Mono Diet

The word "mono" means "alone." A mono diet traditionally does not refer to the medical condition mononucleosis, but rather refers to a diet where you eat one particular food to the exclusion of others. While eating one food on occasion may not be harmful, avoiding all foods but one for an extended period of time can affect your health.

Origins

Although the origins of the mono diet may be unclear, a pamphlet, published in 1936 by George J. Drews and republished in 2005 by Health Research Books, called "The Improved Mono Diet" explains that a mono diet can be used by people who enjoy the monotony of eating one food for a temporary time, or for those who wish to try a certain food or juice in an effort to try and "cure" an illness through cleansing mechanisms.

Premise

Modern day proponents of a mono diet, such as author Christopher Vasey in his book "The Detox Mono Diet," believe that eating a single food can help you cleanse your body of toxins and lose weight. Some mono diets recommend eating foods known for their health benefits, such as blueberries, grapefruits, watermelon or carrots, for three days at a time, while other mono diets use supplement-enriched foods, such as cookies, as the basis for the mono diet.

Pitfalls

While you may lose weight on a mono diet or other crash diet because you eat so few calories, the weight loss will likely be unsustainable. The National Institutes of Health indicates that unbalanced diets do not give you the variety of nutrients your body needs on a daily basis, and advises against following a fad or crash diet. If you try and follow a mono diet, you may find yourself feeling tired, excessively hungry, developing a dependency on the food, or developing headaches from a lack of calories and nutrients.

Healthier Options

Rather than relying on a mono diet to help you lose weight or cleanse your body, incorporate your chosen food into your overall diet plan. If you want to try the "Cookie Diet" or "Cabbage-Soup" diet, consume the food for lunch or dinner, and eat healthy meals and snacks for the rest of the day. Remember that although you need to reduce your overall caloric intake to lose fat, women need to eat at least 1,200 calories and men need to consume at least 1,500 calories to meet their respective nutritional needs.