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From competitive weightlifters and other professional athletes to those who simply enjoy hitting the dumbbells at the gym, cultivating stronger muscles and increasing muscle mass is a health goal many can relate to. No matter where you might start on your own muscle-building journey, it's important to stick to your routine, which means remaining committed to not only your workouts but also the quality of your diet. What you eat plays just as much of a significant role as how you train, and striking the right balance is what will help you achieve your goal.

But when deciding on what to include in your daily meal plans, how do you know what eating habits will best position you to make the greatest strides in your pursuit of stronger muscles? Jen Bruning, MS, RDN, LDN, and spokesperson for The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, believes that the most crucial eating habit for building stronger muscles is to consume a balance of nutrients.

"A combination of foods containing lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats should do a similarly good job of supporting and maintaining muscle mass," Bruning says. "Give your body carbs to work your muscles more rigorously, protein to build them, and healthy fats to support body movements and recovery."

"Proteins are one of the most important nutrients for muscle building, as muscles are built from the same amino acids that we get from eating protein-rich foods," says Bruning. "When we eat foods containing protein, we digest the protein into amino acids."

Amino acids are what Cleveland Clinic calls "the building blocks of protein." According to Bruning, our body absorbs amino acids and then puts them to work for your body in a variety of ways, including building and maintaining muscles. She also notes that protein even helps your body recover post-workout when eaten within two hours of your exercise session.

"Day by day, using our muscles and eating plenty of protein-rich foods can build muscle," Bruning says.

If muscle gains are your aim, certain high-protein foods may help with muscle synthesis and cultivating mass. If muscle gains are your aim, some high-protein foods that may help with muscle synthesis. But this doesn't mean you can go ahead and eat bacon all day, every day, under the assumption that it's providing you with the quality protein intake you need to increase your strength and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

"Animal and plant-based high protein foods can both facilitate the building of lean muscle," Bruning advises. "There may be a slight benefit to using animal sources, but plant-based sources will also help muscles to build. Lean animal-based protein has the most protein per [ounce] of food, generally."

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She also notes that it's important that you eat lean proteins low in saturated fat when trying to build up your muscle strength. Examples of quality lean proteins include fish, poultry, and plant-based proteins like tofu and tempeh. You can also have some lean cuts of pork and beef, as wellbut always, of course, in moderation.

Lean proteins may seem like the star of the show when it comes to building muscle and strength training. , But a common misconception is that this nutrient is all you need to eat to gain muscle mass and increase strength. To support the whole body while building muscle, Bruning claims that balanced diets need just enough protein rather than excessive amounts of this nutrient.

"It's important to keep in mind that while protein is essential to build muscle, other nutrients are important for supporting the body, as it does the work that helps build muscle," Bruning explains.

Depending on protein alone could potentially set you up for a dead end, but a well-balanced diet can provide your body with all the nutrients it needs to function effectively. So when trying to build muscle, don't forget to also include carbs and healthy fats.

As much as we may spite carbs with the mentality that they are all bad for you, it's essential to eat them for proper muscle development and add them to a balanced diet.

"While protein should be consumed as part of a balanced diet, allow nutrients like carbohydrates to help provide fuel during a workout," Bruning says.

Carbs are among the quickest sources of fuel for strength development and weight training. According to the Mayo Clinic, "During a workout, carbohydrates fuel your brain and muscles. [] If you are in good shape and want to fuel a daily, light-intensity workout, eat about 3 to 5 grams of carbohydrates for every kilogram of body weight."

But before you start eating ziti by the box full for your workouts, make sure you're consuming the right kind of carbs. Bruning suggests that whole grains are ideal for increasing muscle strength.

"Whole grains contain some protein as well as B vitamins and iron," she says. "B vitamins help build muscle, and iron carries oxygen in the bloodstream to the muscle, so having enough iron helps muscles work more efficiently."

Whole grains can even emphasize protein in the body. In a study published in Current Developments in Nutrition, researchers found that consuming 50 grams of whole grains per day helped to promote higher protein turnover and enhance net protein balance in adults. Some nutritious whole grain carbs include whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, millet, and barley.

Antioxidants are substances that can help shield your cells against free radicals. Too many free radicals can be difficult for your body to regulate, which can have several side effects, including altering proteins.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

Similar to the negative stigma around carbs, fats as a whole are often snubbed and looked down upon when it comes to improving your health. In actuality, not all fats are bad for your body. Although "healthy fat" may seem like an oxymoron, they are a good resource for muscle strength. Some evidence even suggests that consuming omega-fatty acids could potentially amplify skeletal muscle anabolismwhich is when the body naturally builds and repairs muscle tissuedepending on factors like how much protein you eat per day.

