A nutritionist explains what happens when you cut common food groups like red meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood from your diet, and why other foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes aren’t as bad for you as you might think. clarified.
Sydney native Susie Burrell says many popular diets these days eliminate whole groups, but she doesn’t think much about the nutritional implications of doing this.
We also need to think about how we can replace prohibited foods so that we don’t miss out on what we really need to keep our bodies healthy in the long term.
A nutritionist reveals what happens when you cut common food groups like red meat, dairy, eggs and seafood from your diet (photo by Susie Burrell)
1. Dairy products
One of the first and most popular food groups people cut out is dairy, and removing this can have a huge impact on your health.
“When we think of milk and other dairy products, the first thing we think of is their calcium content, but dairy products are also rich natural sources of magnesium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D and vitamin A. .she website.
“All of these important nutrients are affected over time if you don’t eat dairy.”
A nutritionist explained that it is very difficult for adults to get the required 800-1000mg of calcium daily without dairy products in their diet.
Even when you’re drinking milk alternatives that are “fortified” with calcium, you rarely get the amounts found in three servings of dairy, she said.
Long-term health effects of low dairy and calcium intake include weaker bones and more frequent illnesses because the body is deficient in calcium. increase.
If you must avoid dairy, make sure you drink calcium-fortified plant-based milk regularly, and consider a “calcium supplement” to get the 800-1000 mg of calcium you need. Susie recommends. Day’.
Susie said the key issue when cutting red meat (stock image) is eliminating one of the richest natural sources of iron.
2. Red meat
The second most popular food to cut is red meat, usually when following a vegetarian or vegan diet.
“But while you may choose not to include red meat for a variety of reasons, the nutritionally important issue here is eliminating one of the richest natural sources of iron from your diet. about it.
Foods such as white meat, eggs, whole grains, and dark leafy green vegetables do have iron, but it’s less readily absorbed by the body than red meat, Susie said.
Iron deficiency is common in Australia, with 25% of women battling low iron.
“When you have low iron levels, you feel tired, short of breath, and have a weakened immune system,” Susie said.
If you still want to cut out red meat, “paying particular attention to including iron-rich foods at each meal and snack” is the best way to go.
It is important to remember that adult women need 9-15 mg daily.
3. Poultry
Cutting poultry may not be very common, but if you do, you should think about the amount of lean protein you get.
A protein deficiency can lead to weakness and fatigue, loss of muscle mass, sugar cravings, and risk of bone fractures.
If you’re not eating poultry, you need to make sure you have a lean protein source at every meal, Susie said.
Good examples are fish, eggs and dairy products.
You can get all the nutrients from eggs, except for selenium, a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in cellular health (pictured).
4. Eggs
Eggs are very popular with nutritionists, and for good reason.
“Eggs are a highly nutritious food containing good protein, good fat, and over 20 essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A and E, making them a great addition to any diet.
But while they’re all good for our health, Susie said we can get all of our nutrients from eggs, except for selenium.
“Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that plays an important role in cellular health and is found in very few foods except eggs and Brazil nuts,” she said.
“Eggs are also a good source of vitamin D, but the overall diet is often deficient in vitamin D,” Susie said.
All of this means that you need to pay close attention to your diet if you plan to cut eggs.
Susie is a big fan of the anti-inflammatory diet (pictured) and should eat lots of fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens
5. Seafood
Finally, if you’re someone who cuts seafood out of your diet, you should know that you’ll be missing out on omega-3 fats and zinc.
“Fatty fish is one of the few natural foods that provide omega-3s,” Susie said.
“This means that if you skip oily fish altogether, it will be nearly impossible to get the ideally needed amount of omega-3s without supplements.
Finally, skipping seafood can lead to iodine deficiency and long-term hypothyroidism.
All this means that if you don’t eat these two things, you need a nutritional supplement.
For more on Susie Burrell, visit her Instagram page. here.
