In France, nearly half of adults have already dieted to lose weight. However, several very specific diets can harm our physical and mental health. In less serious cases, this can lead to feelings of frustration and weight regain (the famous yo-yo effect). However, some cases have a much more sinister outcome, sometimes leading to death.
Detox cures are enjoying growing success with the public. This diet is also very popular among stars. Concretely, it is a way of eating consisting of consuming only whole plants or in juice for one to seven consecutive days. However, this diet lowers the body's ability to fight infection and inflammation. Indeed, the body then undergoes a strong deficiency in proteins and lipids . It can also cause digestive problems and diarrhoea.
As far as the raw food diet is concerned, this consists, as its name suggests, of eating only raw foods. It can be vegetables, but also cereals or fish. Presented as improving the taste and digestibility of food, this diet also involves risks of deficiency and undernutrition . In some cases, we can also see a body mass index (BMI) below normal or even amenorrhea (absence of menstruation) in some women. In addition, some raw foods increase the risk of food poisoning due to salmonella, parasites, etc.
The basic idea of the ketogenic (or "keto") diet, which is also having some success, is simple. It is a food very rich in lipids (between 70 and 90%) and low in sugars (5%). The proportions are almost the opposite of that of a classic diet. This diet then generates a state of ketosis:the liver metabolizes fats in order to produce ketone bodies, sources of energy for the body. Some suggest positive effects such as a reduction in bad cholesterol, diabetes or cancer. On the other hand, the keto diet can also cause kidney failure , cerebral edema, hepatic steatosis, diarrhea or muscle loss.
The Mayo diet (named after the clinic) is perhaps one of the most restrictive diets. Indeed, it strictly excludes fat , sugar, starches and other cereals as well as dairy products. The caloric intake of daily meals is between 800 and 1000 calories only per day (for two weeks). However, this opens the way to deficiencies of all kinds. In addition, this kind of low-calorie diet can lead to sudden death, as it induces a possible acute alteration in heart rhythm.
Finally, let's dwell on the paleo diet, advocating a return to the diet of our prehistoric ancestors. This type of diet is based on a diet rich in meat excluding dairy products, legumes and other cereals. However, the fact is that a very high consumption of animal protein is dangerous for health. Moreover, the animals we eat today have little in common with the game hunted by prehistoric men. By removing fiber or probiotics from dairy products, the paleo diet negatively impacts the intestinal flora , synonymous with higher risks of infection. The risks can go so far as to endanger the lives of the people who follow him. Finally, let's mention the fact that red meat has been one of the probable carcinogens according to the World Health Organization (WHO) for a few years now.
