What is the Hamptons Diet and what are its benefits and its shortcomings? The Hamptons Diet is the creation of Dr. Fred Pescatore, a one time colleague of none other than Dr. Robert Atkins. On the Hamptons website, one sentence is used to encapsulate the general spirit of the diet. It is stated that one should eat more vegetables, fish, and omega-3 fatty acids and consume most of your fats in the form of monosaturates. For Dr. Pescatore, the fats which one decides to consume is ultimately very important to the results of the diet. While American society has grown leery of carbs in general, many have filled the gaps with more fats, sometimes unbeknownst to them. Dr. Pescatore realized that not all fats are created equal while studying under Dr. Atkins tutelage. So, as opposed to Dr. Atkins perspective that animal fats pose no added health risks and should be consumed in abundance, Dr. Pescatore disagrees and finds that unsaturated fats are still best in preventing heart disease. In a way, the Hamptons Diet is very similar to the Mediterranean diet, but in the process, Dr. Pescatore has discovered that macadamia nut oil contains 30% more monosaturates than olive oil which the Mediterranean Diet tends to focus on. This concept alone is really one of the larger concepts that separates the Hamptons diet from the Mediterranean. The logistics are fairly simple. Dieters are allowed unlimited amounts of lean meats and monounstaurated fats, but carb levels are based upon the amount of weight one is looking to lose. Those who only need to lose more than 10 pounds will only be allowed to eat 30 grams of carbs a day while those with smaller goals are allowed between 40-60 grams of carbs a day. So all in all, its not too complicated, and not nearly as restrictive as Atkins or South Beach. The only problem? Macadamia nut oil'? The deciding factor is macadamia nut oil? Yes, it is every bit as ridiculous as it sounds. One would be better off just picking up a copy of the Mediterranean Diet book, in my opinion, since they advocate very similar principles. First of all, the Hamptons website states that the best macadamia nut oil is typically imported from Australia and for most Americans, looking for imported oils for a simple health benefit is absurd. Better yet, if one happens to be allergic to nuts, the Hamptons Diet folks recommend an estate-bottled extra virgin olive oil instead. Right. Because we all know that estate-bottled oils are all over the shelves at your local Piggly Wiggly. This diet really must only seem reasonable for those with money to blow because it is certainly not intended for those on a budget. My verdict is that it seems like a reasonable plan, but for unreasonable prices. |