"Healthy fats and antioxidants can assist with recovery," Bruning says."Omega-3s are a type of healthy fat that may play a role in muscle cell efficiency and muscle recovery," Bruning says.

For some good sources of antioxidants, Bruning suggests consuming plant foods such as colorful fruits and veggies, whole grains, seeds, nuts, and even coffee. And for healthy fats, try salmon or other fatty fish, flax seeds, chia seeds, and walnuts.

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The Most Crucial Eating Habits for Stronger Muscles, According to a Dietitian - Eat This, Not That

Liquid diets don't scream fun. If you've ever been on one, you know that it's often bland, boring, and texture-less. And while sticking to a diet of non-solid foods is pretty miserable for most people, they are used for many reasons. Some have even followed a liquid diet for weight loss.

Doctors sometimes prescribe a liquid diet to patients for different medical reasons. "A liquid diet is a specific type of diet that provides all or most of your daily calories from a liquid source," explains Erin Rossi, RD, LD, with Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition. "Any liquid that can be poured at room temperature or a soft solid that can melt in your mouth and has a smooth texture could be included on this type of diet."

She adds that liquid diets may be prescribed prior to gastrointestinal surgeries to help prep the body for the procedure or after surgeries of the mouth, throat, or stomach, where liquids can lessen the pain of eating or rubbing against the surgical site.

Post-surgery they can help and allow for healing. "This provides an opportunity for the body to heal, improve hydration, and assess toleration of the liquids before advancing to liquids or foods that are more difficult to digest," says Melissa Majumdar, RD, CSOWM, LDN, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Liquid diets may also be prescribed in other health situations. "Some doctors use liquid diets when patients are unable or unwilling to eat solid food due to mental health concerns," adds Rossi.

Meet the experts: Erin Rossi, RD, LD, is a nutritionist with Cleveland Clinic, and she specializes in adult chronic disease management, bariatric nutrition, and weight management.

Melissa Majumdar, RD, CSOWM, is a bariatric coordinator at Emory University Hospital Midtown, and focuses on the care of bariatric surgery patients. She is the chair of the integrated health planning committee for the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery.

On the other hand, liquid diets are also utilized to lose weightand quickly. (Liquid diets are also known as fad diets.)

"Liquid diets for weight loss are not recommended, as they are not sustainable or healthy. They lack essential nutrients such as fiber and protein, which are crucial for overall health and well-being," says Rossi.

A medically controlled liquid diet is often short-term and closely supervised by a doctor or dietitian to ensure the person following the diet does not become malnourished, she explains.

And FYI: Liquid diets for weight loss generally do not provide long-term results. "Often, patients are discouraged that they have gone through the trouble of following a liquid diet and then lose very little weight or gain any lost weight back as soon as they begin eating food again," Rossi adds.

You can definitely lose weight on a liquid dietup to three to four pounds per week, but the number of pounds you drop will vary depending on your height, weight, nutritional status, and the timeframe of the diet.

"These types of diets typically come with pre-determined structured routines, which can be helpful when reducing calories," says Rossi. "Long-term, liquid-only diets do not provide sustainable weight loss because when a person drastically reduces their calories, it tends to also slow down their metabolism."

So, when you stop the liquid diet, weight gain typically happens. You have slowed your metabolism down so much that you then have rebound weight gain. "Those that use a combination of liquid meals and solid meals tend to have more long-lasting weight loss," Rossi adds.

A medically supervised liquid diet can offer some benefits.

"Many surgeons request liquid diets after surgeries to help ease the pain of eating and to relieve some GI discomfort following surgery," says Rossi. "However, recent research is looking at the effects of lessening liquid-only diets surrounding surgeries with promising outcomes."

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A liquid diet can also be helpful for those with mental health concerns or physical disabilities who cannot or will not consume solid foods by removing the stressor of eating and improving quality of life.

If the medical team is concerned about a person being able to meet their nutritional needs while on a liquid diet, they will prescribe supplements or nutritional support. "This means they may use a tube for feeding or an IV or central line to get closer to the vitamin, mineral, carbohydrate, fat, and protein needs of that person," says Majumdar.

