Written by Mia Davis
The Sirtfood diet became increasingly popular quite quickly. Who hasn’t heard about Adele’s shocking weight loss? There are tons of before and after photos flooding the internet and all sorts of comments on the subject. All she said was that she used a strict diet plan and a tough exercising routine. But somehow, her weight loss story got associated with the Sirtfood diet.
And since she managed to lose so much weight, the diet soon became extremely popular. But is it really a good option for dropping some pounds? Or is it just a trend that has no solid base to stand on?
The Sirtfood diet relies on a meal plan based on sirtuin-rich foods, which are meant to activate your ‘skinny gene.’ It’s supposed to boost your weight loss and regulate your metabolism. You get a list of sirtfoods to include in your meals, and some recommended recipes, to make sure you don’t go over a certain number of calories. But most of all, there’s the famous green juice that replaces certain meals, especially during the first week.
While people are attracted to this weight loss plan because it allows you to have wine and dark chocolate, the fact is this is a highly restrictive diet, and not everyone can handle it.
Who Invented the Sirtfood Diet?
The Sirtfood diet was created by two British nutritionists, Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. Before becoming international bestselling authors, the two were famous health consultants that worked for a private gym in the UK. They researched the way polyphenols affected weight loss and developed this diet as a better alternative to dietary supplements.
After finding the foods that have the highest levels of sirtuins, they named them sirtfoods and created a whole diet plan around them. The goal of their program is to activate the ‘skinny genes’ in our bodies, speeding up the weight loss process by only eating sirtfoods. Then they wrote a book called ‘The Sirtfood Diet,’ which sold like crazy.
Sirtuins and Weight Loss
The whole science behind the Sirtfood diet is based on the effects of sirtuins on the organism. It sounds impressive, but let’s see what they really are and what their purpose is. Sirtuins are a class of proteins; there are seven types, and their role is to keep cellular balance. They also turn cells more sensitive to insulin, meaning they can help lower blood sugar. And since glucose is an essential factor when it comes to weight, it makes sense that they can help in that respect.
There are many studies and a lot of literature showing that sirtuins regulate lipid and glucose metabolism. But these are mainly studies conducted on animals; the fact is there isn’t that much information to back up the theory that something like the Sirtfood diet can actually empower a weight loss gene. That doesn’t mean that we won’t reach that conclusion in the future, just that we still have some critical steps to take, including genetic studies.
What Are the Polyphenol-rich Foods?
While we are on the topic of the science behind weight loss, let’s take a look at polyphenols as well. These micronutrients that are found mostly in our vegetable food have many benefits for our health. They are basically loaded with antioxidants and are an infusion of health for the human organism. Apart from that, it seems they act as sirtuins activators.
The main effect of the way polyphenols modulate sirtuins is connected to Alzheimer’s disease, so while it is possible they can help the weight loss process as well, we still don’t have definite proof. Even so, including polyphenols in our diet is an excellent idea for health purposes, if nothing else.
What Does the Sirtfood Diet Consist of?
The Sirtfood diet suggests basing all your meals on sirtuin-rich foods. Especially during the first days of the diet, the green juice is the main thing you will be consuming. As the days go by, you will drink less juice and instead have solid meals. But you won’t be eating anything you want; the book contains the recipes you need to follow to make sure you aren’t cooking the wrong ingredients. And by that, they mean elements that don’t contribute to the higher goal of teaching your body how to lose weight faster.
At first glance, you may get excited by the list of things you’re allowed to eat. Dark chocolate and wine are probably the ones that stand out the most. And it’s true; you are granted these delicious treats. But, just like all the other foods on the list, these can only be consumed within certain restrictions.
Still, it helps your mind accept the diet easier if the thought that after that somehow gross green juice, you will be allowed to enjoy a glass of red wine. Every diet needs some allowances to be successful; nobody responds well to general restrictions.
What to Eat on the Sirtfood Diet?
Once the enthusiasm of being allowed to have wine and chocolate passes, you take a closer look at the list of foods the Sirtfood diet consists of. Spoiler alert, there will be tears! You are offered a ‘luxurious’ selection of kale, onions, soy, parsley, buckwheat, blueberries, and walnuts. These are some of the highly recommended ingredients, but you can also have chicken, salmon, cauliflower, eggs.
There are enough recipes in the book to make sure you don’t get hungry or sick of eating the same food over and over again. But you will feel restricted, especially in the first phase, when you rely mostly on the infamous green juice.
The Sirtfood Diet Without a Juicer
Not everybody has a juicer in their kitchen, waiting to be put to work with the noble goal of helping us lose weight. People usually buy these for fruit and vegetable juices, if the kids are too picky to eat them. And if they buy the juicer simply for everyday use, I bet most of them give up this wonderful habit sooner than they planned.
