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New diet trends: How do they measure up?

Posted at 11:27 PM, Feb 22, 2018
and last updated 2018-02-23 07:29:20-05

There seems to be no shortage of diet trends these days, but how do they stack up? We asked Grace Derocha to show us what she thinks is the good and the bad. She's been a registered dietician for 17 years. She's also a health coach for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Derocha says one of the most popular diets is the ketogenic diet. She says it consists of very high fats and very low carbs.

"There's not very much I like about this diet because it's really restrictive. I like that people are getting some results, but worry about the long term."

As for the bad? She says, "Anytime that someone has to cut out fruit or beans lentils ..

oatmeal, things that have high fiber, a lot of nutrition .. can't feel good long term."

Another popular diet is the Whole 30 diet.

"It's definitely popular .. there's a succinct time frame of 30 days.. and the whole part of that .. is whole foods," says Derocha.

She says it's big on protein, preferably lean protein.

What's good? Derocha says people will probably see some weight loss, but worries about that is expected as a result in that time frame.

Others are trying the alkaline diet. Derocha says it has a lot of fruit and veggies .. and beans and lentils are what you can eat for protein. She says it's very much like a vegan diet.

What concerns her about it? She says, "Anytime you're cutting out all food groups and saying it's evil and can't have it is going to be hard on someone."

Many people do see results on different diets, but Derocha believes it's important to have balance. She also encourages people to cook at home when possible, watch portion sizes and stress. She says it's also important to get enough sleep, drink water and keep moving.

".. and of course .. thinking about food as fuel to nourish our system so

we feel healthy and we're in a good state," says Derocha.

She also says if you're going to start a new diet, it's a good idea to check with your doctor first.