In 2013, Beyoncé and husband Jay-Z embarked on the 22-day planet-based vegan diet. On Monday, via Good Morning America, for the first-time ever Beyoncé discussed her vegan diet and how well it worked for her.
“I have struggled since a young age with diets. Finding something that actually works, that actually keeps the weight off has been difficult for me,” the singer stated.
The 22-day diet, which was created by world-renowned exercise physiologist Marco Borges, is now available as a meal delivery service along with the book 22-Day Revolution.
With all the chatter surrounding the vegan diet, we talked to Amanda Foti, Registered Dietitian for Selvera.com. Foti dished to us the pros and cons of the diet. See what she had to say below.
PROS:
Eating Targeted Food Groups. As a rule of thumb, avoiding processed foods and increasing plant-based foods in your diet has been shown to improve a variety of health issues such as cholesterol levels and reduce risk of developing chronic diseases.
Easily Available. The meal delivery option takes all the work out of it for the client. This makes it easy if you don’t have the time or knowledge to figure out exactly what you should be eating every day.
Healthy Balance of Foods. Includes a healthy balance of unrefined carbs, plant based protein and heart healthy fats.
Motivational. Following a very structured diet for 22 days could serve as a great kick starter to motivate those who want to change their eating habits.
CONS:
Expensive! To stick with their meals and products exclusively is going to require some cash, as it is quite expensive!
Long Term Commitment. In terms of kick starting healthy eating habits, this takes several months of commitment and sometimes the additional support of an expert.
Restrictive. To be successful in keeping the weight off, be prepared to adopt these restrictions long term. Once the diet is over and you go back to old eating habits, the weight will likely creep in once more!
Lack of Personalized Treatment. Meeting nutrition needs on a vegan diet is possible, but takes work. As a dietitian, when a client informs me they are vegan I immediately inquire about certain essential nutrients that plants may not be adequate in providing, like B12 and iron. This often times warrants a supplement. Unless you are working 1-on-1 with an expert or have the time and resources to research on your own, how do you know what and how much to supplement?
Before you follow in Queen Bey’s footsteps, consider Foti’s expert advice.
(Photo via Shutterstock)
