The OMAD diet is an eating protocol in which the person eats only
once a day.
This is a form of intermittent fasting focused on eating solids only
around dinner time.
It differs from other intermittent fasts because it does not include
snacks or small meals.
It is one of the most extreme implementations as it restricts the
feeding time to only one.
Although it may sound attractive for weight loss, some consider it
dangerous and unhealthy.
Here we study this type of pattern in more depth.
What is the OMAD diet?
OMAD stands for one meal a day,
that is the fast is 23 hours.
According to the proposal.
During the hour of intake
It is allowed to eat all kinds of food and in any quantity.
But when finished, you can only have coffee and some types of
low-calorie drinks
in general intermittent
fasting works under the following them.
The alteration of normal metabolic processes is induced so that
after 12 to 36 hours of fasting, the body enters a state of ketosis.
During these periods, there are low blood sugar levels, decreased
glycogen storage in the liver and increased production of Ketone
bodies.
Ketones are formed from fats to serve as a source of energy for the
brain and other cells.
This replaces glucose
these compounds cover up to 20% of the energy needs of neurons.
But to what extent is it healthy to eat once a day?
Is it healthy to eat only once a day?
Intermittent fasting has been recognized as a healthy way to lose
weight.
There are different ways to apply it, but not all of them are
beneficial for health.
See what the science says about the OMAD diet
Risk of nutritional deficiency:
It is challenging to include the daily intake of nutrients necessary
for proper functioning in a single meal or in an hour.
If you don't eat adequate nutrients, there may be a deficiency.
Nutritional deficiency is a deficit of micro and macro nutrients
below the percentages required daily.
It represents one of the most widespread forms of malnutrition in the
world.
Many experts define it as hidden hunger
over time
It can trigger death.
In general to cover the daily requirements of each nutrient.
They are divided among all the meals of the day.
It is complex to include everything necessary for healthy nutrition
in a single meal
cause.
Hypoglycemia:
Hypoglycemia is when the blood sugar level is below normal.
Glucose is the main source of energy for the body.
A single meal a day is not enough to keep blood glucose balanced
The symptoms that appear are fatigue, irregular heartbeat, tremors,
anxiety, sweating, hunger, irritability, and tingling.
It can lead to seizures and loss of consciousness
Increases blood pressure:
One study found that when people ate one meal a day, they had a
significant increase in hunger,
as well as a significant change in body composition.
And perhaps the most striking finding was a marked increase in blood
pressure and total LDL and HDL cholesterol concentrations.
Those people who suffer from arterial hypertension, controlled or not,
should exclude OMAD as a diet plan to reduce weight.
There are other healthy options, such as the Mediterranean diet,
the pescatarian or vegan.
Can lead to eating disorders:
Not eating for 24 hours to control weight is an important predictor
of the onset of bulimia and binge eating.
Bulimia is an eating and psychological disorder in which a person
repeatedly and excessively eats food for a short period of time.
In addition, he has an excessive concern for weight control
Disadvantages of the OMAD diet:
In addition to being unhealthy, the OMAD diet has some drawbacks
compared to other guidelines.
These are some,
Little durability:
Being so restrictive.
It may have little acceptance.
Over time,
people are unlikely to maintain this regimen for more than a few days.
Fasting is very long, and it is difficult to control physiological
hunger
Allows you to eat any type of food:
Despite being restrictive.
When people can eat, they are allowed to eat anything.
So it's not healthy.
Therefore, people are prone to consuming empty or unhealthy calories,
For example, those processed in those labeled as light.
That being so,
How many times a day is it recommended to eat?
The recommendation to have a balanced diet is to eat five times a day
these five times our breakfast, mid-morning, snack lunch, snack and
dinner
the reasons why this is so of arid.
The main one is that by eating at certain times, we get used to it
and eat less avoiding obesity.
Also, the Circadian cycle helps metabolize food.
This will ensure the balance and quality of the feed.