Which Diet is Best for Me?

Which Diet is Best for Me?

To find a diet that works for you, it’s important to find one that is realistically achievable and sustainable. Diets work with real food, common sense, and healthy choices that see results.

Here at Purition, we know a thing or two about the importance of what you eat. In fact, our core philosophy is to make delicious food products that work with any dietary lifestyle that focuses on great nutrition. This is where we come in, as our Purition products are made of just that- the good stuff.

So, read on to learn the key factors of some of the more well-known diets, and what’s involved, so you can work out what will work best for you (along with some delicious recipes and inspiration from us, too!)

So, let’s get started with diet 101.

It’s important to remember that in order to get the most out of your diet, make sure it works for you! You want to find it easy, after all. If you enjoy eating meat, find one that allows for this. If you exercise regularly and need that extra protein to get you through the day, find a diet that facilitates this.

People often find there is little success in adapting your lifestyle to suit the diet. Purition like to think of it the other way around. Adapt and tailor a diet that suits your lifestyle. Trust us when we say – this is achievable!

A closer look at common diets…

Mediterranean Diet

This diet is widely recognized as the healthiest diet in the world. Here are the features of a Mediterranean Diet:

• No bread, croissants, pasta, pizza (starchy foods with wheat and dough) 
• Focused on wholefoods, meat, fish, green leafy and colorful vegetables
• Includes seeds and nuts that are often eaten raw or cooked simply, with no refining or processing. 

Pros of a Mediterranean Diet

• Covers all main food groups
• High in healthy fats 
• No processed food, sugar and starch 
• Provides a good source of vitamins and minerals 
• Plenty of variety and flavors 
• It is easier to stick to in the long term, allowing for little indulgences such as dark chocolate or red wine 

Cons of a Mediterranean Diet

• It is based on real foods, so will be a potentially more expensive diet choice 
• Portion control is important with this diet, so it can be more time consuming (preparation, etc).

Are there any risks associated with this diet?

No, there are no risks associated. 

Purition and the Mediterranean Diet 

Purition is an ideal addition to the Mediterranean Diet. Wholefoods, seeds, nuts and real food ingredients is all that’s found in Purition. When added to a Mediterranean diet, Purition provides a delicious alternative, and with a variety of flavors and ways to include Purition into your diet, it isn’t restrictive or time consuming either. 

Top Tip: Why not include Purition into your day and have it for breakfast? You can whip up a delicious smoothie. We recommend this banana, blueberry and mango breakfast shake. You can keep your dairy intake low by using nut milk if you need. Paired with fresh fruits and a delicious Purition blend, you’re good to go. You will have enjoyed a delicious breakfast smoothie made of real food, whole nuts, and seeds. Plus, you can still enjoy a delicious and nutritious meal later in the day, with fresh meat, fish or vegetables. Done. 

Paleo diet

The paleo diet mainly consists of protein, healthy fats and real food. It was originally devised on the principles of eating only what our ancestors (our friends in the Palaeolithic era) would have eaten. 

This makes it a pretty easy diet to follow. The reason this diet works is that it’s a simple idea that focuses on real food and whole foods. Essentially this means single ingredients that have been reared or grown outdoors in nature, on a natural diet. Think meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, season fruit, seeds and nuts.

The concept of paleo and primal rules out foods that cannot be eaten without processing. This means processed foods that contain the following are off the menu:

Purition and the Paleo diet

If you are looking to stick to a dairy free Paleo diet, Purition is super low in lactose, and our dairy free options are 100 % plant based and completely lactose free. You could enjoy Purition with almond milk to keep your dairy intake low, but this would be tweaking the rules slightly of the Paleo diet. Don’t forget, though, a diet is what you make of it! 

As long as you are eating healthily, then you can add Purition to your Paleo diet as a fantastic breakfast choice. 

…..want to give Purition a go?

You can try out Purition’s dairy free samples here. You can also get some great inspiration for breakfast smoothies too. Purition is here to make it easy for you, after all! 

Are there any risks to the Paleo diet?

Paleo is a theory, but that does not make it bad or irrelevant, it’s a simple ideal of eating more naturally. There is a common misconception that the paleo diet is all about meat, when in fact it is not. As with any diet though, it is worth checking with your doctor if you are unsure if the Paleo diet will work with your lifestyle.

We all know the caricature of the cave man and his club or spear charge a woolly mammoth. However, our distant ancestors were more than likely hunter gatherers who gathered most of their food from plants found in nature, like seeds and nuts, tubers, seasonal fruit and honey.  

Learn more about the Paleo Diet here: Guide to a Paleo Diet

Keto Diet

This diet is a diet that mainly focuses on healthy fats, followed by protein, and lastly carbs. The ratio is as follows:

• 60/70% of your diet consists of calories from fats 
• 20/25% of your diet consists of proteins
• 5-10 % of your diet from carbohydrates

Why people may choose a keto diet

• Shown to be more effective than a low calorie and low fat diet. 
• Grown in popularity with celebrities, and a number of health professionals who have seen results.
• A huge online following and fast results have been recorded.

