The artichoke is a very healthy food. It is a source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that are very beneficial for health. It is a highly regarded food for its great nutritional contributions. Many know about the artichoke diet, but is it healthy?
Gaining a few kilos and wanting to lose weight in a short time may seem like a miracle. The artichoke diet has been known for years to help lose weight and achieve good results in about a week. However, this type of diet is not valid for everyone, and it is only recommended for people who have gained 3 or 4 kilos.
Does the artichoke lose weight?
It is possible to lose weight with artichokes, basically, because it contains certain properties that are perfect for burning fat and regulating our body. However, we should not eat them as if they were a magical vegetable, since it must also be combined with a healthy lifestyle (healthy diet and exercise) to see any results.
Some of the properties that make it recommended for weight loss are:
- Rich in fiber: fiber reduces the amount of glucose in the blood, therefore this component will not be converted into saturated fat. In addition, it makes us feel fuller with less food and helps regulate intestinal transit.
- High in cynarin: allows the fat we eat to be digested naturally and eliminated through urine. Being a diuretic food, the artichoke also helps us eliminate toxins from our body and reduce fluid retention and cellulite.
- Low in calories: it is a powerful source of nutrients that has a very low caloric intake (22 calories per 100 grams). Thanks to its fiber it also satisfies and prevents us from being hungry between meals.
How is the diet?
Like most diets, there are healthy alternatives and others considered "miracle" diets, also known as crash diets. Several years ago, the three-day artichoke diet became popular. This diet supposedly allows you to lose up to 4 kilos in just three days . The reason the period is so short is that following this diet for longer can cause nutrient deficiencies.
This express plan basically consists of eating artichokes for lunch and dinner, combining these meals with plenty of water to "cleanse" the body. Non-fat dairy, fruits and vegetables, turkey, whole wheat bread, and brown rice (in small portions) can also be included during these days.
This increase in fiber intake is what will make us lose weight considerably in this short space of time. However, as with many diets, when we return to the usual diet we can experience the "rebound effect" and gain weight again.
What to eat
In the artichoke diet, we must limit the type of food that we are going to consume. Some plans even have supplementation in the form of pills to accelerate fat burning.
Allowed foods
To do the artichoke diet we only have to follow one rule: include this vegetable as many times as we can in the daily menu. For example, we can start the day with an artichoke juice or a vegetable smoothie that includes this ingredient, thus taking advantage of the properties of other vegetables. It is also advisable to add some artichoke if we eat brown rice. The trick is simple: cook with artichokes as much as we can throughout the day.
To design a menu, we will basically have to eat healthy fruits, vegetables and proteins. You can also add pasta and brown rice or legumes (although never at night). This way we will lose weight without putting our health at risk, since we will maintain a balanced and low-fat diet.
Pills
We may have also heard of artichoke diet pills. They are a supplement that they claim can help you lose weight. They contain artichoke extract and are rich in vitamin C, and are also very useful for lowering cholesterol levels.
However, there is no scientific proof that these pills are fat burning, so it is advisable to stick with the real vegetable and take these pills in moderation.
Diet risks
If we follow this diet for more than a week, we will have serious health problems because we will lack essential nutrients.
Artichokes do not provide many nutrients and by removing liquid nutrients they are also removed. Therefore, we must adjust this diet to three days or a maximum of one week. This time should never be exceeded. In fact, that week it is recommended to add some food that complements the diet such as fruit, vegetables, dairy products, rice.
Despite losing a couple of kilos in a week, once the diet ends, it's very likely we'll suffer the dreaded rebound effect. We not only regain the lost weight but also some of it. This is a very common characteristic of any fad diet.
It is important to remember that before doing any diet, we must take into account that we must change our eating habits forever. And that apart from diets you should always exercise even if it is a brisk walk for an hour a day. Without these changes, no diet works.
The artichoke diet can be dangerous to your health if not followed correctly. It's a very low-calorie diet, and over time you'll become weak and lose energy. You also won't be consuming enough protein or essential fats, and your body will become significantly unbalanced. That's why it's important to add foods that provide these nutrients to your diet.
Artichoke diet, yes or no?
The artichoke diet is one of the best known in slimming diets. However, beyond diets, it is a food that you should not do without. This, as well as the pineapple or lemon diet, consists of including this food more frequently for approximately three days. What is intended is to reduce the swelling of our body, eliminate toxins and favor states of fluid retention.
What happens with this type of "diet" is that at the end you have to be very careful not to undo what you have achieved when you return to a normal diet. Basically it is about including the artichoke in the main meals of the day and restricting the rest of the intakes a lot.
In our opinion, while some people benefit from spending a few days detoxing their bodies, these fad diets are counterproductive. It's likely that, over time, we're neglecting certain essential nutrients our bodies need, and this could lead to health problems.
Therefore, the ideal is always to carry out a healthy and varied diet. And not in a specific way, to reach certain objectives, but constantly. In the long run, this will make us feel good about our bodies. It is always convenient to complement the diet with daily physical exercise. Leading a healthy lifestyle and good habits, we do not need miracle diets.