What is the 3 Day Heart Diet Meal Plan and is It Really Good for the Heart?

What is the 3 Day Heart Diet Meal Plan and is It Really Good for the Heart?
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Besides being claimed to be associated with the American Heart Association, the 3 day heart diet meal plan is also referred to as the Cleveland Clinic diet or the British Heart Foundation 3 day diet.

However, none of these organizations actually have any associations with this quick weight loss program. In fact, no one really knows where this diet originated from. So, what is the 3 day heart diet meal plan and is it really good for the heart? Let’s try and answer these questions on this so-called heart-healthy diet right here.

What is This Diet Plan All About?

The 3 day diet is basically a low calorie diet in which the individual’s daily calorie intake ranges from 600-800. You consume three small meals per day continuously for three days and then switch to a normal diet for four to five days.

There are specific meal plans which the dieter has to follow precisely although small variations are allowed. Hard-boiled egg, vanilla ice cream, hot dogs, saltine crackers, black coffee or tea, toast, cheddar cheese and meat are some of the foods that are included as part of these meal plans. It allows using things such as herbs, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce or lemon juice for flavor.

This so-called heart diet or cardiac diet promises quick weight loss, lower cholesterol, increased energy and cleansing of toxins within the body. And it does so through some kind of metabolic reaction.

Does the 3 Day Diet for the Heart Really Work?

If you are looking at losing weight fast, then this diet may be for you, although it may not be healthy for you. This fad diet is definitely not good for your heart. A look at the foods included in the menu will show you that the diet is high in sodium, saturated fat, cholesterol and sugar; things that are not good for the heart.

The 3 day diet meal plan includes foods such as egg, ice cream, cheddar cheese and meat. The American Heart Association clearly states that for a healthy heart, an individual should cut down on saturated fats and cholesterol. This means limited intake of egg yolks, meats and whole-milk dairy products such as cheddar cheese and ice cream. So, how can the 3 day diet be healthy for the heart?

The quick weight loss could be due to the loss of water and not really due to fat loss. The diet will only make you feel dizzy because of the drop in calories. What’s more, the diet lacks some of the key nutrients that the body requires for normal functioning, including iron and calcium.

The American Heart Association recommends that daily servings should be taken from various food categories. This ensures that people eat a nutritionally balanced diet throughout life along with losing excess weight or maintaining a proper body weight. It clearly states that quick weight loss diets are not good for the heart and the 3 day diet meal plan is just a fad diet.

So, basically if you think that the 3 day heart diet meal plan will leave you with a healthy heart, think again. This fad diet may actually prove to be detrimental to your heart and overall health, although you may notice that quick weight loss of 10 pounds within the specified three days’ time.

References

American Heart Association, Inc.: Phony American Heart Association Diet

https://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4715

Diet Health, Inc: Cleveland Clinic 3-Day Diet

https://www.diet.com/g/cleveland-clinic-3day-diet

EveryDiet.org: 3 Day Diet

https://www.everydiet.org/diet/3-day-diet