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What happens to your body when you follow the rice diet

The rice diet, originally developed by Dr. Walter Kempner in the 1930s, was designed to deal with specific medical conditions, mainly high blood pressure (hypertension) and kidney disease. Over the decades, he has gained popularity as a weight loss regime, but his restrictive nature raises concerns about his long -term health impacts, including muscle loss and nutritional deficiency.

1. Advantages of weight loss claimed

DRS. David C. and Mary Kempner published the 2006 book The rice diet solution: lose weight, improve your health and live longer. In this document, they adapted the original Walter Kempner rice diet for a modern audience.

The book has requested many potential advantages, in particular:

  • Weight loss
  • Less bloating
  • Can help chronic health problems such as hypertension, diabetes and heart disease
  • Teaches the control of portions
  • Integrates more fresh fruits and vegetables

The diet also recommends changes in lifestyle such as exercise, relaxation, conscious food and social connection.

2. Risk of nutritional deficiencies

The rice regime is restrictive, which can cause nutritional deficiencies. It lacks essential nutrients such as proteins, healthy fats and vitamins and minerals, which can cause weakened immunity. Do not get enough fat and essential proteins can affect body functions and overall health.

3. Potential muscle loss

Because the diet is low in protein, this can cause lean muscle mass loss. The protein is crucial to maintaining muscle tissue, and a deficiency can decrease muscle strength and the global metabolic rate. This can be counterproductive for long-term weight management, as muscle loss can reduce the number of calories burned at rest.

4. Metabolism slows down

When the body perceives a significant calorie deficit, it can enter into famine mode, reducing the metabolic rate to preserve energy. This can make weight loss more difficult and easier to recover it once normal eating habits are resuming.

5. Advantages of historical research of the rice diet

Kempner’s rice diet has been formulated to deal with serious medical conditions such as hypertension and chronic kidney disease. The diet is characterized by high consumption of white rice, fruit and fruit juice and a very limited contribution from other foods. His research has shown:

  • Kidney disease: The low and low sodium nature of the diet helps reduce the workload on the kidneys. The high content of rice carbohydrates provides energy without putting additional pressure on the kidneys, which is important for people with a compromised renal function.
  • Hypertension: The rice regime has offered a way to considerably reduce sodium intake, which is beneficial because sodium can increase blood pressure. The emphasis on the fruit diet, which is rich in potassium and low in sodium, have helped to balance electrolytes and reduce blood pressure.
  • Other conditions: Kempner has also discovered that the rice diet can be beneficial for those who suffer from additional health problems, such as diabetes, heart failure and obesity.

Of the 192 people that Dr. Kempner initially tried the rice diet, 25 people died of their hypertension and many have not seen much improvement in their blood pressure. (It was at a time when people with serious high blood pressure often had a life expectancy of only six months).

Some people have seen major improvements in blood pressure, the size of the heart, cholesterol levels and eye problems related to diabetes. This led these people to strongly support Dr. Kempner and his diet. This positive feedback has also encouraged other doctors to recommend rice diet to their patients.

Although Kempner’s diet has shown certain immediate advantages in terms of reducing symptoms of kidney failure and hypertension, there was limited long -term evidence regarding its effectiveness and safety. The diet is very different from what is generally recommended, which makes it difficult to know if it is durable or safe over time.

How to follow the diet

If you plan to try the rice regime, it is important to understand its directives and approach it with caution. Here is how it usually works:

  • Rice: White rice is the main source of food and should constitute most of your daily contribution.
  • Fruit: A variety of fruit is encouraged because they provide vitamins, minerals and essential fibers. Fruit juices can also be included.
  • Other limited foods: The diet limits the contribution of other foods, including proteins, fats and many vegetables.

Before starting the rice diet, consult a health care provider or a registered dietitian to make sure that it aligns your health needs and objectives. They can provide advice on how to minimize potential risks and guarantee that your diet remains as balanced as possible.

A word of very good

The rice diet is not a diet appropriate for most people because it limits the contribution of many important nutrients, including fibers, proteins and fats. Although you can see significant weight loss at first, it is not a sustainable or healthy weight loss diet. A healthy diet must integrate a macro and micronutrient balance, in which the rice regime is sorely lacking.


How does the diet work

The rice diet solution Structure The rice regime in three distinct phases, each with specific objectives and food directives.

Phase 1: detoxification

During this phase, the diet is extremely restrictive, focusing only on rice and fruits. He understands:

  • Caloric intake generally varies from 800 to 1,000 calories per day.
  • This phase generally involves consuming large amounts of white rice, as well as fruit and fruit juices. The low protein and low -fat nature of the diet aims to reduce the burden of the digestive system and kidneys.
  • Phase 1 generally lasts one to two weeks, depending on health conditions and individual objectives.
  • This phase can cause initial weight loss and improvements in energy levels due to the reduced supply of processed foods and items rich in fats.

Phase 2: Weight loss

The second phase of the rice diet focuses on weight loss. It maintains the fundamental principles of rice and fruit consumption, but introduces more variety and additional food groups. He understands:

  • With rice and fruits, it can include small portions of vegetables and low -fat protein, such as chicken or fish. The objective is to create a calorie deficit while providing essential nutrients.
  • This phase generally implies a daily contribution of 1,200 to 1,500 calories.
  • Phase 2 can last several weeks or months, depending on the objectives and progress of the individual’s weight loss.
  • This phase supports sustained weight loss by offering a more balanced diet which includes a greater variety of nutrients while maintaining the accent on rice and fruits.

Phase 3: Maintenance

The third phase of the rice diet is designed to help individuals maintain their weight loss and overall health. He understands:

  • This phase allows a more varied diet, including a larger range of fruits, dairy products, vegetables, lean proteins, healthy fats and whole grains. The emphasis remains on moderation and balance.
  • Allows more calories: 200 more per week until you stop losing weight
  • Phase 3 is a long -term food approach, helping individuals to integrate healthy eating habits in their daily lives.

White rice against brown rice

Although brown rice is an option richer in nutrients, white rice is often preferred for people with kidney problems because:

  • Lower phosphorus: White rice has less phosphorus, which is better for those who have kidney problems, because their kidneys have trouble filtering excess phosphorus.
  • Less potassium: It contains less potassium than brown rice, which helps avoid high potassium levels that can be harmful to people with kidney disease.

Main to remember

  • Although the rice diet offers short -term advantages and may appeal to those looking to simplify their diet, it has significant drawbacks, including nutritional deficiencies, potential muscle loss, psychological effects and other health risks.
  • For those who envisage the rice regime, it is crucial to weigh these factors carefully and to ask for professional advice to ensure that this is a safe and appropriate choice.
  • Long -term health and efficient weight management are better achieved thanks to a balanced and varied diet and sustainable lifestyle changes.
Very well health uses only high -quality sources, including studies evaluated by peers, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to find out more about how we check the facts and keep our content precise, reliable and trustworthy.
Photo by Sarah Jividen

By Sarah Jividen, Rn

Jividen is a health journalist. It has more than a decade of direct experience on patient care as an authorized infirmarian specializing in neurotraums, strokes and emergencies.

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