Diets and Dietary Restrictions

"Let food be thy medicine and medicine be your food" famous quote by the Greek physician Hippocrates that I live by and which motivates me to follow a balanced diet every single day. Being a chef in training, it is my responsibility to learn about different diets that people follow and know what food allergies people suffer. As food allergies have been proven fatal, we must study them with great care. Knowledge of both can prove to be the very edge we need to be successful in our future careers. I decided to follow a popular diet known as the 'South Beach' diet. I also assumed that I had a milk allergy for seven days and observed the changes that followed. The South Beach diet is a diet that is restrictive in carbohydrate intake. The south beach is structured in a way that curbs the cravings very well. Its focus is to reduce weight and promote good heart health. As per the evidence-based information I gathered from healthline.com, this diet is divided into 3 phases which are as follows: Phase 1: No carbohydrates, Phase 2: Inclusion of carbohydrates through fruits and vegetables, and Phase 3 which is also known as the weight maintenance phase in which we can add starchy vegetables, whole grains and up to 3 servings of fruits in a day. I included foods like turkey breast, chicken breast, legumes, and egg whites as my main source of proteins. For fats, I included avocados, canola oil, nuts like almonds and cashews. I was also careful in choosing the fats I was using to cook my food. I used mustard and canola oil only as they have a high smoking point and oils with a high smoke point are a better option for our health (Achitoff-Gray Niki, 2020, 4th para). In order to complete my fiber intake, I preferred having kale salads and green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli often sauteed in canola oil. A recipe that I created for myself that I ate almost every day either for lunch or dinner is as follows:

Turkey breast 175 grams

Mushroom 50 grams

Onion 50 grams

Rosemary 2 sprigs

Black peppercorns 5-7 pcs

Cumin seeds 1 tsp

Salt as required

Mustard oil 1 tbsp

Method:

Heat Mustard oil to a point where fumes are visible, lower the heat to a simmer and add cumin seeds, crushed black peppercorns, and finely chopped onions to it. When it turns slightly golden brown, add mushrooms and ground turkey breast and let its water evaporate on high heat. Add sprigs of rosemary and salt. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes. Serve hot.

Now, coming on to the milk allergy, I refrained from eating dairy products like cottage cheese or paneer, cream cheese, curd, and milk. These are some of my favorite things. I tried my best to provide justice to the experiment. To curb my dairy cravings I opted for oat milk and soy milk.

Reflecting on the diet and allergen 7-day experiment experience, I felt the least comfortable for the initial three days. My sleeping pattern took a hit as I was not able to get a complete 8 hours rest. The last four days were not as tough as the initial three days. As my mindset began to change and the cravings were controllable. My sleeping schedule also got better. I woke up feeling energetic as compared to other days when I was eating carbohydrates regularly. I also added exercising for 45 minutes to my routine for the seven days, which helped me stay on track for the experiment.

As a chef, it is very tough to maintain a healthy lifestyle as the working hours are long and we do not have a set time for our meals. An advice that I would like to implement in my life is preparing my meals for a week in advance. I think this can help me stay on track with my fitness goals. Exercising for 30-45 minutes is also a booster for overall positivity and motivation.

I would try the diet as accurately as possible but would include whole grains and cereals for carbohydrates. Adhering to the milk allergy was tough. I would not like to continue with this, but it has given me a perspective of what people with this allergy go through. Even the slightest amount of mil protein can cause fatal reactions in the body. As a Chef in training, this experiment has inspired me to try and create recipes that can be savored by both people with and without allergies.

REFERENCES:

https://foodallergycanada.ca/allergies/milk/

Achitoff-Gray Niki ( 2020, 11 May), What's a Smoke Point and Why Does it Matter? https://www.seriouseats.com/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter

Franziska Spritzler ( 2017, 12th March), South Beach Diet Review and Beginner's Guidehttps://www.healthline.com/nutrition/south-beach-diet