Why diets rarely stick and the food you love wins
Studies of popular diets reach a calm conclusion: in the long run, what works is the way of eating you can actually keep up. And taste is one of the first things we choose food by. On Monday you start the "right" menu of steamed chicken, unsalted rice and broccoli, and by Thursday you're dreaming of your mom's moussaka. Here you'll see what the research shows, why caring about taste is no weakness, and how to keep your favorite dishes and still eat more protein.
In short
- In a 2005 study, 160 people followed one of four popular diets for a year. Only 58% made it to the end.
- A large review of 48 studies with 7 286 people found only small differences between the well-known diets. The authors advise choosing the plan a person will stick to.
- 61% of Bulgarians put taste among the most important things when they buy food (Eurobarometer, 2019).
- When cafeteria vegetables are described with tasty words, people choose them 29% more often than when the labels say "healthy".
- The practical part: keep the dishes you love and add protein to them.
The "perfect" diet and real life
In 2005, a team at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston published one of the most cited comparisons of popular diets in the journal JAMA. They randomly assigned 160 adults to four groups of 40: Atkins, Zone, Weight Watchers and Ornish. After the first two months, when everyone gave it their best, each person decided for themselves how closely to stick to their plan.
Here's how many people from each group made it to the end of the year:
| Diet | Finished the year |
|---|---|
| Atkins (low carb) | 21 of 40 (53%) |
| Zone (macronutrient balance) | 26 of 40 (65%) |
| Weight Watchers (calorie counting) | 26 of 40 (65%) |
| Ornish (very low fat) | 20 of 40 (50%) |
The authors themselves write that adherence was low overall. And these were people who had volunteered for a study at a university medical center. In everyday life, with work, kids and a colleague's birthday, it's even harder.
What the studies have in common
These studies mainly measure weight, so we cite them here for one observation only, and we make no promises. In the 2005 study, the change in weight was linked to how closely people stuck to their plan. No such link was found with the type of diet. A 2014 meta-analysis in JAMA pooled 48 randomized trials with 7 286 people and found only small differences between the well-known diets. The authors concluded that it makes sense to recommend the plan a person will stick to. And in the 2018 DIETFITS study, 609 adults followed either a low-fat or a low-carb diet for a year, and the difference between the groups was not significant.
Important
We only need one observation from these studies: a rule you can't follow doesn't work for you. There are no weight promises here.
What's interesting about DIETFITS is how the researchers worked with people. In group sessions throughout the year, participants looked for the lowest intake of fat or carbs they could keep up long term, and the talk was about food quality. The key words are "keep up".
In defense of taste
If you choose food by taste, you're in good company. Back in 1998, a US survey of 2 967 adults showed that taste is the most important factor in choosing food, followed by cost. The authors advise presenting healthy eating as tasty and affordable.
It's the same in Bulgaria. In the EU's 2019 Eurobarometer on food safety, people picked up to three factors that matter most to them when they buy food.
| What matters when buying | Bulgaria | EU average |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 63% | 51% |
| Taste | 61% | 49% |
| Food safety | 58% | 50% |
| Nutritional content | 44% | 44% |
| Origin | 39% | 53% |
Bulgarians rank taste much higher than the average European.
Tasty words get people to eat their vegetables
Stanford researchers tested something very simple. In the dining halls of five US universities, they changed only the labels above the vegetables. Some labels highlighted the health benefit, others the taste, for example "Sizzlin' Szechuan green beans with toasted garlic".
After 137 842 food choices over 185 days, the result was clear. With the tasty labels, people put vegetables on their plates 29% more often than with the healthy ones, and 14% more often than with plain names. The amount of vegetables eaten went up too. The effect was biggest where the recipes really were tasty.
In further experiments, the authors looked at why this happens. What decides it is the expectation that the food will taste good. Labels with merely nice or fancy words, or with a list of ingredients, don't have the same effect.
The lesson: healthy food wins when it's tasty. When we present it as a chore, it loses.
Pleasure is in the official guidelines
The first of Bulgaria's 12 healthy eating guidelines reads: "Eat nutritious and varied food. Eat regularly and with pleasure, in a pleasant atmosphere. Take enough time for your meals." Pleasure is written into the very first guideline, right next to variety. There's more about these guidelines in our article on balanced eating and the food pyramid.
Keep your dishes, add protein
The rule here is addition: you keep your favorite dish and add to it. Most Bulgarian dishes already have a base that protein fits into easily.
- Bob chorba (bean soup) or lentils. Crumble white cheese on top, or put a hard-boiled egg next to the bowl.
- Moussaka or stuffed bell peppers. A small bowl of yogurt on the side adds protein and makes the dish even more Bulgarian.
- Pasta. Grated kashkaval (yellow cheese) or white cheese in the sauce, egg in the carbonara, beans in the tomato sauce.
- Banitsa (cheese pastry) or mekitsi (fried dough) for breakfast. A cup of yogurt or ayran (a salty yogurt drink) on the side, and an egg if you have time.
- Salad. White cheese, a boiled egg, tuna or chickpeas turn a side dish into a main meal.
How much protein each of these additions gives you is in our article on protein in foods, and how to spread it across breakfast, lunch and dinner is in our guide to spreading protein through the day.
This exact idea is where MEALUP came from: a savory protein powder you sprinkle over the dish you already love. 1 serving (30 g) gives at least 20 g of protein, and the recipe stays yours.
Myth
"Healthy food has to be bland." Research shows the opposite: people eat more healthy food when they expect it to taste good. Spices, a crispy crust and your favorite sauce are on your side.
Frequently asked questions
So I can eat whatever I want?
You can eat what you love and still eat a balanced diet. The Bulgarian guidelines call for foods from the four main groups every day: grains and potatoes, vegetables and fruit, milk and dairy products, and meat, fish, eggs, legumes and nuts. Most favorite dishes cover at least two of them.
What if my favorite food is banitsa?
Enjoy it. A cup of yogurt or an egg on the side adds protein without changing the taste of the banitsa.
When should I follow a special diet after all?
When a doctor has recommended one because of a health condition, such as kidney disease, diabetes or an allergy. In that case, also ask your doctor how to keep your favorite dishes within the diet.
Do I need to count calories and grams?
You can skip the counting. Start with simple habits, like protein at every main meal and half a plate of vegetables.
Sources
- Dansinger M. L. et al., "Comparison of the Atkins, Ornish, Weight Watchers, and Zone diets for weight loss and heart disease risk reduction: a randomized trial", JAMA, 2005;293(1):43-53
- Johnston B. C. et al., "Comparison of weight loss among named diet programs in overweight and obese adults: a meta-analysis", JAMA, 2014;312(9):923-933
- Gardner C. D. et al., "Effect of Low-Fat vs Low-Carbohydrate Diet on 12-Month Weight Loss in Overweight Adults: The DIETFITS Randomized Clinical Trial", JAMA, 2018;319(7):667-679
- Glanz K. et al., "Why Americans eat what they do: taste, nutrition, cost, convenience, and weight control concerns as influences on food consumption", Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 1998;98(10):1118-1126
- Turnwald B. P. et al., "Increasing Vegetable Intake by Emphasizing Tasty and Enjoyable Attributes: A Randomized Controlled Multisite Intervention for Taste-Focused Labeling", Psychological Science, 2019;30(11):1603-1615
- EFSA and European Commission, Eurobarometer 91.3 "Food safety in the EU", data for Bulgaria, 2019
- NCPHA, "Healthy eating recommendations for the adult population and pregnant and breastfeeding women in Bulgaria" (in Bulgarian), 2018
