How to Weigh Pros and Cons of the Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet has grown extremely popular in recent years due to the sponsorship of health-conscious celebrities such as Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. It is more of a lifestyle than a simple diet due to its highly restrictive guidelines on what can be eaten and how it should be eaten. The dietary guidelines require that practitioners consume mostly whole grains, followed by vegetables (usually raw) and small amounts of fish, soups, fruits and nuts. Practitioners claim that the diet prevents certain types of cancers and other illnesses, however, there is no scientific evidence to support these claims.

Instructions

How to Weigh the Pros and Cons of the Macrobiotic Diet

1

Make a two-column list of the pros and cons of the macrobiotic diet as you deliberate the diet's risks and benefits. It would also help to write down your ultimate goal in trying this diet, whether it be weight loss, nutrition or something else.

2

Evaluate the biggest positive and negative first. One of the main positives of the diet is the emphasis on whole grain and organic foods, however, a major negative is the extremely restrictive nature of the diet. Many foods are forbidden, such as dairy, which can result in several nutritional deficiencies.

3

Weight each pro and each con, evaluating how the positive factors will benefit you and how the negative factors might be detrimental to your personal health goals.

4

Assess the risks and benefits of the diet according to your list of pros and cons. Determine if the pros outweigh the cons or vice versa. If there are a greater number of pros or cons, it will help you to assess how difficult or easy the diet will be for you. As you compare the pros and cons, think about how each factor will affect you personally. For example, you might enjoy all of the traditional foods of the diet so the restrictive aspect will not necessarily be a huge negative for you.

5

If there are more pros than cons, you might consider going on the diet for at least a week or two to see if you can successfully complete the requirements. If the cons outweigh the pros, you might want to consider trying another diet more suitable to your needs.