The downsides of liquid diets are almost all related to missing essential nutrients like vitamin and minerals. "Physical side effects of missing out on these nutrients include hair loss, muscle wasting, dizziness, heart damage, kidney stones or gall stones, fatigue, and constipation," says Rossi.

One of the worst things about liquid diets is the lack of protein. "Protein is required for healing and repair, so even in a medically supervised liquid diet, a person would be encouraged to meet the bodys protein requirements (typically at least 60 grams protein per day, higher during times of healing) and choose a variety of liquids to meet the bodys macro- and micronutrient requirements," says Majumdar.

Overall, there are many people who should not go on a liquid diet, including pregnant or breastfeeding individuals and those who take insulin, according to Rossi. And you should always check with a doctor before starting a liquid diet.

There are different types of medical liquid diets: clear and full liquid.

However, weight loss liquid diet foods can vary depending on the program you follow.

"Many commercial programs allow specific protein shakes, smoothies, teas, and drink mixes," says Rossi. "However, they also typically allow for the above-mentioned clear liquids as well."

The bottom line: A liquid diet is not a sustainable way to lose weight and you may develop nutritional deficiencies if you follow this eating plan. If you're still curious, check with your doc before starting one.

Emily Shiffer is a former digital web producer for Mens Health and Prevention, and is currently a freelancer writer specializing in health, weight loss, and fitness. She is currently based in Pennsylvania and loves all things antiques, cilantro, and American history.

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Liquid Diet For Weight Loss: Do They Work And Are They Safe? - Women's Health

If you want to take control of your health, a diabetes diet can be a great way to do it. And while the word diet might seem intimidating, registered dietitian Tegan Bissell says following one may be easier than you think. A diabetes diet should include the foods you like and fit your lifestyle, she says.

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Bissell teams up with diabetes educator and registered nurse Megan Asterino-McGeean, PA-C, to explain what you need to know to follow a meal plan if you have diabetes.

Asterino-McGeean says that the best diet if you have diabetes isnt a diet at all. Instead, think of a diabetes diet as a lifestyle.

This diet plan helps those with diabetes live a healthier lifestyle that improves blood sugar management and reduces the risk of diabetes complications, she says. The best diet for those with diabetes should focus on meal planning and eating balanced, correctly portioned snacks and meals.

Some factors that mean a diabetes diet may be right for you include:

Bissell says the best foods to eat if you have diabetes are:

Proteins help you feel full and satisfied. Examples of lean proteins include:

Try these diabetes-friendly recipes to get your fill of lean protein:

Non-starchy vegetables provide important vitamins, minerals and fiber. You can consider them freebie foods, as they contain minimal calories and carbohydrates, Bissell says.

They include:

Check out these seven vegetable recipes that are anything but boring, plus other delicious recipes to help you get more non-starchy vegetables into your daily routine:

Healthy fats help you feel full and are beneficial for heart health. They include:

Try these recipes to get more healthy fats in your diet:

Carbohydrates are necessary for energy, fiber and certain nutrients. Complex carbs tend to digest more slowly, which prevents erratic blood sugar levels. Complex carbohydrates include foods such as:

These recipes are good if you have diabetes, and they can help keep your engines running all day:

Bissell recommends avoiding foods that tend to spike blood sugars suddenly and can promote sugar cravings. Foods to avoid if you have diabetes include processed items, such as cereals, candy and packaged snack foods, and sugary beverages, such as juices and sodas.

Bissell emphasizes that one size fits all doesnt exist with diabetes diets.

Many people incorrectly believe they need to cut out all carbs or white foods, she says, but you dont have to eliminate just limit carbohydrate portions to amounts that work for you. And try to choose more complex carbs in the right portion sizes.

To make the most of your diabetes diet, try the following tips, too:

While you may have to do some trial and error, Bissell says these strategies can help increase your chance for success:

Following a diabetes diet plan is safe, says Bissell, if you dont take it to the extreme.

Some people eat a diet thats too restrictive or low in carbohydrates. This causes them to lack important nutrients or have frequent low blood sugar levels, she says. Balance is key, along with being realistic about what habits you can maintain for the long term.

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Dietitians can provide great advice when it comes to losing weight, nutritional plans and addressing lifestyles factors about a patients wellness goal.

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In fact, many people turn to dietitians when theyre curious about trying a plant-based, vegan or vegetarian diet. Other folks are looking for low-carb, keto or high-protein diets. And occasionally, some people ask about the fruitarian diet, which involves eating primarily fruits.

