All about the apple diet
Conventional wisdom advocates eatingan apple a dayto keep the doctor away forever. The favorite fruit of the French is indeed an incredible source of benefits: low in calories, rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, satiating, it is a food of choice. But does it allow you to lose weight sustainably? This is in any case what Tammi Flynn, creator of the apple diet, argues. Find out more about this diet…
What is the apple diet?
The origin of the apple diet
The apple diet, sometimes called the “3 apples a day diet”, is adietbased on a simple principle: use the “appetite suppressant” power of the apple to accelerate thefeeling of satietyand thus, lose weight.
Its creator, the American nutritionist Tammi Flynn, developed it as part of her professional activities. Faced with a patient who was struggling to lose weight, she advised eating an apple as a premise of each meal. A week later, the patient was able to initiate weight loss again. Flynn decided to develop areal diet around the beneficial effect of the apple, described in a book, The 3 Apple a Day GI Diet: The Amazing Superfood for Fast-track Weight Loss.
The principle of the apple diet
The apple dietdoes not consist of anapple-based monodiet. It is actually a real diet combining adaily consumption of applesand a low-caloriedietwith a low glycemic index. The interest: control your appetite thanks to the fibers of the fruit, and its caloric intake, while preserving your muscle mass.
Thepectin of the apple, absorbed at the beginning of the meal, tends toslow down the subsequent food intake, by its “appetite suppressant” effect. It is indeed a solublefiberthat, once swallowed, swells in the intestine in contact with water. In addition, itacts as a “sensor” of fats and sugars, so that it attenuates the absorption of these caloric nutrients by the body. Result: by acting on both appetite andcalorie assimilation, it promotes weight loss over time. Finally, it should be noted that the apple has another advantage: it is alow-calorie fruit, rich inmicronutrients and very assimilable, so that it does not increase the overall daily energy intake and is very beneficial for health.
How is the apple diet going?
There are actually three versionsof the apple diet, tailored to everyone’s needs. All are based on general rules:
- sufficient nutrient intake so as not to cause muscle wasting (which itself can lead to a metabolic slowdown), i.e. 40% carbohydrates, 40% protein and 20% lipids;
- meals made from low-GI complex carbohydrates,Lean Proteins , fruits and vegetables , and essential fatty acids ;
- consumption of whole apples , .raw or cooked (not in juice), at the start of a meal;
- some apples being less sweet than others and therefore to be preferred, like the Golden Delicious or the Granny Smith;
- sufficient, water-based hydration ;
- be gradually increased.
The three possible formulas provide for variable caloric intake: 1200 , 1500gold1800 kcal per daytag. The apple diet should also not exceed12 weeks .
What are the foods to favor in the context of the apple diet?
Foods to avoid or limit are:
- red and/or fatty meats;
- refined cereals and associated products;
- processed products;
- saturated fats;
- the alcohol;
- certain “sweet” vegetables, such as dates,Bananas, plums, etc.
As for the foods to eat , they are:
- vegetables and fruits;
- seeds and oilseeds,
- quality fats;
- legumes ;
- lean proteins (white meat, fish, eggs);
- lean dairy products (yogurt, fresh cheese, low-fat cottage cheese);
- dark chocolate with a very high Cocoa Content (at least 80%);
- raw cereals (in moderation) and tubers.
What are the benefits and dangers of the apple diet?
The apple diet has real Benefits :
- it is based on elementary rules of nutrition and and recommends a varied and balanced diet ;
- it promotes increased consumption of fruits and vegetables (apple and others!), essential for weight loss, but also for maintaining a healthy weight and general health;
- , such as water-based hydration, physical activity and avoiding processed foods, too fatty, sweet and/or salty;
- it is not very restrictive , except for the counting of calories ingested, which can be tedious and frustrating;
- it is not particularly expensive .
However, it presents some Risks :
- The 1800 kcal version is to be preferred , because it is the one that comes closest to the recommended daily energy needs, nevertheless it remains a low-calorie diet, with its associated risks;
- The 1200 kcal version involves much more severe restrictions and can cause fatigue, deficiencies, headaches, transit disorders, attention disorders, bloating (sensitivity to fibres);
- like all restrictive and/or low-calorie diets, the apple diet can lead to a rebound (or Yoyo ) effect at the end of the 12-week diet and thus, a resumption of lost weight with ultimately the risk of a slowdown Metabolism ; _
- in fragile people, the apple diet can lead to eating disorders (anorexia resulting from calorie control, compensatory bulimia);
- it is not recommended for chronic diseases, triglyceride problems (excess fruit causes an increase in blood lipids), Diabetes , hypertension, thyroid disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, TCA , pregnancy.
It is therefore strongly advised, when one wishes to follow the apple diet, to first contact a health professional (general practitioner, nutritionist). And this is the case each time a specific diet, aimed at weight loss or not, is adopted.
Typical day on the apple diet
Tempted by the apple diet? Here is a typical day at 1800 kcal.
- Breakfast: a raw or cooked apple, a smallomeletteof 2 eggs, 2 slices ofwholemeal bread, a hot unsweetened drink
- Lunch: one raw apple, one serving of white meat, oneservingof steamed potatoes, two servings of vegetables
- Snack: a 0%cottage cheese, a handful of oilseeds, an unsweetened hot drink
- Dinner: a cooked apple, a salad of raw vegetables of your choice, a portion of sardines
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.