Latest news with #Artah
Vogue
3 days ago
- Health
- Vogue
4 Quick And Healthy Breakfasts With 30g Of Protein
If you know you need to eat more protein but aren't sure where to start, breakfast is a good place. Eating a sizeable portion of your daily protein goal first thing not only ticks a box early, it also helps to curb energy slumps, sugar cravings, and sluggishness later in the day. Current guidelines recommend 0.75g of protein per kilogram of body weight per day, but this number can change depending on your age and lifestyle. For example, if you strength train regularly or have an active job, this number may increase. If you're older and more sedentary, it'll decrease. 'Eating a healthy portion of protein for breakfast can help balance blood sugar and energy,' says nutritionist and founder of Artah, Rhian Stephenson, who tends to recommend closer to 1.2g of protein per kilogram of bodyweight to her clients. 'Plus, studies have shown that front-loading your day with adequate protein improves satiety and decreases appetite throughout the day.' Consider us persuaded. Here are four simple high-protein breakfast recipes to incorporate into your morning routine. 1. High-protein yogurt bowl Nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner Farzanah Nasser eats this high-fiber, high-protein breakfast most mornings. 'This recipe hits 30g of protein and 13g of fiber, which is almost half of the daily recommended amount. It also contains two sources of probiotics (which help maintain a healthy gut microbiome), and will keep you full until lunchtime—no energy crashes in sight.' Ingredients 150g 0% fat Greek yogurt ¼ to ½ cup kefir 20g shelled hempseed 20g ground flaxseeds 1 tsp chia seeds 1 heaped tsp oats 1 heaped tsp almond butter Fruit of choice Optional: honey Method Add the yogurt, kefir, hempseed, flaxseeds, chia seeds, and oats into a bowl and mix well. Then top with your fruit of choice (Nasser likes one kiwi fruit) and a drizzle of almond butter and honey. 2. High-protein spinach scramble 'This satisfying breakfast is quick to make and provides a healthy dose of protein to start the day,' says Lingo by Abbott's resident nutritionist, Sophie Bertrand. 'Eggs are rich in a variety of nutrients, including vitamins A, B12, E, as well as choline, zinc, and selenium. The spinach adds beneficial antioxidants and fiber, too.' Ingredients 3 large eggs ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese ½ cup fresh spinach 1 tsp olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Optional: 1 tbsp chia or hemp seeds Method Heat a pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Crack the eggs into a bowl and whisk them until the yolks and whites are well combined. Pour the eggs into the pan and cook, stirring gently, until they begin to set but are still slightly runny. Add the cottage cheese and spinach to the eggs and continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until the eggs are fully scrambled and the spinach has wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle in chia or hemp seeds if using. Serve immediately and enjoy. 3. High-protein peach smoothie 'This 'springtime in a glass' smoothie not only delivers more than 30g of protein—thanks to the protein powder—but the hemp seeds and nut butter support everything from blood sugar balance to muscle recovery and neurotransmitter health,' says naturopathic nutritionist and hormone specialist Jessica Shand. 'The maca root powder helps with energy and hormone balance, while the bee pollen supports immunity, and the fruit is rich in antioxidants.' Ingredients 200ml organic kefir 50ml unsweetened almond milk 1 scoop protein powder 1 tsp maca powder 1 tbsp bee pollen 1 peach 1 cup frozen raspberries ½ cup frozen avocado ½ cup frozen mango 2 tbsp hemp seed 1 tbsp nut butter Method Add all ingredients to your blender and blitz until smooth. 4. High-protein vegan eggs on toast 'Tofu is a minimally processed product made from soya beans and is an excellent source of protein with good amounts of all nine essential amino acids,' explains plant-based nutritionist Rohini Bajekal. 'This recipe is also rich in herbs and spices, which are the most antioxidant-rich of all food groups. When you use them in dishes, it tends to reduce the desire for excess salt, oil, and sugar.' This recipe pairs well with sourdough or rye bread, says Bajekal, but you could also pop it into a wrap for a portable version. Ingredients 150g firm tofu (15g protein 50g chickpea flour (10g protein) 30g spinach (1g protein) 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (4g protein) 1 slice wholemeal bread (3g protein) ¼ avocado 1 tbsp olive oil ½ small onion, diced ¼ bell pepper, diced ½ tsp turmeric ¼ tsp paprika ¼ tsp cumin Optional: ¼ tsp black salt Salt and pepper to taste Fresh herbs such as basil for garnish Method
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Why eating fewer carbs burns just as much fat as fasting
