The blood type diet

The foods you eat react chemically with your blood type. If you follow a diet designed for your blood type, your body will digest food more efficiently. You'll lose weight, have more energy, and help prevent disease.

Type O blood: A high-protein diet heavy on lean meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables, and light on grains, beans, and dairy.  Also various supplements to help with tummy troubles and other issues he says people with type O tend to have.

Type A blood: A meat-free diet based on fruits and vegetables, beans and legumes, and whole grains -- ideally, organic and fresh, because people with type A blood have a sensitive immune system.

Type B blood: Avoid corn, wheat, buckwheat, lentils, tomatoes, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Chicken is also problematic.  Recommended: green vegetables, eggs, certain meats, and low-fat dairy.

Type AB blood: Foods to focus on include tofu, seafood, dairy, and green vegetables.  People with type AB blood tend to have low stomach acid. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, and smoked or cured meats.

Copenhagen Diet

My friend sent me this diet program - it is very popular in Europe. It's called Copenhagen Diet and it really works! Lost 15 lbs in 2 weeks, and there is no yoyo effect! I've tried many other diets but none has even come close to the success.

If you want to lose your weight quickly, this diet is exactly what you want. During the 13 days you can lose from 5 to 10 kg (it depends on your weight at the beginning). This diet rejects eating fruits and cereal products, but recommends eating eggs, lean meat, lettuce and drinking coffee.

Day 1 and day 8

• Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Lunch: 2 hard boiled eggs, 1 tomato, boiled broccolli or spinach.
• Dinner: 1 piece of meat(beef), lettuce with oil and lemon.

Day 2 and day 9

• Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Lunch: 1 big piece of meat(beef), lettuce with oil and lemon.
• Dinner: 1 thick slice of ham, 2-3 cups of natural yogurt.

Day 3 and day 10

• Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 toast.
• Lunch: boiled broccolli or spinach, 1 tomato, 1 fresh fruit.
• Dinner: 1 thick slice of ham, 2 hard boiled eggs, and lettuce with oil and lemon.

Day 4 and day 11

• Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Lunch: 1 shredded carrot, 1 hard boiled egg, 1 cup of natural farmer cheese.
• Dinner: fruit salad, 2-3 cups of natural yogurt.

Day 5 and day 12

• Breakfast: 1 big shredded carrot with lemon.
• Lunch: big fish.
• Dinner: 1 piece of meat(beef), lettuce and broccolli.

Day 6 and day 13

• Breakfast: 1 cup of black coffee, 1 teaspoon sugar.
• Lunch: chicken, lettuce with oil and lemon.
• Dinner: 2 hard boiled eggs and carrot.

Day 7

• Breakfast: cup of tea without sugar.
• Lunch: low fat grilled meat.
• Dinner: nothing.

Sadkhin Complex Diet

The Sadkhin Complex is the creation of a Russian cardiologist, Dr. Gregory Sadkhin

The Sadkhin diet works to restrict calories and suggests that a person should consume less than 500 calories for the first ten days of this diet plan. Even without exercise, a person may see change within the first week of participating in the diet.

• The diet plan claims that strict followers will see a 10-15% reduction in body weight in the first ten days.
• The cost of the Sadkhin Complex plan is a steep $400 for the first month and $240 for every month following that.
• http://www.sadkhin.com
• Patents filed

Intermittent fasting : short fasts for weight loss vs. traditional diets

How Drastic Reduction of Calories for Limited Periods of Time Compares to Other Plans

In an effort to make losing weight—and keeping it off—easier, researchers are studying what happens to the body when people eat next to nothing every few days.

Dieting books in the U.K. and elsewhere have used these studies as a springboard to tout the benefits of intermittent calorie restriction, such as the 5:2 Diet, which suggests five normal eating days and two restricted ones.

Some research shows that this more radical-sounding approach may be a struggle at first but ends up being easier to stick with compared with the typical route of cutting calories each day. Some animal studies suggest it also offers other health benefits, including cognitive improvements.

Many questions remain. For one, it isn't clear whether the very-low-calorie element of the diet confers health benefits in humans, or if the diet simply helps people eat less and lose weight temporarily, like with daily calorie restriction. The effects on metabolism and long-term effects on nutrition and health haven't yet been studied in humans.

