The sirtfood diet is an increasingly popular diet that hopes to promote weight loss and slow aging. It comes with a specific food list and requires restricted calorie intake. Unlike other diets, you can indulge in dark chocolate and red wine. According to celebrity nutritionists, these sirtfoods trigger the "skinny genes" through activating sirtuin proteins. Not all evidence supports these claims, however.
Two British nutritionists, Glenn Matten and Adrin Goggins developed the sirtfood diet in 2016. It became famous when Adele credited her transformation to the diet. She said she had lost nearly 50 pounds.
The controversial dietary plan consists of selected foods and a restricted calorie intake. As a result, the body is supposed to produce sirtuins; hence, the name of the diet. Sirtuins are proteins that have a role in DNA repair, detoxification, and metabolism. We'll get into how they work later in this article.
When eaten, Goggins said these selected foods have the same outcome as fasting or exercising. You become leaner if you consume these sirtfoods. Moreover, eating them is supposed to help protect your body from developing illnesses.
The co-creators listed 20 foods in their published book on the sirtfood diet:
At the same time, you have to avoid high-carbohydrate foods, such as beans, legumes, pasta, and potatoes. In addition, you should avoid processed and high-fat foods and fatty meat cuts.
The Sirtfood diet comes in two phases which span three weeks. Take note that you are supposed to consume all drinks and meals by 7 pm.
This lasts for seven days. On the first three days, you treat yourself to three green juices and a meal of sirtfoods for total of 1,000 calories per day.
On days four to seven, you drink two green juices and eat two meals for an increased calorie intake of 1,500 per day.
This lasts for two weeks. This maintenance stage has no specific calorie intake. You drink one green juice and eat three meals every day.
You may continue with the diet, either continuing with phase two, or restarting with phase one. However, since it is not a one-time diet, you can move on by "sirtifying" your meals. You can incorporate sirtfoods in your drinks, snacks, and meals. Moreover, you are encouraged to drink green tea daily. It becomes a lifestyle as time goes by.
You can refer to the book for different recipes for various drinks and meals. However, you can find a green juice recipe below.
Here is a refreshing green juice recipe for beginners. You will need a juicer to prepare this recipe.
Instead of a blender, use a juicer to mix the arugula, kale, lovage, and parsley. Then, do the same for the apple, celery, and ginger. Lemon should be squeezed by hand and added to the juice. Next, dissolve matcha into a small glass of the juice before pouring it into the rest of the mixture. Stir juice, and it's ready to drink. You may add water if desired.
Sirtfoods are claimed to be especially helpful due to their ability to activate sirtuin signalling proteins, or SIRT1 - 7, in mammals. Dr. Amar Klar, a geneticist, first discovered sirtuins in the 70s. These signaling proteins are involved in various cell functions.
There are seven types of sirtuins, all with different functions. For one, they might help you lose weight. However, there are other benefits. Here are the mechanisms involved in the benefits of a sirtfood diet.
Studies support the anti-aging quality of sirtuins. A 2017 paper in Biogerontology pointed out the role of sirtuins in DNA repair. Aging reduces the body's ability to repair DNA. As a result, DNA incurs more damage which contributes to cell aging. Sirtuins repair DNA by controlling oxidative stress and inflammation.
Another review looked at several studies showing how certain sirtuins prolonged the life of yeast, worms, and mice. However, other researchers suggest more studies are needed to show the role of sirtuins on longevity.
Research has supported one sirtuin in particular: SIRT2, with its activator and resveratrol. In addition, resveratrol has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. You can find it in red wine, grapes, peanuts, and dark chocolate.
Organ problems can affect the quality of your life as you age. Examples are uncontrolled diabetes, liver dysfunction, and low energy production. In addition, your cells decline as you age. Sirtfoods exert a longevity effect based on studies on animals.
Experts explain that sirtuins interact with the body's longevity pathway, such as AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Increased AMPK action restores cell energy levels. Thus, it extends lifespan based on studies on organisms.
However, other experts argue against the findings. More research is needed to confirm the anti-aging effects of sirtuins on people.
Sirtuins aid in keeping cells healthy by removing toxins in your body. Their antioxidant action reduces oxidative stress leading to inflammation which causes diseases.
In addition, sirtuins help protect your DNA from genotoxicity. Genetic information forms a genome. And genotoxicity refers to any agent that can damage DNA, leading to cancer. One study suggests sirtuins protect genome stability and maintain homeostasis, a vital response.
Sirtuins may also have anti-inflammatory effects based on a study on mice. In addition, it stops tumors from growing and slows down heart problems and Alzheimer's. However, more research is needed before we will know if sirtuins can be used as medicine.
Your body needs glucose or sugar for energy and brain functions. Sirtuins maintain the balance of sugar levels in your muscles, liver, and pancreas. For instance, in studies with mice, sirtuins reduced fat storage and increased insulin for better metabolism. As a result, sirtuins may help you lose weight and burn fat better. Another study found that SIRT1 triggers your body to burn fats.