It stands to reason, then, that many others are following suit to find out what keto is all about. People are interested in the Keto diet because of how it achieves results – by reducing your appetite. This is achieved through low carb consumption and high fat intake. What’s more, there are reports that the Keto diet can help cholesterol levels and lower blood sugar levels. 

Pros of the Keto diet 

• Many who follow this diet have seen results 

Cons of the Keto diet 

• It can be difficult to follow 
• It can be seen by those with limited nutritional knowledge as dangerous 
• Those who favour low-cal or low-fat diets say that a high fat diet is dangerous, however, science does not support this stance. 

Don’t forget though, that focusing on processed foods is a bad idea and won’t get you the results you want. So, if you opt for the Keto diet don’t forget to keep your diet healthy with real, unprocessed foods. 

Purition and the Keto diet 

Low in calories, Purition provides your intake of protein in the form of a delicious small meal that can be enjoyed for breakfast as a smoothie or stirred into yogurt. You can read more about enjoying Purition on a ketogenic diet here and here: The Beginners Guide to a Keto Diet.

Vegetarian Diet

If you follow a vegetarian diet you cut out all meat completely.

Why people may choose a vegetarian diet

• The main reasons for choosing a vegetarian diet may be due to ethical reasons, environmental concerns, or simply a lifestyle choice for health reasons. 

Pros of a vegetarian diet

• It is widely seen as a healthy diet as it focuses on the consumption of vegetables, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds, which are collectively lower in calories but still filling. 
• It’s a widely popular diet, so it isn’t restrictive when it comes to eating out or supermarket products. 

Cons of a vegetarian diet 

• The lack of animal-based foods can mean your correct protein intake is more of a challenge (this is where Purition comes in!) 

Are there risks associated with this diet?

The only risk is that, in replacement of meat-based products, your diet becomes unhealthy. For example, if you replace meat-based products with high fat, sugary foods such as crisps or chocolate, you won’t see the results you might wish for. As with any diet, a vegetarian diet still requires discipline and healthy eating. Just because you have cut out meat, that doesn’t mean instant results! 

Purition and the Vegetarian Diet

The good news is Purition can be enjoyed alongside a vegetarian diet, and most importantly, can provide you with that all-important protein that you may be missing out on by cutting out animal-based food. Our original blends, made with a little whey protein isolate, are certified vegetarian. 

What’s more, you can be guaranteed there are no artificial sweeteners, thickeners or artificial flavorings, just real food. Purition is essentially a highly nutritious small meal that can supplement your vegetarian diet and be enjoyed whenever it works for you. 

Why not try… 

• Coffee and walnut breakfast smoothie 
• Strawberry porridge oats with blueberries
• Green Protein smoothie with kiwi and spinach 

Purition has a whole range of vegetarian products, with original flavors that are derived from all-natural ingredients. Purition is low in calories too, making it an ideal choice for breakfast or lunch. Be sure to enjoy Purition with a healthy diet of vegetables and real food in order to see the results you are looking for. Check out Purition’s range of flavors here. 

Vegan diet (fully plant based)

A vegan diet is similar to a vegetarian diet in that you do not eat meat from any animal. It takes this one step further to include animal bi-products, so you can’t eat eggs, milk and honey, for example. This means your diet is completely plant based. Those who choose to implement a vegan diet usually have a diet that focuses on high protein plants such as legumes and soy. 

Why people may choose a vegan diet 

There are various reasons why people might choose a vegan diet. These could be environmental, ethical, health associated, or just to give it a go. Veganuary is coming up after all, or maybe they watched Game changers on Netflix. 

Pros of a vegan diet 

• It can provide the ultimate feel good factor when it comes to your diet, as you are doing your bit.
• Encourages you to try new foods and be more adventurous.

Cons of a vegan diet

• There’s lots of cooking involved in a vegan diet and preparing foods in advance for a sustainable, healthy meal.
• It’s seen by some as the ultimate ‘restriction’ diet, as you are cutting out various foods. It’s important to be mindful of certain nutrients like B vitamins and iron. 
• Your choices can be even more restrictive if you have chosen to be vegan for environmental reasons. 
• Can be socially restricting.
• Some restrictive qualities of this diet have been found to be too restrictive, however it is possible through careful planning to have a diet that is 100 percent plant based.  

Are there risks associated with this diet? 

The only real risk here is that you change your eating habits to feel full and opt for starch vegetables and sugary foods, which can cause health issues over time. The worst health combination is fat and carbohydrate, although healthy fats from whole foods aren’t a problem.

Purition and the Vegan diet

Purition is an ideal addition to a vegan diet because it can provide you with your all-important intake of protein. High in protein and low in carbs, Purition can be added to your breakfast or lunch, and with a wide range of plant-based options you can find a delicious flavor that suits your exact needs. You don’t have to worry about additional additives, flavorings and junk food either. Perfect!

Read more about Vegan Diets here.

Dairy Free 

Another diet that has become more topical in recent years is a dairy free diet. 

