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This Is Your Body On The Whole30 Diet

The popular Whole30 diet claims to help with digestive problems, weight and low energy, among other things. But is it really as magical as people say? (yulka3ice via Getty Images)
The popular Whole30 diet claims to help with digestive problems, weight and low energy, among other things. But is it really as magical as people say? (yulka3ice via Getty Images)

It’s hard to go anywhere these days without hearing about the Whole30 diet. You probably know at least one person who has tried it ― or has considered trying it ― as a New Year’s resolution or dietary “reset.”

The craze for the eating plan began in 2009 when creator Melissa Hartwig began blogging about a 30-day experiment in which she eliminated items like sugar, dairy and even legumes from her diet. The idea is that you remove certain foods from your diet for a month, then add them back in and see how you react.

She then turned her experiment into a program that claims to eliminate cravings, reduce allergies, aid in digestion, help you shed weight and give you energy.

“In a nutshell, the Whole30 allows you to eat vegetables, potatoes, fruits in moderation, unprocessed meats, seafood, eggs, nuts (but not peanuts since they are legumes), seeds, some oils such as olive and coconut, ghee, and unsweetened coffee with non-dairy creamer such as almond milk,” explained Aimee Aristotelous, a certified nutritionist and author of “Almost Keto.”

Foods you cannot have while undergoing the program include dairy, grains, alcohol, legumes (one of its most confusing rules), added sugars of any kind, processed meats, and additives such as carrageenan, MSG and sulfites, Aristotelous added.

So is Whole30 as magical as people say, or is it total, unsustainable B.S.? We spoke to experts about what happens to your body and mind during the eating plan so you can decide if it’s truly worth it.

Your body will respond positively to a lack of processed foods.

“One pro of the program is that it consists of all whole and unprocessed foods,” said Staci Gulbin, a licensed dietitian in Denver. The program is full of foods that contain lots of nutrients and can contribute to good health.

Krista Scott-Dixon, a certified counselor and curriculum designer for Precision Nutrition, said eating foods on the Whole30 plan can help you increase your intake of fiber and water,...

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