Mr. Leite's meal includes one pound of ground turkey, six eggs and a whole avocado.

It also isn't known how much people need to hold back on their restriction days, or how many days a week to restrict is optimal. Changing eating and exercise routines typically leads to an average weight loss of about 5% of initial body weight, and usually only temporarily, studies have found.

Animal research by the government's National Institute on Aging has shown the strategy of alternating days of eating regularly, known as intermittent fasting, appears better at improving cognitive functioning and maintaining muscle mass. Animals following a more typical reduced-calorie diet did not fare as well.

Preliminary evidence in humans suggests that a similar pattern of intermittent calorie restriction appears to lead to weight loss in the short-term. Eating much less on some days and normally on others is as or more effective than reducing one's calories to between 1,200 and 1,500 calories daily, though continued research is needed, scientists say. (Men and women between 31 and 50 respectively need about 2,200 and 1,600 daily calories, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.)

Mark Mattson, chief of the laboratory of neurosciences at the National Institute on Aging in Baltimore, and colleagues have been studying intermittent fasting in animals for years. In their studies of older mice and rats and those with Alzheimer-like conditions, the ones that alternate between days of eating and fasting appear to be protected from cognitive impairment or even show signs of reversal of previous impairment compared with those with daily diet restrictions.

They have also found that these animals appear to maintain more lean mass as they get older. Animals and humans tend to lose muscle and gain fat as they age.

The thinking is that fasting for periods of as short as 16 to 24 hours seems to induce a state of mild stress in the body. The brain releases additional neurotrophic proteins that help stimulate and support the growth of neurons and other cells, heightening their responsiveness and activity. Just as exercise makes muscles stronger, fasting makes the brain stronger, Dr. Mattson says. The body chemicals produced by fasting and exercise also could help boost people's moods.

In humans, most of the study focuses not on true alternate-day fasting, because researchers weren't sure that humans would be able to adhere to that regimen, but on intermittent restriction, usually between 500 and 650 calories a day for two or three days a week, interspersed with days of regular eating.

Paul Hussain, 41, has been trying intermittent calorie restriction on his own for about a year. The lawyer, who splits his time between London and Geneva, was overweight, had diabetes and was experiencing stomach pain related to polyps and ulcers in 2012, he says. He began by trying calorie restriction two days per week, but found it didn't help him, in part because he had a difficult time fasting on those two days. He decided to try alternate-day restriction instead.

After an adjustment period of about four weeks, where he was hungry and "angry, grumpy and shouting in the house," he has settled into his routine. He eats about 600 calories a day on his "fasting days," often lentil soup and couscous with chicken. On his "feast days," he eats whatever he wants. He has lost about 50 pounds and no longer needs to take medication for his diabetes. The stomach ulcers have disappeared, he says.

His new diet can affect his social life, he says. If he meets friends on his fasting days, he will look at the menu ahead of time and pick out a low-calorie option. Nonetheless, sometimes friends will say they feel bad that he isn't eating with them.

Researchers say that like Mr. Hussain, most people studied are able to adhere to the new regimen after the initial 10 to 30 days.

"We think that once the people get adjusted to the diet—it's a big change to a diet—it is easy to adhere to," Dr. Mattson says. "If you know that tomorrow you can eat normally, you can make it through today."

Michelle Harvie, a research dietitian at the Nightingale and Genesis Prevention Centre at the University Hospital South Manchester, conducted a recent study looking at intermittent vs. daily calorie restriction in overweight women with a history of breast cancer. Participants were divided into groups and instructed to eat a diet for three months in a way that reduced their typical calorie intake by about 25%. The first group ate only low-carbohydrate foods for two consecutive days, while the second was limited to two straight days of low-carbohydrate, low-calorie foods. The third group restricted calories daily.

The two intermittent restriction groups lost twice as much weight as the chronic restriction group, but the intermittent groups didn't differ from each other. In addition, more people in the intermittent groups lost weight: 65% of intermittent restrictors, compared with 40% in the chronic restriction group. The study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition in April.

It's unclear whether intermittent calorie restriction improves health better than daily calorie restriction, however.

A key to successful intermittent calorie restriction is to make sure that people don't overeat on the days when they aren't fasting. Surprisingly, they don't seem to, says Krista Varady, an assistant professor in kinesiology and nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago who has conducted multiple human studies on intermittent calorie restriction.

