Eat, Drink and Be Healthy

– A low-fat, low-calorie diet

Originator: Dr. Walter Willett is a well-known Harvard researcher.

Claims: The USDA Food Guide Pyramid is not only wrong, but also dangerous to your health. He offers a new and improved pyramid that focuses more on plant food and de-emphasizes dairy forever. He advocates getting calcium from other food sources or supplements. This type of diet will reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and stroke.

Sustainability: The diet has no deprivation or calorie count. It’s about eating more of the “right foods.” Coffee is allowed, but sugar is not. Orange juice sorbet and rum glazed pineapple are allowed, but there is no allowance for an occasional scoop of ice cream or cheesecake. (Very anti-dairy)

Weight loss: Weight loss should occur if you closely follow the guidelines and adjust your calorie intake.

Research: The diet falls short for calcium intake, but otherwise offers a healthy dose of good nutrition that’s free of gimmicks and exaggerated promises.

Quick take: A plant based diet with lots of fruits, vegetables and whole grains that de-emphasizes dairy products, and uses physical activity to control weight.

Volumetrics

– A low-fat, low-calorie diet

Originator: Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., is a nutrition researcher at Pennsylvania State University, and Robert Barnett is a journalist.

Claims: By keeping your fiber intake high, drinking lots of water and eating foods with low energy density you can eat more, satisfy your hunger and still lose weight. Fiber and water both fill you up, and water dilutes calories per portion.

Sustainability: The diet comes with energy density charts that require dividing the number of calories per serving by the weight in grams. A low density number allows you to eat more of these foods, and a high density number means you should restrict your intake. Additionally, a list of snacks is provided. There are no menus and no mandates. Recommendations require 30 grams of fiber, 4 quarts of water and daily exercise.

Weight loss: Unpredictable, based on portions and calories.

Research: The author is an expert in appetite control and has been researching the topic for years. She has published dozens of scientific papers and has translated them into practical diets.

Quick take: The diet is based on the energy density of foods, where large servings of low-density foods are allowed. It encourages eating food with high water content, drinking a lot of water and daily exercise. It allows three meals and a snack each day.