Intermittent fasting is now one of the most-followed dietary patterns in the developed world. According to a 2022 survey, about 10 per cent of American adults practise intermittent fasting, and while the same stats for Britain don't exist, we all know someone who now skips breakfast to maintain their eight hour 'eating window' each day. It's a fact that pleases nutritionists, doctors and diabetes experts alike. Keeping our eating to a tight timeframe 'can help your body shift from burning food as fuel to burning fat, helping with weight management or weight loss, regulating your blood sugar levels and giving you more energy throughout the day,' says nutritionist Rhian Stephenson, founder of the supplement brand Artah. But there is an obvious downside to time-restricted eating. The hours spent waiting for the eating window to open are often spent feeling ravenous, miserable and totally drained, and the early dinners that are necessary on this diet – as eating typically stops at 8pm sharp – can become anti-social. What if there was a way to get all of the health benefits of intermittent fasting, and at the same time enjoy both a filling breakfast and a late evening meal? New research suggests that this could be possible after all – if you're willing to cut carbohydrates out of some of your meals. A study from the University of Surrey, published in April, suggests that 'by restricting carbohydrate intake, without restricting calorie consumption, people can potentially reap all the same benefits that are associated with short-term fasting,' says Dr Adam Collins, an associate professor of nutrition who led the research. A recent study led by Dr Collins found that by reducing the amount of pasta, potatoes of bread you eat and following a low-carb diet, it can bring all the benefits that we've come to associate with fasting. Most importantly, a switch to burning fat rather than food for fuel, which can lower blood sugar and inflammation and potentially make us less prone to heart disease and diabetes in the long run 'Cutting down on carbs for a few days each week could therefore be a more sustainable but equally effective way for people to manage and improve their metabolic health,' he adds. 'That could take the form of having a 'carb window' instead of a food window, or something similar to the 5:2 diet, which is where people eat normally five days a week, and on the remaining two they eat one meal or five to six hundred calories.' Dr Collins' study followed the same group of 32 people, all of whom were overweight according to their BMI, across three different days (with five 'washout' days in between). On day one, the participants ate enough calories to meet their daily needs, ranging from 1,800 to 3,000 based on their weight and gender. On day two, they ate a low-carb, low-calorie diet: women in the study were restricted to around 550 calories, while men ate around 650 calories, and both groups ate 50g of carbohydrates (roughly the amount of carbs in a small portion of cooked pasta). On the third day, the group could eat as many calories as they needed, but had to keep their carbohydrate consumption to 50g a day. 'Both low-carb days led to improvements in the participants' metabolic health markers, including a shift into a fat-burning state, and how well they could process a high-fat meal after we observed them,' Dr Collins says. 'Essentially, all the benefits you usually get from fasting were still observed when people just ate fewer carbs.' The Surrey University team were 'tease out the effects of carb restriction from those of calorie restriction,' explains Dr Collins. Crucially, the study didn't look at weight loss – 'you can't measure that after just one day,' he points out. But in the real world, 'when people eat fewer carbohydrates, they take on fewer calories,' leading to a loss in weight, primarily in the form of fat. This is important to understanding metabolic health as a whole, not only for those who want to lose weight. 'Restricting your carb intake for a few days each week means that you avoid over-fuelling your body and will only ever be burning food as fuel. Being able to switch into fat-burning mode is crucial to avoiding health complications as you age, like diabetes, heart disease and weight gain,' Dr Collins says. Though you'll only get visibly slimmer if you eat fewer calories than you burn, fasting and carb-restricted eating in any amount 'could both potentially burn some of the fat that develops inside of your organs when you consistently eat more carbohydrates than you burn,' a huge health boost as this kind of fat has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. As Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine from the University of Glasgow points out, 'this study is small, and you'd need a big, long-term study to see exactly what the effects of this type of eating would be'. But 'it's very exciting, and potentially could do a lot to inform the dietary advice we give to people at risk of diabetes and heart disease in future'. This study only involved people who are over a healthy weight range for their height, 'but we'd expect to see similar impacts in people who are a healthy weight too,' says Dr Collins, 'though the less metabolically healthy someone is, the more exaggerated the effect will be'. This is good news if you're attempting to turn your health around quickly. For all the benefits that come with intermittent fasting there are also drawbacks, and more serious ones than raging hunger. 