Vegetarian? Paleo? Raw Vegan?

Who has a sound dietary lifestyle that they follow? Has anyone been like me and tried several out? There was a time I was paleo...and then I was vegetarian...and then I was a raw vegan...and so on, and so forth. Which one is BEST? Well, none to be honest. There are aspects within each that are both good and bad. A good diet should really just focus on whole, unprocessed foods such as vegetables (more than 5 servings daily), fruits, nuts and seeds, and incorporate lean protein and whole grains in moderation. I am not a proponent of dairy in general (I don't care if it's organic or not) so I say reduce it drastically or cut it out altogether.  I do NOT claim to be an expert on any one of these (still a nutrition student, sorry guys), however I have personal experience with each as well as some research from my trusty textbooks to support my thinking.

Personally, I don't follow one (well, other than Whole30 for the next 20 or so days) but a combination of all. There are also several I have left out because there are just too many! These seem to be the most 'popular' at the moment though. Here are some pros and cons of each diet, as well as my two cents.


Clean Eating:
-Eat lots of vegetables, fruits, and lean meats (organic highly encouraged)
-Minimal processed foods/ingredients allowed
-Whole grains, pasta and dairy acceptable
-5 or 6 daily meals

This is a great way to eat in general. The emphasis is on eating foods in their most natural state and avoiding refined grains and sugars. There are a ton of cookbooks out there as well as ideas on Pinterest, magazines, and websites. I like the concept, however my body does not do well with grains or dairy in general, so I avoid those.


Vegetarian:
-Diet consists of primarily vegetables, fruits, legumes and grains
-Dairy and eggs allowed (some follow this)
-No meat or fish

If you are becoming a vegetarian because you think it's 'healthier,' you may want to rethink that. While eating a ton of veggies and fruits is absolutely what you should do, too many vegetarians eat an abundance of grains (refined, white, whatever) and junk foods. There is no regulation on sugar or emphasis on 'healthy' choices. In addition, you really have to make sure you are ingesting enough protein daily (usually from the beans and leafy greens). Personally I don't do well with beans, and I love meat, so this wasn't for me.

Vegan:
-More strict than vegetarian
-NO dairy or eggs or meat or fish
-No animal products in your clothing or animal testing in your makeup, etc.

If this is something done for ethic reasons, I say more power to you. Similar to being a vegetarian, this lifestyle does not necessarily mean that you will become 'healthier.' Many eat a ton of grains, pasta and a small amount of vegetables and fruit (kind of ironic). If you have the dedication to follow this and limit your refined foods, go for it.


Raw Vegan:
-Vegan + NO cooked foods

As crazy as this one sounds, there are certainly benefits. While I don't suggest being a raw vegan 100% of the time, there are definitely full meals or even days where I do this. By not cooking your vegetables, you are getting an abundance of nutrients (many are usually cooked out by boiling, etc). If this was an every day thing, it would take a LOT of time to prep meals, creativity, and again possibly a lack of protein if not planned out.


Paleo:
-All meats accepted (organic/grass-fed highly recommended)
-Vegetables/fruits/seeds eaten daily
-No grains, no dairy, no legumes, no sugar, no potatoes
-Red wine allowed at a minimum

I was paleo for about a year, and while it worked decently well with my system, I can say that the higher-fat meats and potential for over-eating on nuts/seeds definitely bothered my digestive system. Paleo is essentially a "caveman" diet where you eat what your ancestors ate- nothing processed. My beef (ha!) with this diet is that a) no one should eat bacon with every meal, and b) some people do ok with grains such as quinoa, or potatoes. Do I recommend eating them every day? No. But as my mother reminded me (thanks mom!), if you cut those grains out completely, when you try to 'just have one' you usually go overboard.


Whole30:
-Slightly more strict than Paleo
-No sweets (dark chocolate, honey, agave, stevia, etc)
-No pseudo grains (buckwheat, etc)
-No gum
-No alcohol
-Nothing that reminds you of comfort foods
-3 meals daily; little to no snacking

Whole30 is no joke. I'm in the middle of it right now and I can't imagine following it for a long period of time. It aims to reset your body and fix any unhealthy relationships with food (I'm a night time muncher and I LOVE sweets). While I'm surviving this program ok, again, I would allow myself some dark chocolate, quinoa or even some stinkin' gum once and a while.


Whole Plate (USDA Recommended Daily Intake):
-Equal emphasis on vegetables and grains (refined is ok)
-3c of dairy products daily
-Any type of protein is acceptable

Sigh. I could rip on this one all day. Sorry. Our government really needs to rethink this. First, our bodies do not need that many grains per day. However, if you are going to eat that amount, please make them whole grains or sprouted grains (refined white breads are not equal to a whole grain bread!). Second, no one needs that much dairy (ok maybe babies). If you are drinking it for calcium, you can get it from other sources such as leafy greens, coconut/almond milk, nuts and seeds. Otherwise, there is no nutritional value here that you can't get elsewhere. Third, the fruit and vegetable categories allow for cans and juices (full of sugar and/or additional artificial ingredients). Instead of going on and on all day...just don't eat the Standard American Diet. Elements of it, fine. But not in it's entirety.