But according to registered dietitian Kate Patton, MEd, RD, CSSD, LD, the fruitarian diet is one of the most restrictive diets out there and most importantly, is not often recommended or endorsed.

The fruitarian diet has a big risk of malnourishment, she explains Because of this, the diet is not usually recommended by dietitians because its just not part of a balanced eating plan.

People were likely looking to eat whole, natural foods from the earth, so they turned specifically to fruits. But because of the restriction and malnourishment factor, the diet has (thankfully) decreased in popularity over the years.

Fruits are packed with natural sugar in the form of fructose and many vitamins and antioxidants, including vitamin C and beta-carotene. Some research even shows fruits can reduce the risk of cancer and other chronic diseases.

So generally speaking, eating fruit (in moderation) is healthy for you and its often recommended to increase your intake of whole fruit (but not fruit juice) when youre looking to revamp your diet and eat healthier. Plus, fruit makes a great addition to meals as a natural sweetener and is a good snack to grab instead of chips or cookies.

That being said, even when you consider the benefits of fruit and why it should be included as part of a balanced diet, people should generally keep their fruit intake to no more than 25% to 30% of their diet to avoid nutritional imbalances.

A better dietary approach to being a fruitarian is the Mediterranean diet or a pescatarian diet (which is a vegetarian diet that includes fish). Both include a strong base of fruits and vegetables, along with other plant based foods like nuts, seeds, legumes, plant based oils and whole grains. Both diets limit dairy and sugar.

But what about weight loss on the fruitarian diet?

You might lose weight on the fruitarian diet, but I dont consider this a true benefit, because you are likely losing muscle, says Patton.

Instead, dietitians always recommend choosing an eating style or diet that you can stick with long-term.

Fruit-based diets can be very restrictive and can cause several health problems:

Before you start any new diet or nutrition program, Patton recommends talking with your doctor or meeting with a dietitian to discuss your goals and lifestyle. Together you can craft an eating plan that youre more likely to stick with long-term.

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The Fruitarian Diet: Is It Good or Bad For You? - Cleveland Clinic

With all the chatter out there about the alkaline diet, its easy to think that maybe theres something to it. It has a science-y name that rings of chemistry-based truth. There are easy-to-follow lists all over the internet telling you what to eat and what to avoid. Pro athletes are hyping it. Celebrity influencers are all over it. Maybe this is the real deal, right?

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Except, like so many things in life, the claims made by fans of the alkaline diet arent so clear cut. And its promise to hack your bodys functions just doesnt stand up to scientific rigor.

All in all, the alkaline diet can be safe and beneficial if done right, says registered dietitian Anthony DiMarino, RD. This diet can help keep you healthy, but not for the reasons you might think.

DiMarino breaks down the pros and cons of this trending diet so you can decide if going alkaline is right for you.

If you remember much from science class, or if you spend time maintaining a pool or garden, you might be familiar with pH a measurement of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a solution is. Its scored on a scale of 0 to 14.

The alkaline diet is based on the unproven notion that there are health benefits to be gained by moving your body chemistry to the alkaline side of the scale. Proponents of the diet say that by eating foods that are alkaline, instead of acidic or neutral, youll:

Heres the thing, though: Some parts of your body are naturally acidic. Some parts of your body are naturally alkaline. And theres not really anything you can do to change that nor would you really want to.

Your body is a smart machine. It regulates pH very well on its own, DiMarino says. Our stomachs are very acidic, so they can break down food. Our skin has a slightly acidic pH to protect against bacteria. Our lungs and kidneys work to remove metabolic waste and keep our body pH where it needs to be.

Your blood stays at an alkaline level between about 7.2 and 7.4. If the pH falls out of that range, it can be fatal. Lucky for us, though, nothing you eat will change your blood pH.

The alkaline diet emphasizes choosing natural foods that are generally good for you, so in some ways, it can be a benefit to your health. But its not without some downfalls.

DiMarino considers the pros and cons.

Unlike some other fad diets (heres looking at you, fruitarians), the alkaline diet is packed full of foods that have high nutritional value. It restricts added sugars and encourages avoiding packaged foods in favor of fresh foods that are well-known for their health value.

The alkaline diet encourages low-processed, whole foods, which have been shown to prevent disease in the long term, so in that respect, it can be considered a healthy eating pattern, DiMarino notes.

