Published By: Darielle Britto

A deep dive into the sirtfood diet phenomenon

Here is what you need to know about the latest diet

Frequently, new and fashionable diets emerge all the time. Some go unnoticed, while other gain a lot of attention. The sirtfood diet is among the latest ones to gain popularity. This is because it is founded on research concerning sirtuins (SIRTs), which is a group of seven proteins within the body. These proteins play a crucial role in regulating various functions like metabolism, inflammation, and lifespan. There are many opinions about this diet and much to consider before giving it a try. Here is all you need to know about the Sirtfood Diet.

The food and process

This diet includes certain plant compounds, which is supposed to boost these proteins in the body, found in foods called sirtfoods. The sirtfood diet includes food items like kale, strawberries, coffee, blueberries, extra virgin olive oil, onions, soy, parsley, and dark chocolate. By combining these foods with calorie restriction, the diet aims to increase the body's production of sirtuins. The claimed benefits include faster weight loss, muscle preservation, and protection against serious chronic health issues.

The sirtfood diet has two phases

The sirtfood diet lasts for three weeks and is split into two phases. In the initial seven-day phase, the focus is on reducing calories and drinking plenty of green juice to jumpstart weight loss. Then from days four to seven, one has to increase calorie intake to 1,500, with two green juices and two additional sirtfood-rich meals daily. The following two weeks are all about maintenance. This phase aims to steady the weight loss process without a specific calorie limit. During this phase, one has to consume three meals with sirtfoods and one green juice daily. However, some key ingredients like matcha green tea powder, lovage, and buckwheat might be pricey or hard to find. A crucial part of the diet is making a green juice at home, once to thrice a day.

The next step

Upon finishing the diet, you have a couple of options. You can either choose to repeat its two phases as frequently as you wish to keep losing the weight or add sirtfoods in your regular meals. You can even integrate sirtfoods into snacks or existing recipes. In essence, the sirtfood diet evolves into more of a long-term lifestyle change rather than a temporary diet that offers a quick fix.

Long-term approach

While sirtfoods generally offer health benefits through their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, relying solely on a handful of nutritious foods cannot fulfil all your nutritional needs. Some believe the sirtfood diet is overly restrictive and lacks distinctive health advantages compared to other diets. What’s more, consuming only 1,000 calories, and even 1,500 calories per day, can be excessively limiting for many individuals depending on what their nutritional needs may be, and such low-calorie levels are typically discouraged without physician supervision. Additionally, the diet involves drinking up to three green juices daily, which, while providing vitamins, lack the healthy fibre found in whole fruits and vegetables. It may also contribute to increased sugar intake. Due to its low-calorie content and restricted food choices, adhering to this diet for the entire three weeks may prove challenging.

It is imperative to seek expert advice before adopting a new diet. You need to find a health plan that works for your body and your wellness goals.