The so-called Whole 30 is one of the diets that are becoming fashionable, which promises notable weight loss in just thirty days by eliminating a series of food groups and introducing some new ones. It has been created by nutritionists Melissa Urban and Dallas Hartwig, who in their book The Whole 30 Method. Thirty days to change your life (Planeta de Libros, 2019) ensure that you can lose weight quickly and relatively easily without having to count calories . Of course, this method advocates a radical change in diet for a month straight, largely based on the paleo diet and the Dukan diet, although with some particularities.
Broadly speaking, the Whole 30 Method proposes opting for unprocessed foods, such as fruits, vegetables, lean meat, eggs, fish and seafood and urges you to completely eliminate fried foods, processed foods and alcohol. It is also considered an elimination diet, which involves the complete elimination of different food groups, including dairy products, legumes or cereals. It has, therefore, something of the paleo diet, since the consumption of protein of animal origin and fruits, vegetables and greens is promoted, although it also incorporates guidelines from low-carbohydrate diets, from the popular Dukan to keto, since Restrict the consumption of cereals and other sources of carbohydrates.
So, without being strictly paleo or completely keto, what the Whole 30 diet is, in the words of nutritionist Susana León, “yet another miracle diet.” The specialist points out that although at first glance this method designed to lose weight in just 30 days may seem healthy, since it restricts the consumption of alcohol, fried and processed foods and opts for a diet based on meat, fish and vegetables, the truth is which “applies absolutely unnecessary restrictions on healthy adults.” León is emphatic: “The Whole 30 diet seems to me to be a radical, nutritionally aggressive proposal that aims to remedy unhealthy habits that have been acquired over the years in thirty days.”
In this sense, the nutritionist considers that in no case can an eating plan be recommended that, as is the case with the Whole 30, “restricts a group of foods as highly nutritious as legumes, which should be incorporated into any healthy diet thanks to its high content of plant-based proteins, fiber and slow-absorbing carbohydrates. For León, the elimination of legumes in a healthy diet “would only be justified on rare occasions for specific health reasons, but never in healthy individuals.”
Something similar happens with dairy products. “The elimination of milk derivatives only makes sense if there is a medical prescription for health reasons, but in no case in a diet. It must be taken into account that eliminating them, as well as restricting the intake of whole grains, will not bring no improvement to our health. It is surprising, however, that at the same time that dairy products are withdrawn, the intake of fruit juices is allowed. “The sugars naturally present in fruit juices become free when smoothies are consumed, since the fiber is eliminated, so their consumption should be occasional,” explains, for her part, the dietician-nutritionist and technologist. of Beatriz Robles foods.
They are not the only buts that Susana León finds with a diet that she describes as “unnecessarily restrictive.” Another of them is the incorporation of exotic products, such as coconut aminos. This syrup composed of coconut tree sap and salt is a substitute for soy sauce and has become popular because it contains up to 16 more amino acids and a lower amount of sodium in its composition. “The Whole 30 is not a diet model that can be easily transferred to our country, since soy sauce is not even common in our cuisine. In fact, here we have olive oil, which can provide the same benefits as coconut amino acids from proximity and reducing the environmental impact,” explains León.
Another objection that some nutritionists raise is that it recommends eating three times a day, that is, it prohibits eating five times. According to a systematic analysis of several studies conducted by the University of Tennessee and Nestlé Health Science, published in the journal Frontiers Nutrition, a greater number of meals per day is not associated with lower energy intake or weight loss. The CreuBlanca dietitian-nutritionist, Xavier González, explains it: “Eating every 3 or 4 hours allows you to make small, controlled, organized meals, and thus avoid accumulating hunger during the day and ending up in anxiety about eating during a moment of relaxation. at the end of the day or during the afternoon.”
For León, it is important that the diet is broadly adapted to the needs and particularities of each person, so it is counterproductive to establish a series of daily intakes without taking into account a variety of factors. “It’s about having a balance of nutrients and calories throughout the day that is appropriate for our rhythms and needs. It has been shown that limiting intakes does not make sense.”
For her part, nutritionist Fátima Branco speaks of “a kind of need to lose a lot of weight in a short time, to be able to quickly eliminate what has been gained in months or even years. More and more, we want miraculous solutions to lose that involve little effort and, unfortunately, they do not exist. Therefore, to have a healthy diet and, therefore, an adequate weight, it is necessary to follow a series of guidelines that have nothing to do with miracle diets or radical prohibitions.
According to nutritionist Pablo Ojeda, it is about “choosing healthy foods 85% of the time, but reserving a small percentage for those moments when, for different reasons, we may feel like, if necessary, eating something less healthy.” If you can follow these tips, you will most likely be able to have a healthy weight without having to count calories or look at the scale.
The nutritionist remembers, finally, that it is important to work to remove the feeling of guilt in those moments when, for some reason, specific unhealthy eating decisions are made. “Guilt always ends up being counterproductive, because it not only makes us feel bad, but sometimes it causes us to end up making bad decisions, such as skipping meals.”