Some of the pillars of an alkaline diet are foods we know to be solid staples of a healthy diet:

These are some of the same foods that research has shown to be heart-healthy, weight loss-friendly and all-around good for you. So it stands to reason that, yes, when you make healthy, whole foods the basis of your diet, you can reap some serious health benefits.

Protein is important to help grow and repair muscle, supply nutrients to your body and much more. But if youre adhering closely to the alkaline diet, many common sources of protein are off limits.

The alkaline diet is a plant-based diet. Similar to a vegan diet, it doesnt allow for any animal proteins, including meats, eggs or dairy. People who follow a vegan diet can get sufficient nutrients from plant-based proteins like:

The strictest followers of the alkaline diet, however, will say these foods are acidic or acid-forming and should be avoided. Other alkaline diet followers allow for small amounts of plant proteins, from soy or lentils for example.

Following a rigid alkaline diet will make it difficult to get enough nutrients like protein, iron and calcium, DiMarino cautions. Low protein can cause loss of muscle mass. Low iron can cause anemia. And low calcium can be a risk to your bone health.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends:

If youre committed to food sourcing and meal prep (or if you have a personal chef la Hollywood royalty), an alkaline diet can fit into your lifestyle. But the barrier to entry may be too high for some people.

Keeping all the right fruits, veggies and grains on hand (and fresh) requires some careful planning on your part. Whole, nutritious foods arent readily available to all people in all seasons, and their cost can be a barrier. Theres even alkaline water on the market, sold at a premium.

An alkaline diet is not inherently easy to follow, DiMarino says. It focuses almost exclusively on whole, unprocessed foods, which can depend on the season and may be hard to find sometimes. These foods tend to be more expensive and labor-intensive. An alkaline diet can be sustainable, but you need to be able to plan it carefully and ensure youre meeting your nutritional needs.

When youre following an alkaline diet, eating in restaurants, getting take-out or grabbing a convenient quick bite could prove difficult. And not everyone has time or experience in pre-planning and preparing each meal and snack to ensure optimal nutrition.

People following the alkaline diet regularly use what they call a dipstick to analyze the pH in their urine to see if the diet is working. While its true that the pH of your pee will change from acidic to alkaline if you follow an alkaline diet (and pretty quickly, too), DiMarino says the pH of your urine doesnt reflect anything about the current state of your health.

Our urine is a great way to get rid of the metabolic waste from what we eat, he says. Your urine pH reflects what you had to eat recently, but it doesnt signify anything about the quality of your diet or current nutritional status.

If youre considering following the alkaline diet, talk with a doctor or a registered dietitian to see if you would benefit, and discuss ways to ensure youre getting all the nutrients your body needs.

I would recommend to anyone trying to start a new diet, especially a trendy one, to discuss it with their healthcare provider, DiMarino says. Theyll be able to provide you with a thorough assessment and evidence-based strategies to meet your goals.

No matter what you eat, you wont change your bodys pH which means that at the end of the day, the primary promise of the alkaline diet isnt based on scientific fact.

If youre able to put in the work and ensure you meet your nutritional needs, the alkaline diet may effectively help you lose weight and ward off some common chronic conditions. But tried-and-true methods like regular exercise and a healthy, balanced diet remain the gold standard no dipstick-pee-test required.

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What Is the Alkaline Diet, and Is It Safe? - Health Essentials

It's tempting to want to try the latest diet trends. Keto, intermittent fasting, high-protein, low-carbeach touts itself as the solution to having more energy and better health. But with so many options available (and so little time to research them all), it can be difficult to know which diets are good for you, and which are best avoided. Now, one gut health expert is warning about the dangers of following one popular diet trend. Read on to find out why eating this way wreaks havoc on your gut, and what that can mean for your health.

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There's far more to gut health than just digestion. In fact, your gut microbiome plays a major role in your overall health and your risk of developing chronic diseases such as metabolic conditions, gastrointestinal disorders, and colorectal cancer. Your metabolism, immune system, hormonal balance, brain function, and mood are all connected to the health of your gut.

Eating certain foods helps healthy gut bacteria to flourish. A healthy gut can preventand in some cases reversechronic disease. In addition, a thriving gut provides the energy and mental stability you need to live your best life. On the other hand, foods that harbor harmful bacteria will wreak havoc on your gut microbiome and can lead to chronic disease, inflammation, sluggish energy levels, and mood swings.

READ THIS NEXT:Drinking This Popular Beverage Can Slash Your Bad Cholesterol, Experts Say.