'When people practise intermittent fasting consistently for weeks or months, they often put themselves at risk of nutrient deficiencies,' says Stephenson. 'The fewer calories you eat every day, the harder it is for you to get all of the nutrients you need – and keeping a small eating window doesn't mean that you will eat healthily.' There are also groups of people who don't get on well with fasting for reasons other than hunger. 'I don't recommend fasting to perimenopausal or menopausal women, because fasting can disrupt your hormones and put more strain on your body at a time when it is already under a lot of stress,' she says. A carb-cycling diet could give these women 'some of the same benefits of fasting without the drawbacks,' Stephenson adds. And while fasting can be good for all of us, not everyone wants – or needs – to lose weight. 'Weight loss is a product of eating fewer calories than you expend, so if you eat enough or more than enough calories while limiting your carb consumption, you won't lose weight,' Stephenson explains. This could make a few low-carb days 'a particularly good option for people who have lost weight and are looking for a way to maintain it,' says Dr Collins. 'That's very difficult to do, and currently we don't have much to offer people in that position.' That said, restricting carbohydrates could come with its own risks. 'There's some evidence to suggest that low-carbohydrate diets can be bad for your heart, where you replace the carbs primarily with fat,' says Prof Sattar. 'There could be other dangers that we wouldn't be able to identify outside of a large-scale randomised clinical trial.' For this reason, Stephenson suggests cutting your daily carbohydrate intake to no less than 100g, unless you're working with a nutritionist or doctor. 'It's also worth considering counting 'net carbs' rather than total carbs, by subtracting the grams of fibre in your food from the total carb count on the packet,' she adds. This is because your body doesn't use all of the carbohydrates you consume. Net carbs represent the amount of carb that can impact your blood sugar. Eating a low-carb diet for one or two days each week can be a lot easier than you might think. Here are two plans put together by Rhian Stephenson, so that you can eat well while you give it a go. 50g of carbohydrates, 1,800 calories 'This is similar to what participants ate in terms of carbohydrates in the study, and is concentrated within one meal to mimic a 'window' style of eating,' says Stephenson. 'It might also lead to weight loss if you follow this plan regularly, depending on your current weight and how much you exercise.' 2g net carbs 3 eggs 100g of spinach cooked with olive oil Half an avocado 2g net carbs Large mixed salad (leafy greens) Lean protein of choice (chicken, salmon or tofu) 2tbsp walnuts 2tbsp seeds Olive oil and vinegar dressing 48g net carbs 150g chicken breast cooked with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and herbs 200g lentils cooked with half an onion and olive oil 150g cherry tomatoes 1 kiwi Under 100g of carbohydrates, 1800 calories 'This is a more realistic version of a low-carb day that would better support your health if followed regularly, as it involves more carbohydrate intake that is spread throughout the day,' says Stephenson. 'Depending on your weight and how much you move, eating with this plan regularly might also lead to weight loss, but you could reduce some portion sizes or skip the snack to create a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight.' 34g net carbs 45g of jumbo oats 1 tbsp peanut butter 200ml unsweetened soy milk 1 tbsp walnuts 100g raspberries Sprinkle of cinnamon 1 boiled egg 14g net carbs Large green salad with mixed veg, cucumber, tomatoes and red pepper 1 can tuna in olive oil 50g chickpeas Oil and vinegar to dress 12g net carbs Half a head of cauliflower (to make cauliflower rice) One head of pak choi 150g chicken 100g mushrooms 35g sugar snap peas Sauce with tamari, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic and ginger 10g net carb 100g Greek yogurt 80g low-sugar fruit (eg Cantaloupe) 2 tbsp sunflower seeds Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
22-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Why eating less carbs burns just as much fat as fasting