They eat only about 110% on non-fasting days, which doesn't compensate for the amount they restricted the day before. People also report that they get used to the routine and actually can't eat as much in general, even on their non-fasting days, Dr. Varady says.

Jayson Leite, 39, of Mountain House, Calif., designed his own intermittent restriction strategy after hearing about Dr. Varady's research.

After trying numerous diets that didn't work, he now eats one meal daily, typically between 1,200 and 1,600 calories, then not again until at least 24 hours later. In the nearly five years he been eating this way, he has dropped to 137 pounds, from 205 pounds. The change has been so striking that friends often express disbelief. "One friend is convinced I have different genes," Mr. Leite says with a laugh.

****

16:8 – a form of intermittent fasting (IF) where you eat nothing for 16 hours a day, then cram all your calories into the other eight. 

Example:

• I skip breakfast (cups of coffee are fine) and then tear into half a rotisserie chicken at 11am, with baby spinach and a wholegrain roll. That weighs in at about 800kcal with more than
 50g of protein (almost 90% of my RDA).   I eat again around 3pm:  sushi or
 a sandwich. Dinner is down by 7pm and then the 16-hour stopwatch begins again.

Ketogenic diet

Keto diet is a diet which puts the body in the ketosis state. As a result, the body burns fat instead of glucose to meet its energy needs.

A low carb, high-fat diet, the ketogenic diet transforms your body into a fat-burning machine. You body runs entirely on fat, your insulin levels become low and fat burns drastically. The main focus of this diet is to get all the calories from the consumption of healthy fats rather than proteins or carbohydrates. 

• The keto diet is applauded as a useful weight loss tool due to the dramatic carb intake decrease.
• Ketones help you burn fat for energy, powerfully reduce inflammation and show promise in preventing and eradicating diabetes, cancer, autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's, and many, many other health concerns.

Ketosis occurs when the body is burning fat for fuel and producing ketones (in the liver). The ketogenic diet is not for everyone and you should check with your physician before starting it.

The dos and don'ts:

• DO eat real food. Try vegetables that grow above ground, beef (organic, grass fed), chicken (organic, pastured), salmon (wild-caught), butter and heavy cream (organic is a must, raw dairy is even better).
• DO replace your electrolytes but not with diet Gatorade or sugary energy type drinks. Drink bone broth or chicken broth. Think sea salt. Make sure you get at least 2 teaspoons per day.
• DO eat plenty of healthy fats! Coconut oil, avocado oil, avocados, butter, heavy cream, extra virgin olive oil, animal fats (preferably from grass-fed animals) butter and MCT oil. Fat is a source of energy and provides mental clarity, it's brain food!
• DO use natural alternative sweeteners versus artificial ones (i.e. don't use sucralose/Splenda). DO use stevia or erythritol.  
• DO avoid fast food. Even though you can get burgers without a bun at McDonald's or wherever, fast food just isn't healthy. It is full of chemicals and preservatives and they usually don't even use real cheese and the meat often has fillers. Even the salads could have hidden sugars.
• DON'T eat low-carb tortillas, "sugar-free" candies or jello, low-carb packaged bread, diet soda, low-carb bars, shakes, frozen microwaveable meals, zero calorie artificially sweetened drinks or water flavoring.
• DON'T eat low-fat food. Avoid buying fat-free or low-fat cheese or yogurt.  You need to eat full-fat cheese and plenty of healthy fats.  If your Keto diet includes yogurt, make sure it is full-fat yogurt (no sugar added).
• DON'T eat bad fats! Corn oil, vegetable oil, soybean oil, hydrogenated oil and canola oil are the worst!
• DON'T look up nutrition information after you've eaten something, always look it up before! 

Foods to eat:

• Low-starch veggies: Asparagus, broccoli, celery, kale and other green, leafy veggies.
• Small amounts of certain fruits: A handful of berries or a few sections of grapefruit.
• Proteins: Grass-fed beef, lamb, eggs (preferably pastured and organic), hard cheeses (cheddar or parmesan).
• Nuts and seeds: Macadamia nuts, pecans, coconut (unsweetened), pumpkin seeds, raw cacao nibs, etc.
• Fats and Oils: Coconut oil and butter, grass-fed butter or ghee, extra virgin olive oil, cocoa butter, tallow, etc.
• Sweeteners: Stevia (organic drops preferred), monk fruit, erythritol.