A recent diet trend is the "carnivore diet," which consists almost entirely of meat, eggs, and dairy. Proponents of this diet advocate its health benefits, such as weight loss, blood sugar control, reduced inflammation, and improved mental focus. This sounds greatuntil you discover how the carnivore diet impacts your gut microbiome.

"The carnivore diet is bad for your gut, [and] your gut is responsible for so many key elements to health [including] your immune system, mood, hormone balance, metabolism, and brain function," Julia Zumpano, RD, LD, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic's Center for Human Nutrition, tells Best Life. "The carnivore diet can also lead to increased levels of cholesterol and blood pressure due to its very high saturated fat and sodium content."

In a 2014 study published in Nature, researchers monitored microbiome changes in healthy participants during a five-day period on a whole foods, plant-based diet versus five days on a diet composed entirely of animal products (now known as the carnivore diet). After only five days, the gut microbiomes of the carnivore diet participants began replacing "good" anti-inflammatory bacteria with "bad" inflammatory bacteria. Significant changes in the gut microbiota were detected less than 24 hours after starting the diet.

A major problem with the carnivore diet is that it contains zero fiberand when it comes to gut health, fiber is key. Dietary fiber is found only in plants, so the more diverse range of plants you eat, the more variety of good bacteria you feed your gut. Since the carnivore diet is void of plant diversity and high in inflammatory bacteria, it's no wonder eating animal products exclusively can cause serious harm to your gut.

"The carnivore diet tends to be very low in, or completely void of, fiber," says Zumpano. "Fiber is essential for digestion and elimination. Pre-biotic fiber is food for your good bacteria, therefore it can increase the growth or production of good gut bacteria," she explains.

When the beneficial microbes feed on fiber, they release short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which help to optimize immune health, reduce cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and help cure symptoms of leaky gut syndrome. They're also protective against heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

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The Nature study researchers observed that the participants who ate a carnivore diet experienced rapid growth of "bad" inflammatory bacteria (Alistipes, Bacteroides, Bilophila) and a decreased growth of "good" anti-inflammatory bacteria (Eubacterium rectale, Roseburia, Ruminococcus bromii). Bilophila in particular is strongly associated with inflammatory bowel diseases, such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

These participants were also found to have substantially lower levels of SCFAs and elevated antibiotic resistance in their gut microbiome, putting them at an increased risk of infection and illness. Eating only animal products was also found to produce more secondary bile salts in the gut, which are known causes of colon and liver cancer.

Want to boost your gut health? "Increase your fiber and plant diversity," advises Zumpano. "Try to eat plant-based foods from each color of the rainbow on a daily basis include various fruits, vegetables, grains, and beans. Increase probiotic foods, such as natto, kimchi, kombucha, tempeh, miso, apple cider vinegar, kefir, pickles, and sauerkraut," she recommends.

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The Carnivore Diet Wreaks Havoc on Your Gut Health Best Life - Best Life

One of the big benefits of the Asian diet is that youre likely to get more antioxidants than in a Western diet. Youre certainly getting a lot more nutrients than the food label captures, Dr. Li says. Antioxidants are substances that protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals molecules that are created when your body breaks down food or youre exposed to cigarette smoke may play a role in heart disease, cancer, and other chronic diseases, notes Mayo Clinic. In this way, a diet high in antioxidants may protect overall health.

As many antioxidants double as pigments, the natural color of your food is one way to tell what types of antioxidants youre getting. For example, pink and red fruits like tomatoes and pink grapefruit typically have lycopene as their primary antioxidant, Li says. Animal and test-tube studies suggest that lycopene may lower your risk of cancer and heart disease, though more research is needed, according to areview published in August 2020 in the journal Antioxidants.

Unsweetened tea is a staple of the Asian diet, and is a big reason why the diet is thought to stave off chronic diseases, Supan says. Any tea is going to be packed with a good amount of antioxidants. Teas are especially rich in a type of polyphenol known as flavonols, which have been shown to help lower blood pressure and cholesterol, according to areview published in September 2017 in Nutrition Bulletin.

Here are some more Asian diet benefits that research has uncovered.

Following a traditional Asian diet may extend benefits that lower your risk of type 2 diabetes. In a past randomized clinical trial, both Asian Americans and Caucasian Americans at risk of type 2 diabetes lowered their insulin resistance (a hallmark of type 2 diabetes) after following a rigorously controlled traditional Asian diet for 16 weeks. Those who switched back to a traditional Western diet for eight weeks after an eight-week stint on the Asian diet not only gained weight (up to 2 pounds [lb]), but they also increased their insulin resistance.

