Dietitian Susie Burrell reveals what happens to your body when you cut food groups from diet

A dietitian has revealed what happens when you cut popular food groups like red meat, dairy, eggs, and seafood from your diet, and why other foods like pasta, rice, and potatoes aren’t so bad for you. as you think

Susie Burrell of sydneyHe said that while many popular diets these days eliminate entire groups, what we don’t often think about is the nutritional consequences of doing this.

We also need to think about how we can replace ‘forbidden foods to make sure we’re not missing out on something the body really needs to stay healthy long term.’

1. Dairy

The first, and one of the most popular, food groups that people cut out is dairy, and cutting it can have big health implications.

“The first thing we usually think of when we think of milk and other dairy products is their calcium content, but dairy products are also a rich natural source of magnesium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, protein, vitamin D, and vitamin A,” Susie wrote. in its website.

“If you’re not eating dairy, all of these vital nutrients will be affected over time.”

The dietitian explained that it is very difficult for adults to get the 800-1000mg of calcium they need each day without dairy in their diet.

Even if you’re drinking alternative milks that have been “fortified” with calcium, it’s rarely found in the amounts found in three servings of dairy, he said.

The long-term health implications of low dairy and calcium intake include brittle bones and more frequent illnesses due to a lack of calcium in the body.

If you must cut back on dairy, Susie recommends that you absolutely make sure you’re regularly drinking a calcium-fortified plant-based milk and consider taking a “calcium supplement to make sure you’re getting the 800-1000mg of calcium you need each.” . day’.

2. Red meat

The second food many choose to eliminate is red meat, usually when following a vegetarian or vegan diet.

“But while you can choose not to include red meat for a number of different reasons, nutritionally, the key issue here is that you’re also removing one of the richest natural sources of iron from your diet,” Susie said.

Foods such as white meat, eggs, whole grains and dark leafy greens contain iron, but Susie said it is “poorly absorbed” by the body compared to red meat.

Low iron levels are common in Australia, with up to 25 per cent of women struggling with low levels.

“Low iron levels leave you feeling fatigued, out of breath and dealing with low immunity,” Susie said.

If you still want to cut back on red meat, the best thing to do is to pay “extra attention to making sure you include iron-rich foods at every meal and snack,” Susie said.

It is important to remember that adult women need between nine and 15 mg per day.

3. Birds

It may be a little less common to cut up poultry, but if you do, you’ll need to think about how much lean protein you’re consuming.

Protein deficiency can lead to weakness and fatigue, loss of muscle mass, sugar cravings, and risk of bone fractures.

If you’re not eating poultry, Susie said you want to make sure you have a source of lean protein with each meal.

Good examples include fish, eggs, and dairy products.

4 eggs

Eggs are very popular with dietitians, and for good reason.

“Eggs are an extremely nutritious food containing more than 20 essential vitamins and minerals, including good quality protein, good fats, and vitamins A and E, making them a good addition to any diet,” said Susie.

But while they’re all good for our health, Susie said we can get all of the nutrients in eggs outside of eggs except one: selenium.

“Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that plays a key role in cellular health and is found in very few foods except eggs and Brazil nuts,” he said, and just one egg provides you with a quarter of your daily needs. of selenium.

“Eggs are also a good source of vitamin D, which can often be low in our overall diets as well,” Susie said.

All of this means that if you eliminate eggs, you’ll need to pay close attention to your diet.

5. Fish and shellfish

Finally, if you are someone who has eliminated fish and shellfish from your diet, you should know that you will be missing out on omega 3 fats and zinc.

“Oily fish is one of the few natural foods that offers omega 3,” said Susie.

“This means that skipping oily fish entirely will make it nearly impossible to get the amount of omega 3s you ideally need without supplementation.”

Finally, skipping fish and shellfish will leave you low in iodine, which is linked to impaired thyroid function in the long run.

All this means that if you do not eat these two things, you must have a dietary supplement.

To know more about Susie Burrell, you can visit her Instagram page here.