What’s the most important thing to do to reach ketosis? Avoid eating too many carbs. You’ll likely need to keep carb intake under 50 grams of net carbs per day, ideally below 20 grams. (source)
 

Foods to avoid:

• Grains (pasta, breads, cereals, cookies, cakes, etc.).
• Beans.
• Most fruits.
• Starchy Vegetables (potatoes, carrots, corn, most squashes, etc.).
• Low-fat dairy.
• Alcohol.
• Artificial sweeteners.
• Many condiments contain hidden sugar (ketchup, salsas, teriyaki sauce, pickles, etc.).
• Oils high in omega-6's like canola, corn, safflower, etc..

How the ketogenic diet works

To understand the ketogenic diet, you need a quick primer on how the human body gets energy. We are fueled primarily by glucose, or blood sugar, much of which we derive from carbohydrates in foods like bread, fruit, potatoes, and sweets.

If glucose levels in the blood drop to really low levels, we’d pass out and die. But, interestingly, the body can’t store much glucose — only enough to last a couple of days. So if we forgo eating carbs for a few days, we need other ways to keep going. One of those is a process called ketogenesis.

In ketogenesis, our livers start to break down fat into a usable energy source called ketone bodies, or ketones for short. “Organs like the brain that normally rely primarily on glucose for fuel can begin to use a substantial amount of ketones,” said Kevin Hall, a National Institutes of Health senior investigator who has studied the ketogenic diet. So ketones can stand in for glucose as fuel for the body when there’s a glucose shortage. “It’s an amazing physiological adaption to starvation that allows tissues like the brain to survive,” Hall added.

Once ketogenesis kicks in and ketone levels are elevated, the body is in a state called “ketosis,” where you’re burning stored fat. There are a few ways to get into ketosis. One is through fasting: When you stop eating altogether for an extended period of time, the body will ramp up fat burning for fuel and decrease its use of glucose (which is part of the reason people can survive for as long as 73 days without food).

Another way to get into ketosis is by eating less than 20 to 50 grams of carbs — or a slice or two of bread — per day. So people on a ketogenic diet get 5 percent of their calories from carbohydrates, about 15 percent from protein, and 80 percent from fat. Note that that’s a much lower ratio of protein and a lot more fat than you’d get on other low-carb diets, but it’s this ratio that will force the body to derive much of its energy from ketones. If you eat too much protein, or too many carbs, your body will be thrown out of ketosis.

In practice, that means subsisting mainly on meats, eggs, cheese, fish, nuts, butter, oils, and vegetables — and carefully avoiding sugar, bread and other grains, beans, and even fruit. Again, if this sounds familiar, it’s because it’s not that different from the Atkins diet, among the most famous very low-carb diets that promise to get your body burning fat. 

Lemon detox diet : 10 Days To A Whole New You

The Lemonade Diet is a short-term, cleansing diet that is similar to a juice fast in many ways. While you are following the diet (10 to 40 days), your sole source of energy and nutrients is a lemonade made with fresh-squeezed lemon juice, purified (non-fluoridated) water, grade-B maple syrup, and cayenne pepper. In addition, each morning, you drink a salt-water flush, and each evening you drink a laxative tea. The only other beverages allowed on the Lemonade Diet are pure (non-fluoridated) water and peppermint tea.

Is the Lemon Detox Diet Good For You?

Each drink has roughly 60 calories, so by restricting your diet to only 600 calories a day you will obviously lose weight, but not without paying a price! An average person requires around 2000 calories per day. So 600 calories causes the body to go into starvation mode, slowing down your metabolism, which in turn makes you feel tired and lethargic.

How to do it:

Take an empty gallon water jug and filling it with:

• the juice of 5 lemons
• 1 1/4 cup of organic Grade B maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 10 cups of water

Shake it all up and you got your days’ serving!