The Asian diet may help prevent diabetes because it emphasizes many foods that the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) recommends to keep blood sugar under control: whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans and legumes, and healthy fats. It also limits foods that tend to spike blood sugar and increase your risk of diabetes-related complications like heart disease and stroke, which include sweets, processed foods, sweetened beverages, and animal fats.

The Asian diet may also help control type 2 diabetes, but you may need to pay close attention to your portion sizes, especially when it comes to whole grains, Supan says.

For astudy published August 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers compared the eating patterns of more than 12,000 men from seven countries (United States, Finland, the Netherlands, Italy, Greece, Croatia and Serbia, and Japan) to see if there was an association between diet and death from cardiovascular disease.

They discovered a similar eating pattern between the Mediterranean group and the Japanese group: both favored seafood and vegetables and minimized their consumption of animal foods and animal fat. The Mediterranean and Japanese groups also had significantly lower risks of death from heart diseasethan the other groups.

One reason for this heart-health benefit may be the key role that fish plays in many Asian diets, particularly in coastal regions, Li says. Fish contains omega-3 fatty acids, a group of healthy fats that can help lower your risk of heart disease, heart failure, and stroke, according to theAmerican Heart Association (AHA). In an analysis of four international studies published March 2021 in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers revealed that two servings of fish per week which is the frequency suggested in the Asian diet food pyramid is associated with a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death among people with heart disease.

According to Li, Asian diets typically include a lot of fermented foods like tempeh, miso, and kimchi. These foods are rich sources of probiotics, which are good bacteria that are beneficial to your gut.

Mainly, probiotics maintain a healthy balance between good and bad bacteria in your body, helping support immune function and control inflammation, notes theCleveland Clinic. They may also treat and prevent diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis, and H. pylori (the cause of ulcers), according toHarvard Health.

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What Is the Asian Diet? Potential Health Benefits, Food List, Meal Plan, and More - Everyday Health

The pegan diet requires that 75% of your nutritional intake is plant-based and only 25% of products from animals that are raised naturally, pastured and grain-fed, and unprocessed, statesCleveland Clinic. Further simplified, it requires the dieter to eat a minimum of five cups of vegetables, four servings of carbohydrates, three proteins, two fats, and a dairy substitute daily, per Womens' Health Magazine.

Things that are prohibited in the pegan diet are beer, milk, and starchy vegetables with a high glycemic index. Beans, peas, and lentils, which are important protein sources for vegans, are not required in the pegan food regimen. Some believe, per Women's Health Magazine, gluten has no place in the pegan diet, but Dr. Hyman (via Forbes) states that not everything gluten-free is healthy. The restriction on grain foods deprives the body of fiber that is essential for the body's continued health. The necessary fats for the body come from unprocessed sources like olive oil, nuts, avocados, olives, and seeds (if rendered in the form of an oil that needs minimal processing), per WebMD.

Dr. Hyman, the physician and author credited with the pegan concept, sought after and created a middle ground between two extremes to form a diet that is more sustainable. As such, the paleo diet meets the vegan diet halfway, to form the pegan diet.

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Everything You Need To Know About The Pegan Diet - Mashed

Often, when we talk about our health, we talk about losing weight. But sometimes, theres a need to actually put on weight. This might seem counterintuitive, but there are several scenarios where your doctor might ask for you to gain weight, no matter your age or sex.

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Besides the why, there is also the how. When you have to gain weight, you still want to use a healthy approach, not just add a bunch of high-sugar and high-fat items to your diet. While that will certainly add weight, that approach is not necessarily the best for your body.

We talked to pediatrician Ellen Rome, MD, and registered dietitian Devon Peart, MHSc, RD, about why your doctor might ask you to add weight and ways to do it safely both for children and adults.

Whether youre an adult or a child/adolescent, there are several reasons why your doctor might advise you to gain weight.

Peart says doctors will look for markers of healthy body weight and if, based on evidence, they decide youre underweight, they may advise you to gain weight. While body mass index (BMI) may have a lot of drawbacks, it can help a doctor see if someone is at a low weight thats unhealthy, she says. The concern would be whether you are getting enough vitamins, minerals and energy (calories) for your body and your immune system to function well.

