A nutritionist revealed what happens when you eliminate popular food groups like red meat, dairy, eggs and seafood from your diet, and why other foods like pasta, rice and potatoes aren’t as bad for you as you think.
Sydney’s Susie Burrell said while many popular diets eliminate entire groups these days, we don’t often think about the nutritional consequences that result.
We also need to think about how to replace the “forbidden foods so we don’t miss out on what the body really needs to keep it healthy over the long term.”
A nutritionist has revealed what happens when you eliminate popular food groups like red meat, dairy, eggs and seafood from your diet (Susie Burrell pictured).
1. Dairy products
The first – and one of the most popular – food groups people get rid of is dairy, and removing it can have major health implications.
“The first thing we usually think of when we think of milk and other dairy products is their calcium content, but dairy products are also a rich natural source of magnesium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D and vitamin A,” Susie continued their website.
“If you don’t eat dairy, all of these vital nutrients will degrade over time.”
The nutritionist explained that it is very difficult for adults to get the 800-1000 mg of calcium they need each day without dairy in their diet.
Even if you drink alternative milk that’s been “fortified” with calcium, it’s rare in the amounts found in three servings of dairy, she said.
Long-term health effects of low dairy and calcium intake include brittle bones and more frequent vomiting because your body lacks calcium.
If you must avoid dairy, Susie recommends making sure you’re drinking a plant-based milk that’s calcium-fortified on a regular basis, and consider taking a calcium supplement to make sure you’re getting the 800-1000 mg of calcium you need They each require tag’.
When you cut out red meat (stock image), Susie said, the main problem is that you eliminate one of the richest natural sources of iron
2. Red meat
The second food that many avoid is red meat, typically on a vegetarian or vegan diet.
“But while you may choose not to eat red meat for a variety of reasons, the main issue here nutritionally is that you’re also eliminating one of the richest natural sources of iron from the diet,” Susie said.
Foods like white meat, eggs, whole grains and dark leafy greens contain iron, but Susie said it’s “poorly absorbed” by the body when compared to red meat.
Low iron levels are common in Australia, with up to 25 percent of women struggling with low levels.
“Low iron levels leave you feeling tired, breathless and struggling with low immunity,” Susie said.
If you still want to cut red meat, the best thing you can do “is be extra careful to include iron-rich foods at every meal and snack,” Susie said.
It’s important to remember that adult women need between nine and 15 mg each day.
3. Poultry
It might be a little less common to cut up poultry, but if you do, you need to think about the amount of lean protein you’re getting.
Protein deficiency can lead to weakness and fatigue, loss of muscle mass, sugar cravings and risk of fractures.
If you don’t eat poultry, Susie said, make sure you have a source of lean protein at every meal.
Good examples are fish, eggs and dairy products.
You can get all of the nutrients from eggs (pictured) elsewhere, with the exception of selenium — which is a powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in cellular health
4 eggs
Eggs are hugely popular with nutritionists — and with good reason.
“Eggs are a highly nutritious food that contains more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals, including high-quality protein, good fats, and vitamins A and E, making them a great addition to any diet,” Susie said.
But while they’re all good for our health, Susie said we can get all of the nutrients from eggs outside of eggs, with one exception: selenium.
“Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in cellular health, and it’s found in very few foods other than eggs and Brazil nuts,” she said — with a single egg giving you a quarter of your daily selenium requirement.
“Eggs are also a good source of vitamin D, which can often be low in our overall diet,” Susie said.
All of this means that when you’re slicing eggs, you need to pay close attention to your diet.
Susie is a big fan of an anti-inflammatory diet (pictured) that requires you to eat fruits and vegetables, especially leafy greens
5. Fish and Seafood
Finally, if you are someone who has eliminated fish and seafood from your diet, you need to know that you will be missing out on omega-3 fats and zinc.
“Oily fish is one of the few natural foods that contains omega-3 fatty acids,” Susie said.
“This means that giving up oily fish makes it almost impossible to get the amount of omega-3s you ideally need without supplementation.”
Finally, skipping fish and shellfish leads to iodine deficiency, which has been linked to long-term impairment of thyroid function.
All of this means that if you are not eating these two things, you must have a dietary supplement.
To find out more about Susie Burrell, you can visit her Instagram page here.
Foods that aren’t as bad for you as you think
Susie shared the foods you might think are bad for you but can actually be healthy.
PASTA: Pasta may be high in carbs, but Susie said it’s good to eat provided you opt for portion control. She recommends plain pasta, or even better, one of the new high-protein, lower-carb varieties. Pair it with a vegetable-based sauce and a sprinkling of cheese for a delicious yet health-focused meal.
MEAT: Many people who don’t eat much or no meat will boast the benefits of avoiding too much of it, but in fact Susie said it’s okay to include. Ideally, choose lean protein and enjoy it in “portion-controlled servings 3-4 times a week.” What most people do wrong, she said, is they eat huge portions instead of the 100-150 mg we actually need.
BREAD: Bread is one of those foods that a lot of people will say is unhealthy, but Susie said again it depends on “the kind you choose”. Instead of Turkish or white bread, try sourdough or low-carb, high-protein breads when counting calories.
RICE: Rice has a high GI, which means it can cause your blood sugar levels to spike quickly if you’re not careful. For this reason, Susie said, keep your white rice intake to a minimum and choose high-quality brown or black rice instead.
POTATOES: Like rice and pasta, many fear the carbohydrates in potatoes. In fact, Susie said a whole potato has just 100 calories, 20g of carbs and “lots of fiber and B-group vitamins.” She recommends eating them in jacket form or plain, but sees no problem in including one potato in your diet a day.
WHOLE MILK: While whole milk offers a “hearty dose of saturated fat,” Susie said it’s absolutely fine provided you don’t consume too much latte and dairy.
BREAKFAST CEREALS: Finally, breakfast cereals regularly get a bad cape for being high in sugar and therefore unhealthy, but not all are created equal. If you like morning cereal, opt for options that are high in fiber and whole grains and have fewer added sugars, then top them with Greek yogurt and fruit. A plain granola is almost always a good option.
Source: Susie Burrell