Here's what you can expect: You'll normalize your appetite and metabolism so your body can comfortably adjust to it's ideal weight for your size naturally Your suppressed hormone levels will be restored so every cell in your body will be charged with youth giving and feel good hormones There will be a natural shift away from unhealthy habits--without will power You'll cleanse and detox your entire body--the pounds of waste built up over the years will be released in just 10 days Reduced internal inflammation, which will ease aching joints Increased energy levels

History of the Lemonade Diet

The dieting program created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941 and made popular by Peter Glickman through his book Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days, which promotes Burroughs' regimen to a modern audience. It has been revived in recent years with the publication of Peter Glickman's book Lose Weight, Have More Energy, and Be Happier in 10 Days, first published in 2004, and revised and expanded for a second edition in 2005.

Burroughs states that it is a detoxification program that aids in the removal of harmful toxins from within the body, as well as a reducing diet for loss of weight, and a cure for ulcers and "every kind of disease," resulting in "the correction of all disorders."


read more Lemon Detox Diet

Forget "fad" diets and eat less, say UK experts

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Now that you're discovering all the extra flab from the Christmas and New Year food and booze binge, you're casting around for the latest diet to lose it all in time for summer.

But take care before you choose.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) said this week that there are many varied "fad" diets offering miracle weight loss, but warns consumers that losing the pounds while on one of them is simply due to eating fewer calories.

"It may not sound the most exciting way to lose weight but healthy eating, activity and long-term behavior change not only works but helps you maintain weight lost too," said Rachel Cooke, registered dietitian at St Martins' Hospital in Bath and BDA spokeswoman.

The BDA has produced a list of the "worst fad diets to avoid this New Year" including such regimes as the maple syrup, blood group, warrior, peanut butter and banana or the cabbage/fat-burning soup diets.

It said some regimes, such as the cabbage soup diet were based on "pseudo science" and that adhering to them over the long term could result in nutritional deficiencies.

"Firstly, no food can burn fat; only physical activity can do that," the BDA said of the cabbage soup diet in which the adherent exists largely on home-made cabbage soup.

The BDA also blasted the myth of the detox diet, saying that the human body is a complex organism that is more than capable of detoxing itself.

"The liver works to rid the body of everyday toxins so a 'special diet' is not necessary," the BDA said.

It said detox diets -- often popular with celebrities -- recommended cutting out entire food groups and living on fruit/vegetables and water and that they can also lead to nutritional deficiencies as whole food groups are omitted.

"After 'the Christmas feast,' simply reducing food intake as well as eating more fruit and vegetables will lead to a reduction of calories and weight loss," the BDA said.

ATKINS AND THE ZONE

The professional body for British dietitians also took aim at two famous diet plans.

It said the Atkins diet, sold around the world, contravened "evidence-based healthy eating messages" and that the Zone diet went against Britain's Food Standard Agency recommendations.

The BDA said the rigid version of the Atkins diet meant no bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or cereals and only a minimal allowance of fruit and vegetables.

"This diet goes against evidenced-based healthy eating messages, can lead to high intakes of saturated fat and virtually none of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetables that help reduce heart disease, stroke and some of the UK's most prevalent cancers," it added.

Atkins (www.atkins.com) said in a statement that it strongly refuted the BDA's comments and objected to its inclusion on the list of the "worst fad diets to avoid this New Year."

"It is clear from the report that the author is not familiar with the new 'Atkins Nutritional Approach'," Vice President of education and research for Atkins Health and Medical Information Services Colette Heimowitz said in an emailed statement.

"This diet is not a fad but offers a long term healthy eating plan with reduced levels of refined carbohydrates and sugars, and encourages the consumption of lean protein, high fiber, fruit and vegetables."

The Zone Diet (www.ZoneDiet.com) also objected to its inclusion on the BDA list as an eating plan that was "probably more complicated than making small changes to intake that will result in long-term healthy weight loss."

"The Zone Diet has in fact the same guidelines as the newest dietary guidelines for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and pre-diabetes from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center affiliated with Harvard Medical School," Zone Diet Marketing Manager Kari Haering said in an emailed statement.

Forget "fad" diets and eat less, say UK experts

LONDON (Reuters Life!) - Now that you're discovering all the extra flab from the Christmas and New Year food and booze binge, you're casting around for the latest diet to lose it all in time for summer.

But take care before you choose.

The British Dietetic Association (BDA) said this week that there are many varied "fad" diets offering miracle weight loss, but warns consumers that losing the pounds while on one of them is simply due to eating fewer calories.