If you suffer from lactose intolerance, then you will likely have a diet that is as free from dairy as possible. You will restrict your consumption of food products containing lactose to a bare minimum. Lactose is a type of sugar found in dairy products and can be found in milk, yogurt, butter, cream, ice cream and cheese.  

If you are lactose intolerant, or simply choose to go dairy free, then make sure you find alternatives that see you get the right nutrition. Dairy products contain calcium, protein and vitamins, while the lactose plays its part in helping your body absorb minerals such as magnesium and zinc. For this reason you should aim to make sure you get these nutrients from other sources. This can include lactose-free options such as: 

• Lactose-free cow’s milk
• Soy milk, yogurts and cheese
• Rice, nut, hazelnut, almond coconut milk

Purition and Dairy Free Diet

Purition have a complete range of Dairy Free Vegan options that are 100 % plant based, so no matter if you cannot consume dairy, you can still enjoy our delicious Purition meals as part of a healthy diet. Packed with protein and lots of the good stuff, Purition has great nutritional value as well as tasting delicious. That’s what we’re all about. If you’re still not sure you can check out our FAQ’s, or our complete dairy free product range here. 

Gluten Free

A gluten free diet is a diet people follow if they have an intolerance to gluten. Some may opt to go gluten free for other health reasons too. People who are gluten sensitive may have celiac disease, which means you can have an adverse reaction to gluten. Gluten is a group of proteins found in the starch of various cereal grains. 

There are plenty of foods that are high in gluten. These include:

• Bread 
• Pasta
• Cereals
• Biscuits
• Cakes
• Pastries 

Not to worry though, as there are plenty of various alternatives that ensure you get the right nutrition. There are a growing number of gluten free food products available in supermarkets and on restaurant menus. For example, instead of eating pasta opt for gluten free pasta, or rice and quinoa are gluten free, and there are many gluten free bread options nowadays, too. 

Purition and gluten free

You’ll be pleased to know that every single one of our products is gluten free. When Purition started, our philosophy was to provide great tasting small meals that everyone could enjoy, and as our products are only made from wholefoods, nuts and grains, they can be enjoyed by those restricted to a gluten free diet. Those with celiac disease aren’t restricted with Purition either. 

How do we guarantee this?

We regularly batch test at our headquarters in Shrewsbury where every Purition product is made, and our products are always under 5ppm (parts per million). The EU legal definition is 20ppm so with Purition, you’re way under and good to go. You can click here to find out more, here: Guide to Gluten Free Protein Powders, and here: Celiac Awareness: What You Need to Know.

Other diets

Below we briefly touch on other diets you may consider, and the main takeaways of these. 

Standard Western Diet

The worst diet you can be on is the standard western diet. This is because it leads to gradual weight gain, obesity and poor long-term health outcomes, which is being experienced by tens of millions across western worlds. The problem? The over-consumption of highly processed foods, vegetable oils, added sugars and refined carbohydrates. 

The best thing you can do is find your own diet, one that works for you on your worst day, to ensure you are not steadily gaining weight. Weight gain as we age is a normal process, but it is a feature of a typical western diet for the above reasons. 

Low fat diet

• Traditionally promotes highly processed products like spreads instead of butter

Cons of this diet

• Can be restrictive
• Little evidence of health benefits 
• Short term weight loss is not always the answer
• Low fat food often contain lots of sugar i.e. low-fat yogurts

Low calorie diet 

• Works on the understanding that you eat less and exercise more

Cons of this diet

• Portion control takes time – everything must be weighed and measured.
• Can be difficult to follow
• Dieting is more about the biology behind the food not the maths 

Meal replacement diet

• 600-800 calories 3-5 meal replacement shakes per day

Cons of this diet

• Dangerously low in calories
• An unsociable choice
• Very restrictive, and sees you enjoy food much less
• Can cause real issues when you stop

Adding Purition to your diet 

As we have touched on before, Purition can be a great addition to any diet. Purition is not restrictive as it is low in calories, packed with protein, and only contains real ingredients. There’s no junk food and no sweeteners, and with diary free and vegan options available, most diets are considered. 

Be mindful though, that Purition is best enjoyed as a small meal as part of a wider healthy diet. When enjoyed this way, you can have Purition as part of your day to day and take in all the nutritional goodness you need. 

What makes Purition different is that we provide a way to enjoy great tasting alternatives that don’t have to be unhealthy, processed meal replacement shakes. 

Final thoughts

Asking yourself what diet is best for you is likely to be a question that you ask yourself a lot. The key thing to remember here is that the food choices we make every day have a huge impact on our overall health and lifestyle. 

Your diet is what you make of it. If the above has got you inspired, then get going and see how a certain diet works for you. What’s more, see how the addition of Purition can add nutrition, flavor and variety to your diet. At Purition we’ve worked hard to make our product accessible and enjoyable for everyone.

To discover Purition’s full range of products click here. For more advice on health, fitness, and to see how Purition can help you, head to our homepage. Need inspiration for recipes? Head to our blog. Whatever your needs, Purition have got you covered.