Intermittent fasting is now one of the most-followed dietary patterns in the developed world. According to a 2022 survey, about 10 per cent of American adults practise intermittent fasting, and while the same stats for Britain don't exist, we all know someone who now skips breakfast to maintain their eight hour 'eating window' each day. It's a fact that pleases nutritionists, doctors and diabetes experts alike. Keeping our eating to a tight timeframe 'can help your body shift from burning food as fuel to burning fat, helping with weight management or weight loss, regulating your blood sugar levels and giving you more energy throughout the day,' says nutritionist Rhian Stephenson, founder of the supplement brand Artah. But there is an obvious downside to time-restricted eating. The hours spent waiting for the eating window to open are often spent feeling ravenous, miserable and totally drained, and the early dinners that are necessary on this diet – as eating typically stops at 8pm sharp – can become anti-social. What if there was a way to get all of the health benefits of intermittent fasting, and at the same time enjoy both a filling breakfast and a late evening meal? New research suggests that this could be possible after all – if you're willing to cut carbohydrates out of some of your meals. A study from the University of Surrey, published in April, suggests that 'by restricting carbohydrate intake, without restricting calorie consumption, people can potentially reap all the same benefits that are associated with short-term fasting,' says Dr Adam Collins, an associate professor of nutrition who led the research. A recent study led by Dr Collins found that by reducing the amount of pasta, potatoes of bread you eat and following a low-carb diet, it can bring all the benefits that we've come to associate with fasting. Most importantly, a switch to burning fat rather than food for fuel, which can lower blood sugar and inflammation and potentially make us less prone to heart disease and diabetes in the long run 'Cutting down on carbs for a few days each week could therefore be a more sustainable but equally effective way for people to manage and improve their metabolic health,' he adds. 'That could take the form of having a 'carb window' instead of a food window, or something similar to the 5:2 diet, which is where people eat normally five days a week, and on the remaining two they eat one meal or five to six hundred calories.' How it works Dr Collins' study followed the same group of 32 people, all of whom were overweight according to their BMI, across three different days (with five 'washout' days in between). On day one, the participants ate enough calories to meet their daily needs, ranging from 1,800 to 3,000 based on their weight and gender. On day two, they ate a low-carb, low-calorie diet: women in the study were restricted to around 550 calories, while men ate around 650 calories, and both groups ate 50g of carbohydrates (roughly the amount of carbs in a small portion of cooked pasta). On the third day, the group could eat as many calories as they needed, but had to keep their carbohydrate consumption to 50g a day. 'Both low-carb days led to improvements in the participants' metabolic health markers, including a shift into a fat-burning state, and how well they could process a high-fat meal after we observed them,' Dr Collins says. 'Essentially, all the benefits you usually get from fasting were still observed when people just ate fewer carbs.' The Surrey University team were 'tease out the effects of carb restriction from those of calorie restriction,' explains Dr Collins. Crucially, the study didn't look at weight loss – 'you can't measure that after just one day,' he points out. But in the real world, 'when people eat fewer carbohydrates, they take on fewer calories,' leading to a loss in weight, primarily in the form of fat. This is important to understanding metabolic health as a whole, not only for those who want to lose weight. 'Restricting your carb intake for a few days each week means that you avoid over-fuelling your body and will only ever be burning food as fuel. Being able to switch into fat-burning mode is crucial to avoiding health complications as you age, like diabetes, heart disease and weight gain,' Dr Collins says. Though you'll only get visibly slimmer if you eat fewer calories than you burn, fasting and carb-restricted eating in any amount 'could both potentially burn some of the fat that develops inside of your organs when you consistently eat more carbohydrates than you burn,' a huge health boost as this kind of fat has been linked to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and Type 2 diabetes. As Naveed Sattar, a professor of metabolic medicine from the University of Glasgow points out, 'this study is small, and you'd need a big, long-term study to see exactly what the effects of this type of eating would be'. But 'it's very exciting, and potentially could do a lot to inform the dietary advice we give to people at risk of diabetes and heart disease in future'. This study only involved people who are over a healthy weight range for their height, 'but we'd expect to see similar impacts in people who are a healthy weight too,' says Dr Collins, 'though the less metabolically healthy someone is, the more exaggerated the effect will be'. This is good news if you're attempting to turn your health around quickly. Intermittent fasting vs low-carb diets For all the benefits that come with intermittent fasting there are also drawbacks, and more serious ones than raging hunger. 