"It may not sound the most exciting way to lose weight but healthy eating, activity and long-term behavior change not only works but helps you maintain weight lost too," said Rachel Cooke, registered dietitian at St Martins' Hospital in Bath and BDA spokeswoman.

The BDA has produced a list of the "worst fad diets to avoid this New Year" including such regimes as the maple syrup, blood group, warrior, peanut butter and banana or the cabbage/fat-burning soup diets.

It said some regimes, such as the cabbage soup diet were based on "pseudo science" and that adhering to them over the long term could result in nutritional deficiencies.

"Firstly, no food can burn fat; only physical activity can do that," the BDA said of the cabbage soup diet in which the adherent exists largely on home-made cabbage soup.

The BDA also blasted the myth of the detox diet, saying that the human body is a complex organism that is more than capable of detoxing itself.

"The liver works to rid the body of everyday toxins so a 'special diet' is not necessary," the BDA said.

It said detox diets -- often popular with celebrities -- recommended cutting out entire food groups and living on fruit/vegetables and water and that they can also lead to nutritional deficiencies as whole food groups are omitted.

"After 'the Christmas feast,' simply reducing food intake as well as eating more fruit and vegetables will lead to a reduction of calories and weight loss," the BDA said.

ATKINS AND THE ZONE

The professional body for British dietitians also took aim at two famous diet plans.

It said the Atkins diet, sold around the world, contravened "evidence-based healthy eating messages" and that the Zone diet went against Britain's Food Standard Agency recommendations.

The BDA said the rigid version of the Atkins diet meant no bread, potatoes, pasta, rice or cereals and only a minimal allowance of fruit and vegetables.

"This diet goes against evidenced-based healthy eating messages, can lead to high intakes of saturated fat and virtually none of the 5-a-day fruit and vegetables that help reduce heart disease, stroke and some of the UK's most prevalent cancers," it added.

Atkins (www.atkins.com) said in a statement that it strongly refuted the BDA's comments and objected to its inclusion on the list of the "worst fad diets to avoid this New Year."

"It is clear from the report that the author is not familiar with the new 'Atkins Nutritional Approach'," Vice President of education and research for Atkins Health and Medical Information Services Colette Heimowitz said in an emailed statement.

"This diet is not a fad but offers a long term healthy eating plan with reduced levels of refined carbohydrates and sugars, and encourages the consumption of lean protein, high fiber, fruit and vegetables."

The Zone Diet (www.ZoneDiet.com) also objected to its inclusion on the BDA list as an eating plan that was "probably more complicated than making small changes to intake that will result in long-term healthy weight loss."

"The Zone Diet has in fact the same guidelines as the newest dietary guidelines for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, and pre-diabetes from the Joslin Diabetes Research Center affiliated with Harvard Medical School," Zone Diet Marketing Manager Kari Haering said in an emailed statement.

Best Diets for 2013

THE BEST DIETS FOR LONG AND SHORT-TERM WEIGHT-LOSS 

1. Volumetrics

What is it? Advocates eating more, not less. The idea is that foods with high water content, such as soup and salad, make you feel fuller and less deprived.

Benefits: Good for both heart health and diabetes control.

2. Weight Watchers

What is it? The Jessica Simpson-endorsed plan, which has 1.4million members, uses a point system to measure nutritional value. Members are offered weigh-in meetings and online guidance.

Benefits: Good for heart health - for diabetes control, research was inconclusive.

3. Jenny Craig

What is it? The Jenny Craig system involves eating the company's pre-packaged, calorie-counted and portion-controlled meals, as well as regular weigh-ins. As the member loses weight, they can cut back on the company's meals to weight-maintain.

Benefits: Results were inconclusive for both heart health and diabetes control.

4. Vegan Diet

What is it? Strictly no animal products, including dairy and eggs as well as meat and fish. Usually adopted for ethical reasons, a low-fat vegan diet can deliver more effective weight-loss results than a traditional low-fat diet.

Benefits: Good for both heart health and diabetes control.

5. Low-Fat Diet

What is it? Simply cutting fat to just 30per cent of one's daily calorie intake (10per cent saturated). It is excellent for cardiovascular health and good for weight-loss.

Benefits: Extremely good for heart health - for diabetes control, research was inconclusive.

