meals.
I believe it’s possible to follow this lifestyle while enhancing your metabolic health. However, I also believe this is more difficult to accomplish than by following other diets.
For example, there are certain essential nutrients that cannot be sourced from plants alone. Many fat-soluble vitamins are difficult to absorb correctly, such as vitamins A, D, B12, and K2.
It’s widely accepted that a long-term vegan diet necessitates taking supplements because the body doesn’t get everything it needs otherwise. If you are vegetarian, I recommend integrating proteins like eggs to provide the body with more soluble nutrient sources.
The biggest caution I give to those following a plant-based diet is avoiding processed food. Fake meat substitutes are some of the most highly processed items you could consume, regardless of the healthy-looking labels.
And take care to avoid the idea that anything vegan is automatically healthy – even Doritos and fries are considered vegan and vegetarian.
The low-carb diet
There are many versions of low-carb diets available – Atkins, keto, and paleo are just a few examples.
The main characteristic shared by each of these plans is reduced carbohydrate intake. This is a must-have for those looking to become metabolically healthy or recover from prolonged gut inflammation.
That’s not to say carbohydrates will make the body metabolically unhealthy, nor that you should completely eliminate carbohydrates from your diet. But it does mean that the more you reduce your carbs, the better results you will see for your metabolic health.
But there is one glaring pitfall found in low-carb diets – corporate hijacking.
When food companies catch up with trendy diets like keto, they tend to cash in on the craze with new marketing tactics. Packaging that says ‘Keto Friendly’ or ‘Low Carb’ are great examples of this.
But don’t be fooled, these packages are simply repackaged versions of unhealthy, processed foods. You still need to evaluate the ingredient list and ensure you’re not eating junk food packaged as healthy.
If you focus your low-carb diet on real, whole foods, it will be very effective for repairing metabolic health and getting the results you want.
The carnivore diet
The carnivore diet is perhaps the most consistent with our natural history. It also happens to be the diet I conform to as well.
Carnivore diets provide us with all the essential nutrients to survive, including crucial amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. It may be the closest we can get to a ‘human diet’ in the historical sense of the term.
The pitfalls of the carnivore diet are few and far between. Most of the arguments raised against the carnivore diet are based in older science and have been debunked time and time again.
For example, the claim that fatty animal protein could raise unhealthy levels of saturated fat is simply not supported by research. There is nothing to suggest that the carnivore diet is damaging or destructive to the kidneys. Finally, claims that vitamin C cannot be sourced properly from a carnivore diet have been thoroughly disproven by peer-reviewed studies. Even sailors were fed a diet of fresh animal meats to boost vitamin C levels and reduce the effects of scurvy.
Problems with the carnivore diet largely consist of people thinking it just means eating meat, while ignoring the wider range of nutrient-dense options. Organ meats are packed full of minerals and vitamins, as well as being lean, high in protein and lower in calories. Carnivores can still enjoy vegetables and the range of animal products including heavy cream. It’s not sufficient to only eat chicken breast and steak.
That said, I don’t propose that the carnivore diet should be adopted by everyone. However, I have personally seen its benefits time and time again for myself and my patients.
Picking the right diet
The foods you eat should always be geared toward making and keeping you metabolically healthy. Regardless of your way of eating, making good choices will be paramount.
Of course, there is no such thing as a diet that’s right for everyone. What may be right for me may not be right for you. Even over time, the ‘right diet’ for your lifestyle may change.
To learn more about the different diets and lifestyle factors to optimize your metabolic health, pick up a copy of my book here.