'When people practise intermittent fasting consistently for weeks or months, they often put themselves at risk of nutrient deficiencies,' says Stephenson. 'The fewer calories you eat every day, the harder it is for you to get all of the nutrients you need – and keeping a small eating window doesn't mean that you will eat healthily.' There are also groups of people who don't get on well with fasting for reasons other than hunger. 'I don't recommend fasting to perimenopausal or menopausal women, because fasting can disrupt your hormones and put more strain on your body at a time when it is already under a lot of stress,' she says. A carb-cycling diet could give these women 'some of the same benefits of fasting without the drawbacks,' Stephenson adds. And while fasting can be good for all of us, not everyone wants – or needs – to lose weight. 'Weight loss is a product of eating fewer calories than you expend, so if you eat enough or more than enough calories while limiting your carb consumption, you won't lose weight,' Stephenson explains. This could make a few low-carb days 'a particularly good option for people who have lost weight and are looking for a way to maintain it,' says Dr Collins. 'That's very difficult to do, and currently we don't have much to offer people in that position.' That said, restricting carbohydrates could come with its own risks. 'There's some evidence to suggest that low-carbohydrate diets can be bad for your heart, where you replace the carbs primarily with fat,' says Prof Sattar. 'There could be other dangers that we wouldn't be able to identify outside of a large-scale randomised clinical trial.' For this reason, Stephenson suggests cutting your daily carbohydrate intake to no less than 100g, unless you're working with a nutritionist or doctor. 'It's also worth considering counting 'net carbs' rather than total carbs, by subtracting the grams of fibre in your food from the total carb count on the packet,' she adds. This is because your body doesn't use all of the carbohydrates you consume. Net carbs represent the amount of carb that can impact your blood sugar. One day on a low-carb, fat-burning diet Eating a low-carb diet for one or two days each week can be a lot easier than you might think. Here are two plans put together by Rhian Stephenson, so that you can eat well while you give it a go. Option 1 50g of carbohydrates, 1,800 calories 'This is similar to what participants ate in terms of carbohydrates in the study, and is concentrated within one meal to mimic a 'window' style of eating,' says Stephenson. 'It might also lead to weight loss if you follow this plan regularly, depending on your current weight and how much you exercise.' Breakfast: Spinach and egg scramble 2g net carbs Ingredients 150g chicken breast cooked with olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper and herbs 200g lentils cooked with half an onion and olive oil 150g cherry tomatoes 1 kiwi Option 2 Under 100g of carbohydrates, 1800 calories 'This is a more realistic version of a low-carb day that would better support your health if followed regularly, as it involves more carbohydrate intake that is spread throughout the day,' says Stephenson. 'Depending on your weight and how much you move, eating with this plan regularly might also lead to weight loss, but you could reduce some portion sizes or skip the snack to create a calorie deficit if you want to lose weight.' Breakfast: Overnight oats 34g net carbs Ingredients 45g of jumbo oats 1 tbsp peanut butter 200ml unsweetened soy milk 1 tbsp walnuts 100g raspberries Sprinkle of cinnamon 1 boiled egg Lunch: Tuna and chickpea salad 14g net carbs Ingredients Large green salad with mixed veg, cucumber, tomatoes and red pepper 1 can tuna in olive oil 50g chickpeas Oil and vinegar to dress Dinner: Chicken stir fry 12g net carbs Ingredients Half a head of cauliflower (to make cauliflower rice) One head of pak choi 150g chicken 100g mushrooms 35g sugar snap peas Sauce with tamari, sesame oil, vinegar, garlic and ginger Snack: Yogurt and fruit 10g net carb Ingredients 100g Greek yogurt 80g low-sugar fruit (eg Cantaloupe) 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
What are Electrolytes, and Do You Need to be Taking Them?
