Medical evaluation of the potato diet | Potato diet

Medical evaluation of the potato diet

The potato diet is a very one-sided mono diet, but unlike many other diets, it is very filling. Particularly in the first few days, the pounds quickly drop. On the one hand because potatoes contain a lot of potassium and this has a dehydrating effect and on the other hand because of the low calorie intake.

A part of the weight loss at the beginning of the diet is therefore only washed out water. If the diet is prolonged, the muscles are also broken down because the food contains little protein. This effect is bad for long-term weight loss and unhealthy.

In addition, the risk of a yo-yo effect is very high with this and many other mono-diets. A healthier alternative to the potato diet would be to combine potatoes with vegetables, salad, herbs, vegetable fats, nuts and seeds in addition to curd cheese or eggs. The potato diet is suitable as an experiment for those who have difficulty in giving up carbohydrates and are not satisfied by diets with shakes.

The potato diet can be used as a starting point to reduce your food intake to three main meals a day, so that you only eat when you are really hungry. Nevertheless, the potato diet is not suitable for a longer period of time because the body lacks important suppliers of nutrients, minerals, trace elements, vitamins and good fats. This can lead to dangerous deficiency symptoms and iron deficiency-related anaemia.

Alternatives to the potato diet

If you want to lose a few pounds of weight quickly and not do without carbohydrates, you can try the rice diet instead of the potato diet, for example. Three times daily portions of rice of 60 grams dry weight are eaten and, depending on the strict or moderate diet form, supplemented with applesauce, salad or even vegetables, meat and fish. Other ways to lose weight in a short time with radical mono-diets are the vegetable diet, fruit diet or diets with shakes like Almased or Yokebe.

With all mono-diets the danger of a yo-yo effect is particularly high. If you want to lose weight healthily over a longer period of time, you can try low-carb diets, such as the Glyx diet, the Logi method or the Atkins diet. No matter which diet you choose, the transition to a permanently balanced, healthy diet should be smooth in order to maintain your desired weight. Regular exercise helps to achieve this and brings the body into shape.