Dieting is an interesting strategy for both those who want to lose weight and those looking to gain muscle mass and improve body composition. There are different ways to adjust your diet for these goals: some are more restrictive, while others are more balanced. Among Brazilians, the one with the greatest tendency to search on the internet is low carb diet a type of restrictive diet, according to a survey carried out by CNN on Google Trends.
A low carb diet is characterized by low carbohydrate intake. The objective is to reduce the amount of calories on the plate and choose low glycemic index carbohydrates (with slower absorption by the body, which reduces the chances of a blood glucose spike). According to Google Trends, this diet was the most searched for in the last 12 months in Brazil, guaranteeing an average of 75 points during the period.
Soon after, the ketogenic diet a more “radical” version of the diet low carb, with an average of 51 points in search trends in the period analyzed. It is based on the elimination of carbohydrates from the diet and a greater consumption of fats, with the aim of stimulating ketosis , a metabolic process that takes place in the body when glucose levels are low. This phenomenon destroys fat cells and transforms them into ketone bodies, which can also lead to weight loss.
According to the survey, the ketogenic diet came to compete fiercely with the low carb diet in trends of interest to Brazilians. At two specific points, the first even surpassed the low carb score, between June and July 2023 (94 points, versus 79 points for low carb), and in September of the same year (100 points, versus 98). (See the graph below).
A detox diet appears in third place, with an average of 17 points of interest over 12 months. This is a strategy that focuses on the consumption of natural and unprocessed foods, aiming to eliminate toxins from the body. This type of diet generally includes the consumption of fruits, vegetables, water and herbal teas, avoiding processed foods, added sugars, caffeine and alcohol.
In the last positions are mediterranean diet and the DASH diet , in fourth (10 points) and fifth (5 points) place, respectively. The first is characterized by a diet rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, herbs, spices and olive oil, in addition to the consumption of fish as animal protein. DASH is a dietary approach to reducing hypertension, which focuses on a diet with less sodium and greater consumption of fruits, vegetables, whole carbohydrates, grains, milk and cheese.
See the following graph:
Restrictive diets lead to weight loss, but can pose health risks
The survey carried out on Google Trends shows a greater tendency for Brazilians to be interested in restrictive diets, that is, those that restrict certain macronutrients or food groups. In the case of low carb and ketogenic diets, carbohydrates are eliminated or reduced in the diet, which can lead to weight loss, but can also pose health risks.
Research presented in 2023 at the Annual Scientific Session of the American College of Cardiology showed that the ketogenic diet may be associated with a greater risk of heart disease and events such as heart attack and stroke, as it is associated with higher levels of “bad” cholesterol.
Furthermore, according to the Ministry of Health, a low carbohydrate diet can bring a series of side effects, such as:
- Reduction in physical performance;
- Subsequent weight gain;
- Dysregulation of the organism;
- Decrease in energy.
On the other hand, less researched diets, such as the Detox, Mediterranean and DASH diets, offer more health benefits. According to André Camara de Oliveira, director of the Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabology Regional São Paulo (SBEM-SP), the detox diet is safe, as long as it respects the proportion of macronutrients and reaches the amount of calories necessary for the proper functioning of the body. body.
“The traditional diet, which respects the proportion of the need for proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins and minerals, is safe, always adapting to each person and their health condition”, says the specialist in an article previously published in CNN . However, the expert points out: “Versions that replace food with juices or soups are generally not safe.”
The Mediterranean diet was voted the best eating style for the seventh consecutive year in 2024, according to the US News & World Report. The DASH diet was considered the second best diet in the same report, but it is in 5th place in Brazilians' search trends for Google Trends. Both offer health benefits, such as reducing the risk of diabetes, hypertension and high cholesterol.
Source: CNN Brasil
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