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." In the past few years, electrolytes – whether powders, ready-made drinks or gummies – have been steadily increasing in popularity among wellness types. Indeed, according to Google Trends, searches for electrolytes have increased eightfold since 2020, while the industry itself has grown by 10 per cent in the past year. Beauty influencers on TikTok are espousing the benefits of incorporating them into your daily routine (everything from keeping you fuller for longer to giving you glowing skin), and hero brands like Artah, Ancient+Brave and Free Soul have become household names. But what's behind the trend? And should we all be taking electrolytes daily? Dr Hazel Wallace, medical doctor, nutritionist and founder of The Food Medic Rhian Stephenson, nutritional therapist and founder of Artah First things first, what exactly are electrolytes? 'Electrolytes are essential minerals like sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium,' explains Dr Hazel Wallace. 'They carry an electric charge (hence the name) and help regulate key functions in the body including nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and fluid balance.' Most people consume their recommended intake of electrolytes through their diet with sodium, for example, found in table salt, or via the potassium in a banana. Other sources of sodium include pickled food like olives, while you can also find high levels of potassium in potatoes, leafy greens, beans and avocados. For magnesium, look to nuts, seeds, whole grains and beans, while calcium is found in not just dairy products (including fortified plant milks) but also leafy greens. Thanks to the marketing around drinking electrolyte-heavy drinks after a bout of tummy-related illness or an intense workout, we've come to largely associate electrolytes with hydration. But why is that the case? 'When it comes to general wellbeing, electrolytes are best known for their role in hydration because they help maintain fluid balance," explains Rhian Stephenson. "Essentially, they help direct water where to go. The body can move electrolytes and water in and out of cells in order to maintain fluid balance. Simplified, you can think of it like this: if electrolyte balance is high, fluid moves into the cell. If electrolyte balance is low, fluid moves out of the cell. This means that we can be taking in litres of water, but if we are low on electrolytes, our hydration status won't improve.' These mini powerhouses are actually really important for the general running of our bodies too, as Stephenson explains. 'Electrolytes are minerals that help conduct electrical charges between our cells, and help regulate numerous processes within the body,' she says. 'They're essential not just for fluid balance, but also for blood pressure, tissue health, muscle function, mood, energy production, cognitive function and more. Electrolytes are involved in the stress response; when we're low on electrolytes, our stress response is triggered, and when our stress response is triggered, it depletes electrolytes. They're essential for muscular contraction and play a role in not only physical performance, but inflammation, recovery, and DOMS.' The reason why some people need to supplement their electrolyte intake is down to the way that we lose them in the first place. As Dr Wallace explains: 'Electrolytes can be lost through sweat and other bodily fluids, so becoming dehydrated can lead to electrolyte imbalances. This is why people who are more active will usually need more electrolytes.' So, how do we know if we are at risk of being deficient in electrolytes? A lot of the symptoms are similar to dehydration. 'Low electrolyte levels can cause symptoms like muscle cramps, fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and nausea,' shares Dr Wallace. 'In more severe cases, they may lead to confusion, irregular heartbeat, or fainting. These symptoms often occur after heavy sweating, illness, or not getting enough electrolytes through food and drink.' It really depends on your activity levels and whether or not you are showing any symptoms of a deficiency. 'For most people, daily electrolyte supplementation isn't necessary and in some cases, excessive intake could cause harm,' shares Dr Wallace. 'People shouldn't be drinking them daily like a squash, which I see a lot on social media. However, supplements can be useful in specific situations: after vomiting or diarrhoea, during or after intense or long-duration workouts, in hot or humid conditions, or when training multiple times a day with limited time to rehydrate and refuel through food.' Stephenson agrees: 'It's important to understand the nuance here – we don't all have a blanket need for all electrolytes, especially sodium,' she says. 'As an example, the average sodium intake in the UK is 30 per cent higher than the recommended upper limit of 2500mg. For those who eat out more or have a diet that includes a lot of UPFs [ultra processed foods], this will be higher. We also know that we under-eat potassium and magnesium – the National Diet and Nutrition Survey revealed that we are well under the RNI for both. So, this is why an electrolyte that's more lifestyle-led – such as Artah's Cellular Hydration – can be helpful because electrolytes are essential for so many processes.' With electrolytes typically found in our diet, the easiest way to up them is to just start eating more of the foods that contain them. 'You can increase electrolytes through food and drink without needing supplements,' says Dr Wallace. 'Sodium can be found in table salt and salty foods; potassium is rich in bananas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach, and beans; magnesium is present in nuts, seeds, whole grains, and leafy greens; and calcium is found in dairy products, fortified plant milks, tofu and leafy greens.' As with any new supplements or medications it is always best to speak to your general practitioner first – there's no one-size-fits-all approach. 'People with certain medical conditions, such as kidney disease or high blood pressure, may need to monitor their intake, especially of sodium or potassium,' says Dr Wallace. 'Always check with a healthcare professional if unsure.' You Might Also Like 4 Investment-Worthy Skincare Finds From Sephora The 17 Best Retinol Creams Worth Adding to Your Skin Care Routine
NZ Herald
23-04-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
What eating one meal a day does to your body – and what results can you see after a month?
