Consuming a single type of food all day for a given time is the principle of the monodiet. What are its virtues? Who can adopt it? Nutritionist Elsa Orivel tells us everything you need to know before getting started.
– Better Living Health: What is the monodiet?
Elsa Orivel: This is an approach that consists of eating only one food during a predefined period. During the cure, it is advisable to hydrate very regularly, because if you do not drink, after 48 hours, the kidneys are blocked and the heart stops, which leads to death.
– When and how long can it be done?
It is possible to follow a mono diet for two to three consecutive days. It is recommended to do it from March to May or in October, because it is difficult for the body to manage this situation during the summer and winter periods. This method must be performed in centers where patients are supervised and monitored by professionals.
– What foods can we eat?
As part of a monodiet, it is recommended to consume plants, especially fruits. For example apples, because they contain pectins, namely an organic vegetable substance. Its gelling power allows you to be satiated and to digest easily. Another possible food: grapes which are beneficial for cardiovascular health. You can eat them at will so as not to be hungry. In the centres, fresh vegetable or fruit juices, for example apple, cucumber and celery, are also offered.
– Is this cure recommended for everyone?
This method is recommended for fit and healthy people. It is contraindicated for pregnant and breastfeeding women, people with anorexia nervosa, bulimia and binge eating disorder, adults with kidney and liver disease, the elderly and those affected by dietary deficiencies.
– What are the virtues?
Eating a single fruit at different times of the day puts the digestive system, which has only one food to digest, at rest. In addition, drinking plenty of water during the mono diet helps eliminate toxins and therefore detoxify your body. This cure also promotes the reduction of the stomach and is beneficial for patients affected by hormonal disorders, especially women with difficult premenopause. It can also reduce sugar consumption and therefore fight against stress. In case of type 2 diabetes, this method facilitates the regulation of blood sugar. It also relieves the symptoms of skin pathologies, such as eczema or psoriasis, and chronic inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
– Does the mono diet allow you to lose weight?
This detox cure promotes weight loss, but beware, the latter is not sustainable. However, the mono diet may be of interest to patients with obesity or fatty liver disease, as it may help them eat less before starting a diet.
– Can we do sports during the cure?
The monodiet is not at all compatible with an intense sports activity. On the other hand, people who do it can turn to walking or yoga.
– What are the risks ?
People who adopt this method can suffer from insomnia, headaches and bad breath, because the liver creates ketone bodies, namely substances produced once there is no more glucose available, which which leads to ketosis.
– How to go about making a monodiet?
Before starting, you must prepare your body to ingest only one type of food. To do this, we must gradually reduce what we eat, first removing meat and dairy products from our diet, then starchy foods. After the cure, we follow the same steps, but in reverse. We first eat raw vegetables, fish, starchy foods and meats. Everything is done little by little, because the liver can find it difficult to tolerate fatty and sugary foods.