Bread for Life Diet

In 2005, Olga Raz, director of nutrition at Sourasky Medical Center in Tel Aviv, published "Bread for Life," which proposed a high-carbohydrate diet as the secret to losing weight and maintaining the weight loss. At a time when low-carb and high-protein diets made headlines, Raz's approach seemed radical. But the Bread for Life diet may be a good choice for people who have trouble sticking to low-carb diet plans. Like any diet, Bread for Life relies on consuming fewer calories than you burn each day to lose weight.

Carbohydrates in Diet

Both sugars and starches make up carbohydrates in food, according to the Harvard School of Public Health. You'll find carbohydrates in grains, starchy vegetables such as potatoes and corn, and sweets. The body processes simple carbohydrates, found in sugar and refined grains such as white rice or white bread, very quickly. Consuming these foods can cause a spike in blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates, such as the kind in whole grains such as brown rice and whole-wheat bread, contain a lot of fiber. The body digests these foods more slowly. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that eating high-fiber foods can lower your cholesterol levels and help keep you regular.

The Serotonin/Appetite Connection

Raz states that the Bread for Life diet works because eating complex carbohydrates raises levels of serotonin in the brain, leading to increased feelings of satisfaction and decreased hunger. Serotonin works in the brain to regulate mood. The diet calls for eating small meals every few hours and 12 to 16 slices of whole-grain bread per day. Go Ask Alice, the health columnist for Health Services at Columbia University, notes that while a carbohydrate-rich meal can increase serotonin levels, the effect varies from person to person. Some people can eat such a meal and receive an energy boost, while others will only be sleepy, and others won't be affected much at all.

The Diet

The Bread For Life diet allows women to eat up to 12 slices of bread a day, and men to consume up to 16 slices. But these must be whole-grain breads that contain only 35 to 45 calories a slice, which means the breads are designated as "lite" or "diet" breads. Along with the bread, you eat plenty of vegetables, salad, soups, lean meats and fish. The diet also allows for brown rice, oatmeal and whole-grain pasta. Raz suggests limiting fruits, since she claims these can raise blood sugar, which will make you hungrier. She also says to avoid fruit juice. You're supposed to eat every three hours on the diet, a small meal that often consists of a sandwich, sometimes accompanied by a salad or soup. The sandwiches are small and the calorie count of each meal is relatively low -- 300 calories or less.

Benefits

People who have a hard time sticking to low-carb diets may find the Bread for Life diet easier to follow. The diet plan as laid out in Raz's book restricts calories, so if you follow her directions you are likely to lose weight. The diet includes a balance of foods and is low in fat and high in fiber. Frequent small meals may help you feel less hungry.

Negatives

Not everyone will realize a rise in serotonin levels from eating the whole grains prescribed in this diet, according to Go Ask Alice. People who are gluten intolerant or gluten sensitive would not tolerate this diet well. You must eat diet bread and not regular bread on this diet. Eating meals every few hours may not be possible for some people.