'In individuals with no underlying health concerns, consuming fewer calories than you expend leads to weight loss, and people who eat once a day typically will eat far less than they need to maintain their weight,' nutritionist Jenna Hope says. But there is more to the one meal a day, or Omad, diet than this. Fasting, or leaving time between meals, 'has a number of other health benefits, including reduced inflammation, improved digestion and focus and improved digestion,' says April Morgan, head of nutrition for the supplement brand Artah. Could cutting your food intake to one meal a day really make you slimmer, healthier and more productive? We asked the experts. What is the Omad diet? At its most basic, the Omad diet is exactly what it sounds like: a diet plan that involves eating just one meal a day. But when it comes to how eating this way can change your body, there's a bit more to it than that. 'The Omad diet involves a one-hour eating window a day, meaning that you're fasting for 23 hours in total,' says Morgan. This makes the Omad diet similar to intermittent fasting, where people restrict their eating to a window of eight to 12 hours and fast for the rest of the day and overnight. 'The effects of fasting on each person who does it are very individual,' Morgan adds. For this reason, most people who follow the diet won't break their fasts with any form of calorie intake, including sweetened drinks or milk in tea and coffee. Black tea, herbal tea and black coffee are all allowed within the diet as they don't contain calories, so long as they aren't sweetened. Water is allowed too, and drinking enough of it — two and a half litres or about four pints — is 'definitely important' to keep yourself going, says Hope. OMAD diet plan If you're going to eat one meal a day, you might expect to make it breakfast. 'I'm all about following our natural body clocks, which means eating more in the early part of the day than we do in the evening, as this aligns with all our bodily processes and gives us more energy, better digestion and sleep,' says Morgan. 'But if you were to eat your only meal as soon as you wake up, you would likely be very hungry by bedtime, and going to bed without having eaten can disrupt your sleep as your blood sugar drops in the night.' Instead, it would be wise to start the day with hydration in the form of water and herbal teas, potentially with added electrolytes, advises Morgan, to help stave off hunger until later in the day. 'Most people find it much more manageable to fast in the daytime and then eat when they're home from work,' she says. The crucial thing is to eat your one meal at the same time each day, 'so that you achieve the full 23-hour fasting window'. Your one meal, whenever you eat it and whatever it consists of, 'should contain at least 1200 to 1400 calories,' says Hope, 'as this is the minimum you need to consume a good range of micronutrients and fuel your body properly while enabling a safe rate of weight loss'. It's also important not to eat the same meal each day, Morgan adds, 'to get a proper variety of nutrients given your low food intake'. It is possible to exercise on the Omad diet, 'but I absolutely wouldn't recommend any strenuous exercise like strength training, as you will put strain on your muscles and not be able to recover properly afterwards, meaning you'll do more damage than good,' says Morgan. Gentle exercise such as walking, swimming, yoga and Pilates are all safe to carry out. While Morgan recommends eating your meal after any exercise, 'to refuel and nourish,' Hope believes it would be better eaten before any exercise 'to give you the energy you need'. In either case, exercising will be tricky, 'as you'll expend more energy, meaning that you really need more food than you otherwise would have,' Hope says. 'This is one reason why I don't recommend this diet — it can inhibit the other factors that make up a healthy lifestyle'. What kind of results can you see after one month on the diet – and after three months? 'The amount of weight you lose on this diet depends on the weight you're starting at, and how much you're eating in each of your meals,' says Hope. Though there is some evidence to support fasting as a more impactful weight loss method, 'you're unlikely to lose any weight if you eat a meal that contains the amount of calories that you need to eat each day to maintain your weight'. Losing a kilogram requires a deficit of 7700 calories. To lose this much weight in a week would mean eating 1100 fewer calories than you need each day. The average British woman — at 73kg and 162cm — could therefore expect to lose half a kilogram each week by eating one meal a day, containing no less than 1200 calories. The average British man, meanwhile, weighing 85kg and 175cm, might expect to lose about a kilogram. Over a month, this means the average woman could lose 2kg, while the average man might lose 4kg. After three months, each might have lost 6kg and 12kg, respectively. Advertise with NZME. A smaller meal would result in more rapid weight loss, but with the safe rate of weight loss being 0.5-1kg a week, according to Britain's NHS. 