Sirtfood Diet: Vegan-Friendly Or Not?

The Sirtfood Diet is a diet that includes red wine, chocolate, and coffee. It is based on eating foods that are high in sirtuins (SIRTs), which are plant-based foods that are high in fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants. The diet was created by celebrity nutritionists Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten, who claim that it helps access the body's skinny gene and boosts weight loss. The diet has gained popularity due to its association with celebrities such as Adele, who reportedly lost 100 pounds by following the Sirtfood Diet. While the diet is mostly plant-based, it is not strictly vegan as it includes some animal products. However, vegans and vegetarians can still obtain the benefits of the Sirtfood Diet by paying attention to certain nutrients that may be lacking and making appropriate food choices or considering supplementation.

The Sirtfood diet is mostly plant-based

Sirtfoods are a recently discovered group of nutrient-rich foods that seem to be able to 'activate' the body's skinny genes (also known as sirtuins), in much the same way as fasting diets do, with the same range of benefits but without the common downsides of fasting diets, such as hunger, irritability and muscle loss. By eating a diet rich in Sirtfoods, it is claimed that participants will lose weight, gain muscle, look and feel better and maybe even live a longer and healthier life.

The Sirtfood diet was created by celebrity nutritionists Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. They were so interested in the potential of Sirtfoods that they created a diet based on maximising Sirtfood intake and mild calorie restriction. They then tested this diet on participants from an exclusive London gym and were amazed by their findings. Gym members lost an average of 7lbs in the first 7 days, despite not increasing their levels of exercise. Not only did the participants lose a substantial amount of weight, but they also gained muscle and reported significant improvements in overall health and well-being.

The diet is split into two phases. Phase 1: the 7-day 'hypersuccess phase', which combines a Sirtfood-rich diet with moderate calorie restriction, and Phase 2: the 14-day 'maintenance phase', where you consolidate your weight loss without restricting calories. During the first 3 days of phase one, calorie intake is restricted to 1,000 calories. The diet consists of 3 Sirtfood-rich green juices and 1 Sirtfood-rich meal and 2 squares of dark chocolate. During the remaining 4 days, calorie intake is increased to 1,500 calories and each day the diet comprises 2 Sirtfood-rich green juices and 2 Sirtfood-rich meals.

Phase 2 does not focus on calorie restriction. Each day involves 3 Sirtfood-rich meals and 1 green juice, plus the option of 1 or 2 Sirtfood bite snacks, if required. In phase 2, you are allowed to drink red wine, but in moderation (the recommendation is 2-3 glasses of red wine per week), as well as water, tea, coffee and green tea.

The Sirtfood diet is not designed to be a one-off 'diet' but rather a way of life. You are encouraged, once you’ve completed the first 3 weeks, to continue eating a diet rich in Sirtfoods and to continue drinking your daily green juice.

While vegans and vegetarians can obtain all the benefits from a Sirtfood-based diet, attention needs to be given to the nutrients that may be lacking, and appropriate food choices or even supplementation may be necessary. Without animal protein to complement Sirtfoods, there is a risk of nutritional deficiency.

It includes red wine and chocolate

The Sirtfood Diet, created by celebrity nutritionists Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten, is a diet that includes red wine and chocolate. The diet is based on research on sirtuins (SIRTs), a group of seven proteins found in the body that regulate metabolism, inflammation, and lifespan. It involves eating foods that are high in sirtuin activators, or "sirtfoods," which are said to activate the body's "skinny gene" and help burn fat faster.

The diet consists of two phases that last a total of three weeks, with the first phase being the most challenging. During the first three days of phase one, calorie intake is restricted to 1,000 calories, including three green juices and one meal per day. The green juice recipe includes kale, arugula, parsley, celery, green apple, lemon, and matcha green tea. Each day, dieters can choose from recipes in the book, such as miso-glazed tofu, a sirtfood omelet, or a shrimp stir-fry with buckwheat noodles.

On days four to seven of phase one, calorie intake is increased to 1,500, including two green juices and two sirtfood-rich meals per day. Phase two, the "maintenance phase," lasts for two weeks, with no specific calorie limit. This phase includes three meals and one green juice per day, chosen from the recipes provided in the book.