Because, while the juice is delicious, it takes so long to prepare everything and then clean every part of the juicer, it takes most of the fun out of the experience. Not to mention doctors don’t recommend consuming these juices more than twice a week. That’s because it may affect your blood sugar level.
The good news is you can still try the Sirtfood diet even if you don’t have a juicer. If the doubt is higher than the enthusiasm, don’t go running to buy a juicer. Chances are it will be one more thing you don’t know where to place in your kitchen so that it doesn’t collect dust. And you really don’t need it for the diet because you can replace the juice with a salad. It contains almost the same ingredients as the green juice, except the matcha powder (which was the element that ruined the taste, anyway, if you ask me).
Sirtfood Diet Sample Meal Plan
Enough with the theory, let’s see exactly what you can eat on the Sirtfood diet. I tried a few of the recipes in the book, and they were surprisingly tasty and filling. But the first days are usually easier; you are still pumped with enthusiasm. I had a zucchini omelet, and it wasn’t bad at all.
There is another recipe for a cheesy polenta bake that sounds hugely delicious. I also found a dish that not only did I not try, but it gave me nightmares: the kale and broccoli soup. All the determination I may have when starting the diet crashes and burns if I only read such a recipe.
Sirtfood Diet Pros and Cons
Unlike many of the diets you can find online, the Sirtfood diet actually has some pros. The green juice you have to drink is really healthy. And the fact that you only have to rely on it for a few days means you probably won’t have any health risks. I say probably because that depends on every person’s health.
Besides, seeing a doctor before trying any harsh diet is a must. Many of the recipes in the book are easy to cook, tasty and diverse. The matcha powder you have to add to the juice is crazy rich in healthy elements. Parsley and celery are full of vitamins.
On the other hand, it is a restrictive diet. Once the initial enthusiasm wears off, you will probably feel like giving up. The recipes may seem ok at first, but after a while, you may find that many of them only sound good on paper, and they aren’t something that you can easily fit on your grocery list.
Planning all those sometimes fancy meals takes time and care you may not have on a daily basis. I don’t know how many people eat king prawns very often, and that’s just an example.
If you’re looking for other diets, you may like this article: The Dissociated Diet – Does this Classic Diet Really Work?
FAQ
Is the Sirtfood diet proper as a permanent way of eating?
Definitely not. The Sirtfood diet is quite restrictive; while you may get used to the low caloric intake for a while, to get your weight under control, it’s not suitable as a permanent way of eating. But my guess is you can adjust it.
The basic principles are healthy, green juices are great, and some of the recipes the diet proposes are pretty tasty. The last thing you want to do after getting to the desired weight is to go back to your old eating habits, so a hybrid between the Sirtfood diet and whatever healthy way of eating you can sustain in the long run will probably be a right choice.
Is the Sirtfood diet compatible with breastfeeding?
No, it’s not a good idea to try the Sirtfood diet or any other diet for that matter, while you are breastfeeding. It’s also not a good idea to eat for two; just have a balanced diet, with many nutritious and healthy elements, and avoid junk food. Apart from that, the Sirtfood diet is also not compatible with busy moms; in my experience, all those green juices and special recipes don’t fit into the crazy schedule of a busy mom, at least not for long.
Does the Sirtfood diet work?
Of course, it works; you are basically reducing your calorie intake, and are also encouraged to exercise at least 30 minutes every day; that’s a good recipe for weight loss. How much of that weight loss is actually due to the ‘skinny gene’ being activated by your diet meals remains unclear. Is it the right diet for you? You won’t know until you try it, at least for a few days.
Verdict
There are many positive elements about the Sirtfood diet, and I think this one is worth trying. But you need to read the book first carefully. You cannot go from eating everything you can think of to drinking green juice just like that; you probably won’t feel well. I have tried it for a few days, and the weight loss was more than satisfactory.
The green juice was actually tasty until I added the matcha powder; that’s when it became pretty gross, but still acceptable. If you don’t have a crazy schedule, cooking all those meals could be fun.
But don’t start this diet thinking you will lose the same weight as Adele, that’s a fantasy. She did it with hard work and intensive workouts, and a restrictive diet that was probably supervised by professionals. And good for her! She seems very happy with the result, and that’s all that matters. In the end, it’s not exactly a diet recommended by celebrities, more of a hot trend that grew all over the internet.
It’s not a great way of living, but if you make a few decent adjustments, it can turn into one. Compared to other diets I read, this one isn’t half bad, and it can be one of the diets that work. But don’t get fooled by the wine and dark chocolate, that’s just for baiting purposes. Once you’re recruited, things become less peachy.