6. Slim-Fast

What is it? The 'shake for breakfast, shake for lunch, and a sensible dinner' concept has been popular since the late Seventies.

Benefits: It is good for diabetes control, but data for effects on heart health is inconclusive.

7. Atkins Diet 

What is it? Strictly no carbohydrates allowed, the Atkins diet has been a weight-loss favorite since the Seventies. The downside is that there is no restriction on high-fat meats and cheeses, which is not ideal for those with high blood pressure.

Benefits: Heart health? No. Diabetes control? Inconclusive.

8. DASH Diet

What is it? The DASH diet was designed by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute and is intended to lower blood pressure and cholesterol. Dieters must cut back on processed foods and red meat in favor of legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Benefits: Good for both heart health and diabetes control.

9. Mediterranean Diet

What is it? Also known as the Sonoma diet, this is high in fruit and vegetables, and favors beans, nuts and olive oil. No more than 35per cent of the daily calorie intake should be fat.

Benefits: Good for both heart health and diabetes control.

10. LEARN Diet

What is it? LEARN stands for Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships, and Nutrition. Developed by Dr Kelly Brownell, the focus is on keeping fat intake down. Just over half of a dieter's calories will come from carbohydrates.

Benefits: Extremely good for heart health and good for diabetes control.

11. Ornish Diet

What is it? Dr Dean Ornish's diet forbids meat, fish, oils, nuts and alcohol. His catchphrase is 'Eat more, weigh less', and he prescribes a high fiber intake of legumes, fruits and vegetables.

Benefits: Extremely good for heart health and good for diabetes control.

12. Zone Diet

What is it? The concept of the Zone diet is carefully-balanced, portion-controlled meals, each with a ratio of 40per cent carbs, 30per cent fat and 30per cent protein. It is believed to keep blood sugar levels under control, but was least effective for weight-loss.

Benefits: Heart health? Inconclusive. Diabetes control? No.

13. Glycemic Index Diet

What is it? Cuts out high-glycemic foods, such as refined carbohydrates. Low-glycemic foods, such as whole grains and nuts, help control blood sugar, so keep you fuller for longer. 

Benefits: Heart health? No. Diabetes control? Inconclusive.

14. Paleolithic Diet

What is it? Mimics the meat, nut and vegetable-heavy diet of cavemen, cuts all processed food including grains and dairy.

Benefits: Heart health? No. Diabetes control? No.

Plant-Based "Eco-Atkins Diet" Boosts Health

Researchers have found evidence that it may be possible to use a version of the Atkins diet to improve health, rather than harming it -- a vegetarian version dubbed the "Eco-Atkins" diet.

The Atkins diet is a form of high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that was popular in 2003 and 2004. Many health professionals blasted the diet as dangerously high in fat, and research indicated that although it lowered levels of blood triglycerides and raised levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol, it also raised levels of the dangerous LDL ("bad") cholesterol.

In the current study, conducted by researchers from the University of Toronto and published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers fed 22 overweight adults with elevated LDL cholesterol levels a low-carbohydrate diet high in proteins from gluten (wheat), soy, nuts, cereals, vegetable oils, fruits and vegetables. They were compared with 22 people who ate a diet low in fat and high in carbohydrates, with high levels of low-fat dairy and whole grains.

All participants were fed only enough good to meet 60 percent of their estimated daily calorie needs, and lost an average of 8.8 pounds. Participants in the "Eco-Atkins" group had lower levels of LDL and blood pressure than those in the control group, however.

In an accompanying commentary, Katherine Tuttle and Joan Milton of Washington School of Medicine said that the research might provide a safer way to consume a low-carbohydrate diet, but stopped short of recommending it without larger, long-term studies on the potential risks.

High-protein, low-carbohydrate diets can lead to excessive water loss and kidney damage.

Dr. Dean Ornish said that the diet used in the study was quite similar to the diet he advocates, although slightly higher in vegetable fat. He objected to calling it a version of the Atkins diet, however, for fear that it might encourage people to eat the more traditional, meat-based version.

"People so badly want to believe that Atkins is good for them that they stretch things beyond credibility," Ornish said. "What it's going to be is confusing to people, and that's why I have a problem with it."

Sources for this story include: www.reuters.com; www.abcnews.go.com