The anatomy of the diet

Dr. Kavita | September 5, 2010

Diets mean different things to different people. If you ask a nutritionist, he or she would give you a clinical definition which says that diet is the sum total of all foods which are consumed. The majority of folks tend to use the term diets and foods almost synonymously. Well, that is not a bad thought, considering the definition that the nutritionist gave us.

Aim of consuming diets:

weight-loss
While diets are consumed by all of us, the aim of consuming it is again different for different people. Majority of the population eats with the sole intention of filling their stomachs, and to alleviate their hunger. Then there are some who eat just to satisfy their taste buds and cravings, irrespective of the requirement of the body for food or presence of any hunger pangs.

Evaluation of the diets:

There are only very few numbers of people who actually eat their diets after proper evaluation of quantity and quality. Even among such people, many are known to limit the quantity. People who are on weight losing programs tend to restrict the quantity of their consumed diets, thereby sometimes unwittingly compromising on the quality too.

Components of Diets:

The quality of a diet is wholly dependent on its nutritive value and hygiene. The nutritional value of different kinds of food is different. The food which is consumed is broadly classified as fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The nutritive value of each category is different, so is the nutritive value of different foods in the same category.

How can diets help weight loss?

  • Excess fat which is accumulated in the body translates as excessive weight.
  • Proper control on the dietary consumption of calories, and modifying it in such a way that it matches the daily energy requirement, is the logical solution for healthy weight loss.
  • But for the daily calorie consumption to exactly match the daily energy requirement, you will first need to know how many calories of energy your body requires on a daily basis.
  • You would also need to know the calorie value of the diet you are consuming. Once you get both the values, you only need to match them.

Different types of Diets

  • There are as many varieties of diet, as there are varieties of dietary habits. But the broadest classification would be in to 2 major categories, depending on the source of the diet as vegetarian and mixed.
  • Special diets used for weight loss are Low carb, High protein, Diabetic, low cal, Gluten free, raw food etc.
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Category: Diets

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