'It's important not to cut your calories dramatically,' says Hope. While fasting can prompt your body to burn fat, eating in such a restricted way can also lead to lean muscle mass loss. This might not affect someone who is overweight to begin with, but someone who eats one meal a day at a healthy weight could notice the loss of muscle mass. Research into the likelihood of this while doing the Omad diet is lacking, but one study has found several months of intermittent fasting can cause people to lose 1kg to 2kg of muscle. It might not sound like much, but this kind of change in your body composition can lead to a less toned look, even after losing fat. Eating an extremely small meal once a day would likely lead to more muscle loss than this. What are the benefits of the Omad diet? Some of the benefits of the Omad diet include: Increased fat loss Better focus Increased energy More time Improved gut health 'When you fast for between 12 and 17 hours, the body starts burning fat as fuel rather than sugar. After the 17-hour mark, your body goes into autophagy, a process in which old cells get 'cleaned out' of the body and new cells are produced,' says Morgan. This can make Omad more powerful than intermittent fasting, which has longer eating windows of six to eight hours and typically involves skipping breakfast and eating your last meal of the day before 8pm. Then there are the impacts of fasting on our brains. 'Lots of people report that they can think more clearly and more efficiently while fasting,' Morgan says, an experience also well-represented in scientific studies. Some research indicates that fasting improves cognitive function, boosts neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to adapt) and even protects the brain against injury and disease. Advertise with NZME. 'Fasting can also improve your gut health, as it gives your gut time to rest and repair. When your gut lining is compromised, this can lead to bloating, gas, burping and irregular bowel movements,' Morgan adds. 'I often recommend eating one meal a day a few times a month to clients who have gastrointestinal problems, as it can help to relieve pain and bloating and promote healing.' Some people benefit more from the Omad diet than others. 'Middle-aged men might find this diet helpful, as they can often struggle the most to lose weight,' says Hope. Some people who are put on highly restricted diets by their doctors might prefer to eat only once a day. 'Patients who are prediabetic or in the early stages of diabetes might eat once a day, because doing so reduces the frequency of insulin spikes, making their blood glucose levels easier to keep under control, although these individuals should always seek personalised professional advice when changing their diet,' explains Hope. What are the risks? These are some of the risks associated with the Omad diet: Nutrient deficiency Loss of lean muscle mass Fatigue Disordered eating Change in metabolism 'If you're eating just once a day, it's very difficult to consume all the nutrients you need,' says Hope. 'This can lead to nutrient deficiencies and symptoms like muscle weakness, irritability, brittle nails and hair and fatigue.' While fasting can promote rapid fat loss, it can also lead to the loss of lean muscle mass if carried out too frequently. This can have detrimental effects on your health, as 'your muscle mass is really the metabolic organ for your whole body, and dictates a lot of your hormonal activity,' Morgan explains. Muscle mass naturally decreases with age, making this particularly troublesome for older people. A lack of muscle mass causes frailty, falls and increased risk of an earlier death. Advertise with NZME. 'Fasting for long periods can also be very disruptive to women's endocrine systems, which can increase stress and actually lead to weight gain in the long term,' says Hope. 'For this reason, I'd be especially cautious about recommending the Omad diet to perimenopausal or menopausal women.' What's more, 'your body will adapt to the plan over time and start to conserve more energy, meaning that you likely won't lose as much weight and you might find it hard to lose weight in the future, as your metabolism won't work in the same way,' Hope says. One study, involving 32 people split into two groups, found that the metabolisms of those who ate 1114 calories a day slowed over twice as much as those in the other group, who ate 1462 calories each day — yet both experienced similar weight loss. Such an effect 'is one reason why I suggest that people 'cycle' on the Omad diet, following it for only a few days a month,' says Morgan. What should you eat if you only have one meal a day? 'If you're going to eat one meal a day, at least a quarter of your plate should be made up of lean protein like chicken, salmon or tofu,' says Hope. 'Another quarter should be complex carbohydrates such as quinoa, sweet potatoes or brown rice. A quarter should be non-starchy vegetables like broccoli or cauliflower, and the last quarter should be a healthy fat, like nut butter, avocado, hummus or cream cheese. Focusing on whole foods is crucial, as this will give you the highest possible amount of nutrients.' FAQs What are the rules of the Omad diet? 'The only rules are to eat once a day and avoid breaking your fast,' says Morgan, 'but, personally, I'd add to this that you should also drink plenty of water, consciously curate your only meal around protein, fat, and fibre, with four handfuls of different coloured vegetables, and some complex carbohydrates.' Can you do an Omad carnivore diet? Yes, says Morgan. 'The protein involved in an all-meat Omad should keep you full, but as a nutritionist, I would prefer to see someone having some leafy vegetables along with that, too.'
