Overview
The kind of diet you follow dictates the types of foods you eat. For example, raw foodists eat only uncooked foods. People generally subscribe to certain diets for health and moral reasons. Vegetarians and vegans commonly follow this meat-free diet long term to sustain optimal health and avoid cruelty to animals. Popular diets for weight loss, such as a low-fat or low-carbohydrate diet, can produce weight loss in the short term, but are not recommended for long-term use.
Low-Fat Diet
People reduce the fat content in their diet to lose weight and combat chronic diseases, but healthy people should consume 30 percent to 35 percent of their total calories from fat for a balanced diet. Eliminating saturated and trans fats from foods including bacon, lard and hydrogenated oils is good for your health, but eliminating unsaturated fats such as the oils that come from fish, nuts and olives is not. Additionally, a low-fat diet does not reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease or stroke, according to studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health's Women's Health Initiative and reported in the February 2010 issue of the "Journal of the American Medical Association."
Low-Carbohydrate Diet
A low-carbohydrate diet helps you lose weight for the first six months but is not recommended as a long-term eating plan. Reduce the amount of carbohydrates you eat to 20 g per day to conform to a low-carbohydrate diet. Although you might experience weight loss, reducing carbohydrates often unbalances your diet in favor of proteins and fats. Adding fiber and a B vitamin supplement can help counter this imbalance. An unbalanced diet due to lack of carbohydrates can cause constipation, bad breath, diarrhea, dizziness, headaches, nausea and sleeping problems.
Vegetarian Diet
Eliminate meat from your meals and snacks to follow a vegetarian diet. Once meat is eliminated from your diet, you need to consciously consume vegetable sources of calcium, iron, protein, vitamin B12 and zinc to prevent nutrient deficiencies. Eating foods such as nuts and seeds, soy products, dairy products, green leafy vegetables and a variety of beans provide these nutrients.
Vegan Diet
People on a vegan diet follow a vegetarian diet but also eliminate foods containing milk and eggs, and insect-produced products such as honey. A vegan must take care to include the aforementioned nutrients for vegetarians along with vitamin D, unsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids.
Raw Food Diet
A raw foodist eats only raw foods and food heated to a temperature less than 118 degrees F. He believes that the enzymes broken down by heat are essential for optimal health. This diet is rich in fruits, vegetables and sprouted grains, beans, nuts and seeds. People with a compromised immune system might have trouble consuming the bacteria contained in raw milk and meat.
Bland Diet
Your health professional might prescribe a bland diet to treat certain health conditions affecting the digestive system, including ulcers, heartburn and gas, or after stomach surgery. The bland diet is dominated by soft food that is low in dietary fiber. Foods you can eat include low-fat dairy, cooked fruits and vegetables, refined white flour products, eggs and steamed shellfish. Avoid fried, raw and spicy foods.
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