Food

Here's What Nutritionists REALLY Think About All the Most Popular Diets

Experts weigh in on the pros and cons of keto, Paleo, Whole30 and more

by Sharon Feiereisen | COMMENT

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Vegetarian Diet A mostly plant-based diet — no meat, seafood or poultry.

Pros: "A diet heavy in plant-based foods provides essential micronutrients and phytochemicals known to prevent disease and allow someone to rebuild from disease," Zembroski says. "Deciding on a vegetarian lifestyle can result in becoming more mindful about eliminating processed foods and increasing exercise."

Cons: If you decide to go vegetarian and you are not eating meat, you have to be very conscious about what you're eating to make sure you're getting all the essential nutrients. "Rice and beans are very important in order to get all the essential amino acids from plant-based proteins," Zembroski says. "Many people who avoid meats also seem to overconsume packaged, sugar-laden foods, pastas and other processed inflammatory foods. Vegetarians can also become B12-deficient, creating the symptoms and presentation of pernicious anemia — abnormal size and shape of red blood cells, peripheral neuropathies and brain fog."

Image via @trailmixforthesole

SEE NEXT PAGE: Raw Vegan Diet

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