When certain months arrive, such as the first of the year, it is when “miraculous” products begin to appear that will help us lose weight quickly and different diets begin to proliferate that promise very fast results.
Some of them are new, but many others have been with us for a long time, only on these dates they come back with force. Among these diets we find the Pronokal diet, whose products have been bought by Nestlé. To learn more about it and its effects on our weight – and our health – we have spoken with Daniel Ursua (@Nutri_Daniel) dietician-nutritionist and Nerea Oaks of the Furnacefamily doctor and dietitian in Bilbao.
What is the Pronokal diet
In principle, the Pronokal diet is about a type of diet very high in protein that could be considered ketogenic. In addition, another of the pillars of this diet is that the calorie consumption is very low.
On some of the websites where they promote this diet, they claim that you can lose up to 9 kg in a single month. In principle, the formula seems simple: a very restrictive consumption of food, in whose first phases only proteins can be consumed – grilled fish and meat – accompanied with vegetables.
Ursúa reminds us that this type of diet has certain physical effects that we will notice as soon as we start the diet: “in the period of adaptation to this type of diet you will, very likely, have a headache, bad breath and greater irritability. Each one should consider if they want to go through something like this”.
One of the peculiarities of this diet is that, in addition to basing it on food, it is recommended to consume some of the specific Pronokal products all of them proteinated. Among some of these products we find cold drinks, chocolates and coffees, sauces and jams, bars, supplements, milkshakes, cookies, desserts and much more.
Dr. Robles del Horno clarifies the fact that it is or is not a ketogenic diet: “it is not ketogenic as such, but part of it can produce ketosis.” Robles refers to some of the studies used by proponents of this diet to sell it: “There are some that indicate that it can reduce the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases. However, swith studies that are incomplete and unfinished and, at the moment, they are not enough to recommend this diet.
A diet based on the sale of its products
On the Pronokal Group website we can find all these products, with a breakdown of ingredients, but they do not tell us the prices. For example, chocolate cakes contain, among other ingredients, sugar, glucose syrup or sunflower oil.
Interestingly, other products such as cold drinks also contain glucose syrup or mannitol, which are also sugars or sweeteners. which is striking in a diet that tells you to reduce the number of carbohydrates and the consumption of sugars.
Dr. Robles is clear: “It is a diet that is very expensive. It is possible that the fact of paying it at the price it has makes you feel that it is more effective than it really is”. However, the results offered – and its safety – do not seem to be in accordance with the price you have to pay for be able to do it.
Efficacy and safety of the Pronokal diet
As with most such restrictive diets, these are diets that must be done in a very short period of time and that are not sustainable over time. Dr. Robles explains it as follows: “it is a diet that would be carried out in short periods of time, like other express diets, such as the artichoke diet, but it is highly inadvisable to follow it continuously.”
Ursúa is very clear about this: “it is a diet that you cannot follow throughout your life. This fact alone should make us suspect that it is not a healthy diet. A healthy diet can – and should – be followed throughout life. It doesn’t have a beginning and an end.”
The family doctor indicates that, effectively, it can make us lose weight quickly in a short period of time: “but it is not feasible to maintain it in the long term And therefore, when you stop it, it generates a great rebound effect, causing us to gain more weight than we have lost”.
And it is that, as Ursúa tells us, does not teach us to change our habits made others healthy: “it is based on feeding us with shakes, while you are following the diet you eat what they give you, but when you leave them you have learned healthy habits and it is most likely that you will return to your previous habits”.
The problem of the rebound effect is not the only one that we find when we face a diet of this type, but it can pose risks to our health. Daniel Ursúa points out the first reason that should make us suspect that it is dangerous: “The fact that a diet has to be controlled by a doctor is already an indication that it may carry some danger and it does not give me security. “It is not a diet healthy” assures Nerea Robles: “it is a high-protein diet that, in the long term, can damage the kidney“.
Opt for a long-term healthy lifestyle change
As with other diets that we have analyzed, for example the Scarsdale diet, they are very short-term diets, which cannot be maintained over time and end up generating a great rebound effect, not to mention the economic cost of Pronokal in particular. And it is that, as he points out in nutritionist: “we have to think that, if this type of diet worked, all doctors, nutritionists, etc. would prescribe it, it would be extremely widespread and there would be no obesity. If not, it is because all these diets fail in the medium-long term”.
If we want to take care of our health and reach our ideal weight – whatever it may be – our best option is always to stay away from miracle diets and bet on a change of habits. Reduce as much as possible the consumption of ultra-processed foods and added sugars and opt for a diet based on vegetables, fruits, seeds, whole and whole grains.
Ursúa points out: “this It is much simpler, safer and cheaper. The only difference is that you have to think about a long-term change in habits.”
In addition, it is really important that we include physical activity and sports on a daily basis in this way we will get our health and weight on the same page and remain so not only for a short period of time, but for a lifetime.
This article was originally published by Iria Reguera in May 2019 and has been reviewed for republication.
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