The Portfolio Diet was created by Amanda Ursell, a British nutritionist. The major goal of this diet is lowering the level of bad cholesterol, while increasing the level of good cholesterol. This diet may be life long. Here are some of the diet principles.
Eat lots of fiber. Fiber helps you lose weight by reducing your hunger and slowing the assimilation of fats. You should eat 20 to 25 grams of fiber per day (an ounce is a little more than 28 grams). The best fiber sources include legumes, vegetables, fruits including dried fruits, and whole-grain cereals. Place an accent on these anti-cholesterol foods: agar-agar, fruits and vegetables, legumes, oats, soy, pysllium, shell fish, crustaceans, fish (three times a week or more), white meat, linseed, margarine rich in sterols and stanols, olive and colza oil, barley, quinoa, yeast bread, cacao (one or two squares of chocolate per week), tea, and red wine. Eat some butter in the morning to reduce cholesterol production. Avoid hydrogenated oils, and decrease your consumption of red meat and dairy products. Practice a sport for 15 minutes a day. Examples are walking, swimming, running, and bicycling. Leg and abdominal exercises are also recommended.
Advantages of the Portfolio Diet include its reduction of digestive and cardiac illnesses due to the level of fiber. The numerous vegetables in the diet help your fight against hypertension. It is easy to follow and the meals are balanced. On the other hand, it takes a long time to lose weight. And most meals require cooking.
Here are two sample menus:
Menu 1
Breakfast: 2 slices of whole-grain bread. A slice of smoked salmon. A plain yogurt. An apple. Tea.
Lunch: Carrot and soy sprout salad. Chicken breast grilled with lemon. Spinach. Strawberry and pear compote.
Supper: Pumpkin soup. A thick, curried tuna fillet. Half a plate of wild rice. A kiwi.
Menu 2
Breakfast: A bowl of vanilla soy milk. Unsweetened muesli. An orange.
Lunch: Tomato salad. A grilled sardine. Grilled bell peppers. Soy dessert.
Supper: Lentil soup. 2 skewers of grilled turkey. Broccoli puree. Apple sauce.
Some of the information in this article comes from a fascinating new book, La Bible des Regimes, written by Jenny de Jonquieres and published by Amerik Media. Her book describes over 80 diets and weight reduction programs. Each diet is presented with 5 menu plans, a detailed discussion of its advantages and disadvantages, and lots more. La Bible des Regimes is available only in French at present.