Jurnal Bisnis Darmajaya

We analyze the Perricone diet, increasingly fashionable among celebrities and supposedly even followed by Queen Letizia.

The Perricone Diet, an invention of the well-known dermatologist Nicholas Perricone, promises to lose weight in just 3 days or 28 days depending on the method used. Its popularity in recent years is due to all the publicity that multiple Hollywood celebrities have given it, and there is even speculation that some members of the Spanish Royal House such as Queen Letizia follow this diet.

In short, the Perricone Diet promises a rapid decrease in weight, " avoiding anxiety and bad mood " associated with low-calorie diets, " speeding up the metabolism " because it is eaten five times, while achieving " anti-aging effects “. In the first instance, it does not give the feeling that this type of diet is a "miracle diet", since it advises taking multiple foods that we could classify as healthy without falling into deception. But things that are achieved quickly are lost quickly.

How the Perricone Diet works

Nicholas Perricone is an American dermatologist and nutritionist, as well as a researcher and author of several research papers on the skin and the beneficial properties of food on it, including the study of anti-aging substances for example. Therefore, one day it occurred to him that it would be a good idea to devise an “anti-aging diet†in his own handwriting, and he published the Perricone Diet in his book “The Perricone Promise “.

According to Perricone himself, in just 3 days it is possible to lose weight based on the consumption of foods rich in antioxidants, while prohibiting various foods rich in refined carbohydrates and fats. However, the Perricone Diet should not be followed for more than the aforementioned 3 days, after which an "anti-aging effect" should already be noticed, in addition to the desired weight loss.

If we take a look at the official website of the Perricone Diet, it really advises taking healthy food groups, such as foods rich in omega 3 (fish, shellfish, eggs), fruits, spices, seeds and nuts, legumes, probiotics, whole grains and vegetables. For its part, it recommends some of the typical discredited topics already today, such as drinking at least eight glasses of water a day, while totally prohibiting foods rich in sugar and derivatives (desserts, soft drinks, pastries), refined flours or starches., hydrogenated fats (some margarines), fatty cheeses, oils (olive oil is acceptable), sauces, and other dressings.

What does not add up too much is the prohibition of some fruits such as orange, mango, watermelon, papaya, banana, grape and some vegetables such as carrot, pumpkin or potatoes. Although, I imagine by way of personal opinion, it will have to do with the fact that these fruits contain more fructose than others. Although we already know that the sugar in fruit is not metabolized the same as that in soft drinks, but it seems that Perricone did not know it.

Is the Perricone Diet safe and effective?

First of all, is the Perricone Diet dangerous? In essence, no, it is not a health hazard and recommended foods and most of the prohibited (not all) fit what would be a healthy eating in general. And, of course, if it is carried out for just 3 days it will not be dangerous to your health (but it will not rejuvenate you either).

However, in terms of food prohibition and restriction, the Perricone Diet already shares more than one typical “miracle diet†characteristic: promising quick results, restricting certain foods that have been shown to be beneficial to health, and staying away from true healthy eating with lies, promises and fallacies. He promises us impossible miracles, in just 3 days! In addition, Perricone strongly advocates the consumption of salmon, and that can be a severe blow to the pockets of many if we are objective.

So, can we say that the Perricone Diet is effective? Let's be realistic as well as objective. Perricone offers menus of only 3 days or up to 28 days, and as we have already mentioned they are not unreasonable, since their food is healthy and most of their prohibitions make sense. However, it is a one-day menu repeated by three, without more. And no, in just 3 days the human body is not able to adapt to the new diet or to suffer long-term physiological changes.

Of course, you can lose weight, it would be more! If I do an hour of intense exercise, and weigh myself before and after that exercise, it is possible that I will lose between half a kilo and a kilo; but I will be fooling myself, because the weight loss will be in the form of perspired liquids (sweat) and not fat, which is what is sought in a weight loss phase. To really lose weight, in the form of fat and avoiding as much as possible the loss of lean or muscle mass, the human organism requires a prudent time to adapt. And of course, 3 days are not enough.

Finally, regarding the issue of "facial rejuvenationâ€, some studies have already stated that it is impossible to alter the properties of the skin in such a short time through food, although it is true that some foods have effects on long-term aesthetics.

Conclusion: Beware the false promises of the Perricone Diet

As a conclusion, in summary, we can affirm two things: the Perricone Diet does not seem to have health risks due to the foods it recommends, and even less in the short term of 3 days, although there is still no job today. scientist who has seriously evaluated it.

For its part, in terms of effectiveness, the Perricone Diet is still another miracle diet, both because of the promise of rapid results and because of the prohibitions on certain healthy foods such as some fruits and vegetables.

The ideal is to carry out a healthy diet, similar to the Mediterranean Diet, without prohibiting fruits or vegetables (on the contrary), and without being fooled by short-term promises: weight loss, well done, requires time, dietary adaptation, learning to eating (and not doing short-term diets without more), and accompanied by physical exercise.

Every time you eat, food is converted into sugar (glucose). Insulin, made by your pancreas, then helps clear that glucose out of your bloodstream and deliver it to cells for immediate use to provide energy, or to be stored for later release. The circulating level of glucose in your bloodstream is referred to as your blood glucose or blood sugar level.

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