Yet another study in 2009 found SIRT1 protected the mice subjects from the effects of a high-fat diet. Moreover, sirtuins promoted fat breakdown in the liver and fat transport to body tissues.
A growing body of science has found that sirtuins have helpful effects on the body, although, more studies are needed. Many people attest to its positive impact.
Be advised, though, that short-term diets do not typically work for long-term weight loss and management. Instead, people usually regain the lost weight after stopping the diet.
However, long-term "sirtifying" your drinks, meals, and snacks may help maintain weight loss. In addition, one study shows a sirtfood diet combined with Mediterranean and Asian diets is promising. The combined diets may prevent chronic diseases and promote a healthy body and aging.
The main reason for this is the health benefits of the individual sirtfoods.
Many sirtfoods are rich in nutrients and can be considered superfoods. In addition, many have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions.
Let's look at three examples of sirtfoods that are also superfoods:
The best dark chocolate contains a high cocoa content. Studies how flavanols and theobromine in cocoa may lower the risk of heart problems. Moreover, dark chocolates also boost longevity. A study on Harvard students shows those who ate three bars a month had a 35% lower chance of premature death.
However, excess intake of chocolates can lead to weight gain. So instead, you should eat dark chocolate in moderation to outweigh the risk.
The sirtfood diet encourages eating turmeric, which comes from the ginger family. It is an Indian and Thai spice with a yellow color used in many dishes. It can be consumed in its natural root or powder forms.
Studis show turmeric, which contains curcumin, has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. As a result, it may protect your body against cancer, diabetes, and heart and brain problems. Curcumin has even been found to prolong the life span of flies in a study. This is a result of the antioxidant effect of curcumin against oxidative stress.
Green tea drinking in China dates back to about 2700 BCE. Fast forward to the present: surveys show that Americans drink green tea more than other teas. In addition, it is slowly gaining more attention due to its health benefits.
According to research, green tea is linked to lower depression, diabetes, and stroke risks. Further, it improves blood sugar and fat levels resulting in less stomach fat and better blood pressure. Another study found that daily drinking four cups of green tea and two cups of coffee was linked to a 63% lower risk of death in people with diabetes.
However, despite the many health benefits of sirtfood superfoods, a sirtfood diet is not a good idea for everyone.
The diet strictly limits food choices and calorie intake, which may cause health problems. A 1,000-calorie intake may not be enough for energy and body functions. This is especially true if you suffer from other health conditions like adrenal fatigue. It is best to consult a medical practitioner before starting this or any drastic diet.
Some people may feel light-headed and tired with an intake of only 1,000 calories. You may also feel irritable and hungry during the first week's diet.
Furthermore, it can be difficult to get all the nutrients your body needs from a few selected foods. For example, phase one of the diet lacks minerals, vitamins, and protein your body needs, roughly 46g for women and 56g for men daily. Eating only sirtfoods long-term would likely deprive your body of even more nutrients.
Those with diabetes should be especially cautious. A review of eight studies found people with diabetes are at risk of extremely low blood sugar levels under low-calorie diets. Researchers also suggested careful monitoring of sugar levels and medicine dose changes if needed to prevent very low blood sugar levels. Chronic low blood sugar levels may damage your vessels, nerves, tissues, and organs. At dangerously low levels, ketoacidosis or diabetic coma can happen. Other complications include heart attack and stroke.
However, healthy adults on a sirtfood diet for three weeks are unlikely to experience adverse effects.
Your pancreas, liver, and thyroid play a role in producing energy. Moreover, these organs help metabolize or regulate sugars, fats, hormones, and gut functions. They form part of the Bioenergetics Circuit of your body.
The Bioenergetics Circuit is a concept of the body's flow of energy. It is one of the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) stress response circuits. During short periods of stress, the NEM stress response is activated. But under repeated and chronic stress, NEM systems can become overworked and malfunction. As a result, you can start to feel the symptoms of Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS).
AFS affects your Bioenergetics Circuit<. It can cause blood sugar and fat problems, leaky gut, and weight gain. At the same time, any problems in your pancreas, liver, and thyroid can cause an imbalance in the other organs in the circuit. Sirtfoods may contribute to keeping these organs healthy by reducing inflammation and supporting healthy sugar and fat metabolism.
However, if you have AFS, your body is already dealing with depleted energy reserves. The calorie restrictive aspects of the sirtfood diet may not be a good idea while you are unwell, so it may be best to skip the first phase of this diet. However, sirtfoods themselves are good for you and supportive to your health. Just be sure to talk to your doctor about diet changes.
A sirtfood diet undeniably benefits health in many ways. The three-week diet of sirtuin-stimulating foods helps with fat and sugar metabolism and healthy aging. But you can see better results if you continue "sirtifying" your foods over the long term. For instance, you can drink green juice as a daily habit. It is best to talk to a medical practitioner before changing your diet, however, to ensure your safety.
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The sirtfood diet is high in sirtuin-promoting foods that help regulate sugars and fats in your body. They help DNA repair and inflammation, and they may promote weight loss and healthy aging. However, the diet is restrictive and comes with certain drawbacks, so it may not be a good idea for everyone.