Red wine and dark chocolate (with 85% cocoa) are among the "top 20 sirtfoods" listed by Goggins and Matten. These foods are allowed in moderation during the diet, with the recommendation of two to three glasses of red wine per week. While the diet includes indulgent treats, it is still low in calories, and the weight loss claimed is mostly due to the extreme calorie restriction.

The Sirtfood Diet has gained popularity due to its association with celebrities like Adele, who reportedly lost 100 pounds by following this diet. However, health experts warn that this diet may not live up to the hype and could be unsustainable and unhealthy in the long term. The rapid weight loss claimed is mainly due to the body burning its emergency energy stores and losing water weight, which is not sustainable. Additionally, the diet may be deficient in certain nutrients and is likely to leave people feeling hungry, especially during phase one.

While the Sirtfood Diet includes indulgent treats like red wine and chocolate, it is important to approach this diet with caution and be aware of its potential downsides.

It's split into two phases

The Sirtfood Diet is split into two phases. The first phase is the most challenging, as it begins by limiting calorie intake to just 1,000 per day for the first three days. This is around half of the calories that adults are generally recommended to consume daily. During these first three days, the 1,000-calorie maximum must be divided into three sirtfood green juices and one full meal containing sirtfoods.

For the remainder of the first week, calories are increased to 1,500 per day, with dieters consuming two green juices and two meals a day. This first phase is intended to kickstart weight loss and is claimed to help people lose 7 pounds in 7 days.

The second phase lasts for two weeks, during which dieters continue to lose weight. There is no specific calorie limit for this phase, but people are instructed to eat three meals full of sirtfoods and one green juice per day.

The creators of the Sirtfood Diet recommend repeating these two phases as often as desired for further weight loss. However, they also suggest that people can continue to "sirtify" their diet after completing these phases by incorporating sirtfoods into their regular meals.

It's not nutritionally balanced

The Sirtfood Diet is a diet based on eating foods that are high in sirtuins (SIRTs). These are plant-based foods that are typically high in fibre, vitamins, and antioxidants.

The diet is split into two phases. Phase one is the most challenging as it restricts calories to 1,000 a day for the first three days, and 1,500 for the remaining four days. During this phase, dieters must also drink three sirtfood green juices and eat one full meal containing sirtfoods. Phase two lasts for two weeks, during which dieters can eat three sirtfood-rich meals and one green juice per day, with no restriction on calories.

While the Sirtfood Diet is mostly plant-based, it is not nutritionally balanced, particularly during the first phase. Restricting calories to 1,000 a day is around half of what adults are generally recommended to consume daily by the National Health Service (NHS), and can lead to hunger, fatigue, lightheadedness, and irritability. It can also cause muscle mass loss and is typically not recommended without the supervision of a physician.

In addition, the diet is deficient in certain nutrients, and vegans and vegetarians may need to consider additional supplements to compensate for the lack of animal protein. These include omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, calcium, and iodine.

The Sirtfood Diet is also expensive and time-consuming, requiring the purchase of a juicer, the diet book, and certain rare and costly ingredients. Overall, while the diet may help with weight loss in the short term, it is not a healthy or sustainable way to lose weight and keep it off.

It's likely to be unsustainable

The Sirtfood Diet is likely to be unsustainable for several reasons. Firstly, the diet is very restrictive, both in terms of calories and food choices. During the first phase of the diet, calorie intake is limited to 1,000 per day for the first three days, which is around half of the recommended daily intake for adults. This level of calorie restriction is not recommended without medical supervision and is likely to leave people feeling hungry and irritable.

In addition, the Sirtfood Diet requires drinking up to three green juices per day, which can be costly and time-consuming to prepare. The diet also includes some rare and expensive ingredients, such as matcha green tea powder, lovage, and buckwheat, which may be difficult for some people to source and afford.

Furthermore, the Sirtfood Diet is not a balanced diet and is likely to be deficient in protein, vitamins, and minerals, especially during the first phase. This could lead to health issues, especially for those with diabetes, as the high juice content and low calorie intake may cause dangerous changes in blood sugar levels.

While the Sirtfood Diet may help with initial weight loss due to the extreme calorie restriction, this weight loss is unlikely to be sustained in the long term. Once the diet ends, people are likely to regain the weight they lost, as the body replenishes its glycogen stores.

Overall, the Sirtfood Diet is overly restrictive and unsustainable for most people due to the high costs, time commitments, and potential health risks associated with its extreme calorie restriction and limited food choices.

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