Diets digested

Are you after pH balance or a body like Gwyneth’s? Do you prefer French cuisine to Californian rabbit food? There’s a fad diet out there for every foodie, says Tessa Coates

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Tessa Coates

19 April 2013

The intermittent fasting or 5:2 diet

The Fast Diet (Short Books, £7.99)

Best for Willpower exerters; anyone who occasionally forgets to eat; the easily bored; the totally broke.

Core philosophy Feasting and fasting are part of human evolution: we were built to be hunter-gatherers, going for long periods without having anything much to eat, then bingeing on buffalo. On the Fast Diet you can eat whatever you want, but for two non-consecutive days each week you eat nothing (or no more than 500 calories) for 24 hours. That doesn’t necessarily mean a full working day, though — if you start at 2pm you can spend a big chunk of your fasting time asleep.

The Authors Medical journalist Dr Michael Mosley documented his adventures and dramatic weight loss with the 5:2 diet on BBC Two’s Horizon: Eat, Fast and Live Longer. Journalist Mimi Spencer has been a convert since she wrote a feature on the diet for The Times.

Do Remember that tomorrow is a feast day — have another glass of water or a black coffee and hang on in there.

Don’t Start pushing your limits. The fast days aren’t designed to be consecutive and it’s fasting, not starving, so make sure you stay sensible.

Signature dish Three ultra-thin slices of ham and a handful of blueberries for breakfast, followed by feta niçoise, vegetarian chilli or a Thai steak salad for dinner, and that’s your 500 calories done for the day.

Famous Fans Jennifer Aniston, Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow.

The alkaline diet

Honestly Healthy: Eat with Your Body in Mind, the Alkaline Way (Jacqui Small, £20)

Best for Foodies; those who love to cook; anyone worried about where our food is coming from or how often they have indigestion after a meal.

Core philosophy Eating predominantly alkaline food is easier on the digestive system, and matches the pH of our blood, which normally measures between 7.35 and 7.45. Alkaline food (most fruit and vegetables) will make you look and feel lighter and improve concentration, memory, energy levels and sleep quality. Acidic foods (pretty much everything else) don’t have to be omitted entirely, you just have to eat less of them, and have them alongside plenty of alkaline foods so the overall balance of the meal is alkaline.

The Authors Godmother and goddaughter Vicki Edgson and Natasha Corrett, a nutritionist and an organic chef, set up Honestly Healthy to make the alkaline lifestyle more accessible in the UK. They recently launched their Fridge Fill service, delivering meals direct to your door.

Do Be prepared to test your own urine.

Don’t Be put off by needing a dehydrator, nutritional yeast flakes or Himalayan pink salt for some of the recipes. You can get everything online at Planet Organic or Whole Foods Market. Think of it as an investment.

Signature dish Try the red rice and beetroot risotto (left) and banana toffee ice cream.

Famous Fans Victoria Beckham, Robbie Williams and Kirsten Dunst.

The Paris diet

The Parisian Diet: How to Reach Your Right Weight and Stay There (Flammarion, £16.99)

Best for The French; Francophiles; exhausted serial dieters; anyone who enjoys a good slab of gooey cheese, a flaky croissant and fine wine.

Core philosophy Eating should be all about pleasure. Wolfing down an unsatisfactory, processed meal at your desk leads to piling on the pounds; eating like a Parisian is all about taking long lunches, eating good-quality food and savouring every mouthful. There are no restrictions here — have a Big Mac if you want, as long as you take your time, share the experience with friends and linger over every bite.

The Author After treating patients in his own country for 30 years, France’s leading nutrition expert Dr Jean-Michel Cohen has now turned his attention to America and the growing obesity problem. He’s not offering a diet so much as a totally new way of thinking about our relationship with food.

Do Swap your portion of fruit for a small glass of wine.

Don’t Watch TV, read, walk or text while eating. Devote at least 20 minutes to every meal and really focus on your food, enjoy the experience and tune in to the clues your body sends when you’re full.

Signature dish Hanger steak with black peppercorn sauce, coq au vin, beef bourguignon or mussels in a white wine and garlic sauce.

Famous Fans Nicolas Sarkozy was a client of Cohen’s while in office.

The MILF diet

The MILF Diet (Simon & Schuster, £25)

Best for Anyone who’s ever wanted to go head to head with Elle Macpherson at the school gates.

Core philosophy Whole grains. Whole grains are the way forward; with them we can all return our bodies to perfect harmony. It’s all about brown rice, pinto beans and sea vegetables — slow-burning, complex carbohydrates that will cleanse your body and revitalise your energy, letting you embrace the true essence of womanhood. Stress will be a thing of the past but you’ll have to avoid meat, alcohol, dairy, eggs, refined sugars and especially caffeine.

The Author Jessica Porter, who also penned The Hip Chick’s Guide to Macrobiotics, teaches cooking in California and lectures on the spiritual and emotional benefits of a macrobiotic diet. She’s also a practising hypnotherapist and, surprisingly, not a mother, despite writing a book about becoming a hot mama who’ll set teenage boys’ pulses racing.

Do Chew. You’re aiming for 100 times per mouthful.

Don’t Get freaked out by the title, the writing style or the core beliefs. There are some interesting ideas about food and recipes worth trying.

Signature dish Basic brown rice, with chestnuts, and super-delicious ‘cheese’ cake (it involves soaking millet overnight).

Fans Mrs Robinson would approve.

The elimination diet

It’s All Good: Delicious, Easy Recipes That Will Make You Look Good and Feel Great (Little, Brown, £20)

Best for Gwyneth fans; Goop fans; cleansers; anyone with food allergies (real or self-diagnosed); those who’ve seriously overdone it recently.

Core philosophy This is an elimination diet to clear out your system, heal your gut, and revive your body with good nutrients. You can go full elimination, use the recipes for protein-based weight loss or follow the food allergy programme, but the clue is in the name — there really is very little you can eat.

The Author This is the second book from Oscar-winning actress and creator of goop.com, Gwyneth Paltrow. After a series of health scares, Gwyneth was advised to go on the diet for three weeks and now uses this incredibly strict routine as her baseline, returning to it when she needs to rebuild or cleanse.

Do Put a close-up of Gwyneth’s beautiful skin on your fridge to remind yourself why you’re eating so much quinoa and scrambled tofu.

Don’t Expect to be going out to dinner unless you’re prepared to take your own Tupperware.

Signature dish Mexican chopped salad with Mexican green goddess dressing; flourless crumble.

Famous Fans You guessed it — diet addict Gwynnie.

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