Another reason, according to Dr. Rome, is that youre fighting an acute or chronic illness. This could be for an adult or child. It could be something like inflammatory bowel disease where the patient has lost a lot of weight, she says. Or it could be a cancer patient who needs to build some strength before beginning treatment.

Such a need can also be necessary after major surgery, whether thats a dental surgery that interferes with your ability to eat or another operation that resulted in weight loss. After something like that, where a person hasnt been able to maintain a normal diet, theyre not at their usual body weight and theyll need to gain it back, notes Peart.

Its also possible that various treatments can affect appetite or even the taste of food, she adds. Medication can cause food to taste metallic and so you dont eat as much because it just doesnt taste very good.

While food restrictive disorders like anorexia nervosa are among the reasons someone might need to add weight, a newly recognized disorder known as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID) is a reason children may need to add weight, according to Dr. Rome.

These children fall into a few different groups, and they can be in more than one group, she continues.

These groups include:

Were learning more and more about how to help the children who are diagnosed with ARFID, she adds.

When gaining weight is your goal, its important to do so in a healthy, nutritious way that doesnt cause any harm to your body or long-term health. And thats not as difficult as you might think.

Proteins, fats and carbs are the fuel your body needs, especially in kids, and its important to get that balance right. The problem, says Dr. Rome, is the way fat is sometimes treated. A parent may be told to cut back on fats for their diet but you cant apply that to a kids diet, she says. From early adolescence through age 26, their fat intake should be about 50 to 90 grams of fat a day.

Food like avocados and hummus are great sources of these fats that can help kids gain that weight safely. Using avocados to make guacamole is a great way to make it more appealing for kids. Dr. Rome says its also OK to occasionally indulge in some ice cream in moderation.

Its similar for adults. Peart says to focus on finding that balance in consuming more calorie-dense foods that still hold some nutritional value. Its not just about calories. You might think that eating a lot of candy would add calories but it wouldnt be in a healthy way, she says. Nor do you want to fill up on lower-calorie foods like popcorn.

Instead, she also recommends the avocado as one go-to snack. Its heart-healthy and has healthy fat, she points out. Other suggestions include:

These foods help bring more calories to your meals or snacks, she notes. Even if youre having a salad, you can add in avocado and some dried fruit and layer in those extra calories in a more nutrient-rich, healthy way.

Various supplemental shakes are also suggested by both Dr. Rome for children and Peart for adults. For kids, Dr. Rome recommends steering clear of powders in favor of the pre-mixed shakes you can buy off the shelves. They pack a lot of calories into a container the size of a juice box and its perfect for a parent to prep the night before and give to a child in the morning for breakfast.

Peart suggests protein shakes or even smoothies for some people who have smaller appetites. For some, drinking may be more palatable (or easier to consume) than solid food, so thats one way to get those calories, she says. And you can add ingredients like honey, fruit and even dry oats.

Peart says one issue for some adults who want to add weight is that they have trouble eating large portions at every meal. Id recommend eating smaller, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day, about every two to three hours, she says. If you have a smaller appetite or something else that prevents you from eating as much from a traditional three-meal structure, this can help.

Whether its adding in snacks to supplement meals or just eating more, smaller meals throughout the day, this can help you consume enough to gain the weight you need without forcing yourself to eat when youre not hungry.

Avoiding drinking large amounts of liquids before a meal can help keep your stomach a bit emptier if feeling full is an issue. When you have something to drink before a meal, no matter what it is, its filling your stomach up so you may feel less hungry when you start eating, Peart explains. Instead, drink between meals, not right before.

Everyone is different, and our bodies react to food in different ways. So, its always essential that any plan to gain weight should be done under the supervision of a doctor or with the guidance of a registered dietitian. Anything to do with weight is a process that has to be done right, healthfully and safely.

With most outpatient kids, youre hoping for between a half-pound to two pounds a week, says Dr. Rome. But, she adds, it could differ depending on your child and their conditions. Partner with your pediatrician, a dietitian versed in weight gain not just weight loss and with an adolescent medicine doctor, she suggests. They can help make this journey more manageable.

Peart says by adding about 500 extra calories a day to your diet, most adults could see a gain of about a pound a week. The catch, though, is that some adults will add weight more easily than others for a variety of reasons. A dietician can individualize a plan for you, she emphasizes. They can work with you and your likes, dislikes and appetite size, and come up with a way for you to add weight in a healthy way.

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How to Gain Weight Safely - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic