Bulgaria, bordering the Black Sea, Romania, Turkey and Greece in south-central Europe, was named the world's No. 1 fast-food nation in 2009, besting the United States for this dubious honor. Bulgaria also shares the U.S. fascination with fad diets, the supposed quick-fix to weight gained from eating fatty foods. The traditional Bulgarian diet, however, includes healthy choices for weight loss.
Four-Day Diet
Bulgarian diet plans include an extreme, four-day diet that promises weight loss of 2 lbs. to 4 lbs. For the first three days of the diet, your breakfast, lunch and dinner consists of a plate of freshly grated carrots, topped with honey and lemon juice. You can also eat any fruit you'd like with each of the three daily meals. On the fourth day, you add an unspecified amount of fried potatoes, bread and apples to the grated carrot meal. On the fifth day, you resume normal eating.
Modern Bulgarian Diet
The typical Bulgarian diet in the latter half of the 20th century was not conducive to weight loss. Some 35 percent of Bulgarian women and 25 percent of Bulgarian men were considered overweight in 1990, and high consumption of sugar and animal fat may have been the cause. Bulgarians ate twice as much sugar and took in twice as many calories as recommended from eating meat. The Bulgarian diet, prior to modernization of the food supply, was healthier, containing mostly beans, vegetables and fruit. The traditional Bulgarian diet might help you lose weight.
Legumes
Kidney beans, lima beans, black beans and other legumes included in the traditional Bulgarian diet contain fiber and protein. A weight loss diet recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture includes legumes as a low-calorie, nutritious substitute for meat protein. Legumes are high in fiber, which can assist your shape-up ambitions by giving you a greater feeling of satiety and helping you eliminate stored wastes in your colon. Legumes promote regular bowel movements without the unhealthy, possibly habit-forming effects of laxatives. Dietary fiber cleanses your colon and keeps it running smoothly, says Terry Bolin, president of the Gut Foundation in Australia.
Fruits and Vegetables
The inclusion of fruits and vegetables in the pre-modern Bulgarian diet also makes weight-loss sense. The USDA recommends eating three servings each of fruits and vegetables daily. Fruits and vegetables, particularly acidic fruits and leafy green vegetables, contain vitamins and antioxidants that can help you maintain even blood sugar levels, as they provide overall health benefits, according to Leslie Beck, a registered dietitian.
Considerations
The four-day Bulgarian diet, like all extreme diets, is unlikely to produce long-term results. When you severely restrict calories, your metabolism slows to prevent your body from starving and remains slow when you resume normal eating, Beck says. A balanced diet that includes healthy amounts of fiber, fruits and vegetables can help you lose 1 to 2 lbs. a week. Before you launch any weight loss program -- extreme or moderate -- consult a physician.
References
- DietState: Bulgarian Diet Plan
- Country Studies: Bulgaria Health
- "The Sun Herald"; Dietary Fiber: Oats, Peas, Beans and Barley -- Just What the Doctor Ordered; Rochelle Tubb; November 11, 1990
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: Inside the Food Pyramid
- MayoClinic.com: Nutrition and Healthy Eating
- "The Globe and Mail"; Take a Glycemic Load Off; Leslie Beck; December 8, 2004
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