Monotrophic diet
Amonotrophic diet(also known asmono dietorsingle-food diet)[1]is a type ofdietthat involves eating only onefooditem (such as potatoes or apples) or one type of food (such as fruits or meats). Monotrophic diets may be followed for foodfaddismmotives, as a form ofcrash dieting,to initiate anelimination dietor to practice an extreme form ofalternative medicine.
Examples
There are examples throughout history of eccentrics living on monotrophic diets. For example,George Sitwellate only roasted chicken.[2]Howard Hugheswould sometimes spend weeks eating nothing butcanned soupand at other times only steak sandwiches.[3]
Monotrophic diets
- Beef
A stricter type ofcarnivore dietknown as the lion diet or all meat diet that has been promoted byJordan Petersoninvolves only consuming beef with salt and water.[4][5][6]
- Eggs
Piero di Cosimo,an Italian painter ate onlyboiled eggs.[7]Antonio Magliabechi's diet was commonly three hard-boiled eggs.[8][9]
In 2008, it was reported thatCharles Saatchilost four stone (56 pounds) from an egg-only diet for nine months.[10][11][12]However, the claim that he ate only eggs for this period of time was disputed.[11]
- Milk
In the 1920s, the milk diet fad was popularized by physical culturistBernarr Macfadden.[13]He advertised the diet as a remedy for diverse ailments such aseczema,hay feverandimpotence.[13]Macfadden's milk only regime was excessive and recommended 28 cups of milk a day.[14]
- Potatoes
In 2010, Chris Voigt executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission ate twenty potatoes a day for two months.[15][16][17]He accepted that the diet is not sustainable in the long term but said his experiment had revealed how "truly healthy" potatoes are.[18]
In 2016, comedian and magicianPenn Jillettebegan his weight loss regimen with a mono diet, eating only potatoes for two weeks, then adding in other healthy foods to change his eating habits.[19][20]
Health concerns
Long-term negative effects of a single-food diet may includeanaemia,osteoporosis,malnutrition,nutrient toxicities, musclecatabolismand more serious health conditions. Possible side effects areconstipation,diarrhea,fatigueand exacerbatedmood issues.[21]Some experts have noted that pursuing any kind of mono diet may be a sign of aneating disorderdeveloping.[22]
See also
References
- ^Guthrie HA (1986).Introductory Nutrition.Mosby. p. 446.ISBN0-8016-2038-4.
- ^Shaw K (2009).Curing Hiccups with Small Fires: A Delightful Miscellany of Great British Eccentrics.Pan MacMillan.p. 193.ISBN978-0-752-22703-0.
- ^"The Bizarre Billionaire".Facts & Fallacies.Reader's Digest Association.1988. p. 234.ISBN0-89577-273-6.
- ^"My carnivore diet: what I learned from eating only beef, salt and water".theguardian.com. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
- ^Sutton, Malcolm (5 December 2019)."The beefed-up diet 'changing lives' but health experts not so sure".ABC News - Australia.Retrieved2 February2020.
- ^James Hamblin."The Jordan Peterson All-Meat Diet".The Atlantic.ISSN1072-7825.Retrieved2 February2020.
- ^Blow, Douglas. (2009).In Your Face: Professional Improprieties and the Art of Being Conspicuous in Sixteenth-Century Italy.Stanford University Press.p. 97.ISBN978-0804762168"The Tuscan painter Piero di Cosimo (1461–1521), for instance, ate only boiled eggs, cooking them by the bucketload and then consuming them one by one as he worked."
- ^Newman, Jeremiah Whitaker.(1838).The Lounger's Common-Place Book, Volume 2.London. p. 5
- ^Brewer, Ebenezer Cobham. (1880).The Reader's Handbook of Allusions, References, Plots and Stories: With Two Appendices.Lippincott. p. 592
- ^Jamieson, Alastair. (2008)."Charles Saatchi ends nine-eggs-a-day diet, says wife Nigella Lawson".The Telegraph.Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^abBrooks, Richard; Woods, Richard. (2008)."Cracked! The Saatchi diet".The Times.Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^Nigella reveals husband's 'mad' egg diet.RTÉ.ie. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^abToon, Elizabeth; Golden, Janet. (2002)."Live Clean, Think Clean, and Don't Go to Burlesque Shows’: Charles Atlas as Health Advisor".Journal of the History of Medicine and Allied Sciences57 (1): 39–60.
- ^Smith, Jen Rose. (2019)."America's Weirdest Historical Fad Diets".HuffPost. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^Collier, Roger. (2010).This spud’s for you: a two-month, tuber-only diet.Canadian Medical Association Journal182 (17): E781–E782.
- ^"Is a potato-only diet good for you?".BBC News. Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^Collins, Nick. (2010)."Man eats nothing but potatoes for two months".The Telegraph.Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^Allen, Nick. (2010)."American loses over a stone on 'potato diet'".The Telegraph.Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^Susan Rinkunas (19 August 2016)."Eating Only One Food to Lose Weight Is a Terrible Idea".The Cut.New York Media LLC.
- ^Pawlowski, A. (2016)."Penn Jillette started weight loss with a mono diet — here's why you shouldn't".Today.Retrieved December 30, 2019.
- ^"5 of the most extreme diets (and what they could do to your body)".British Heart Foundation.Retrieved4 January2020.
- ^Howley, Elaine (29 January 2021)."Mono, or Monotrophic, Diet Review: Pros and Cons".U.S. News & World Report.
