Grapefruit, cabbage and bananas - what do these foods have in common? They've all been part of diets promising quick and easy weight loss. The cabbage soup diet and the grapefruit diet were both big news in the Eighties and Nineties.
While health professionals have since discredited both, the popular desire for quick-fix eating plans remains strong.
Now, the Morning Banana Diet has captivated Japan. Its popularity has led to banana shortages across the nation - and the news has now spread, making headlines around the world.
The concept is simple: eat only bananas and drink room-temperature water for breakfast and you will lose weight. Aside from the morning banana, diet followers are encouraged to avoid desserts and dairy products, to drink plenty of water and to be in bed by midnight.
The diet does not restrict the type or amount of food that is consumed at other meals throughout the day, and does not prescribe physical activity.
Its simplicity is appealing, but does it work and is it safe?
While no clinical studies have been conducted on the diet to gauge its effectiveness and safety, as is the case with many fad diets, it does raise a few nutritional red flags.
Firstly, the cornerstones of healthy eating are variety and moderation. While bananas are an excellent source of potassium and a good source of fibre and vitamin B6, encouraging followers to eat only bananas at breakfast means healthy foods that provide other nutrients are being displaced from the diet. Many fad diets exclude entire food groups. In this case, dairy products, which are an important source of calcium, are shunned.
Secondly, while the diet does promote the eating of breakfast, it misses the mark in other ways. Studies have shown that eating breakfast is associated with a lower body mass index (BMI), a measurement comparing weight and height. In fact, a study from the University of Massachusetts Medical School published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that skipping breakfast was associated with an increased prevalence of obesity.
The reason is two-fold; eating breakfast kick-starts the metabolism and helps you burn more calories throughout the day; it also prevents you from running on empty and making unhealthy food choices when you are famished.
However, the key to a healthy breakfast is consuming a range of foods that will help keep energy levels up. Bananas are high in carbohydrates and a natural source of sugar. While less so than their processed counterparts, natural sugars still cause a fairly rapid rise and fall in blood-sugar levels. As a result, bananas provide immediate satiety, but don't have the staying power of, say, protein and fat. A more balanced and fulfilling breakfast would include a piece of whole grain toast, a tablespoon of nut butter and some milk, or yogurt in addition to the banana.
Finally, any healthy weight-loss plan should encourage physical activity - something the Morning Banana Diet doesn't do. Weight loss aside, regular physical activity plays a key role in preventing chronic disease and should be a part of any healthy lifestyle.
As with any fad diet, extreme measures can lead to immediate weight loss, but the sticking point is whether or not this can be maintained. As soon as the novelty wears off and you resort to old habits, the weight will very likely come back. In fact, it's not unusual for followers of fad diets to regain even more weight than they lost. This only speaks to the importance of making healthy and sustainable changes to your eating habits.
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The biog
Favourite car: Ferrari
Likes the colour: Black
Best movie: Avatar
Academic qualifications: Bachelor’s degree in media production from the Higher Colleges of Technology and diploma in production from the New York Film Academy
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying or online bullying could take many forms such as sending unkind or rude messages to someone, socially isolating people from groups, sharing embarrassing pictures of them, or spreading rumors about them.
Cyberbullying can take place on various platforms such as messages, on social media, on group chats, or games.
Parents should watch out for behavioural changes in their children.
When children are being bullied they they may be feel embarrassed and isolated, so parents should watch out for signs of signs of depression and anxiety
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Results
1. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes) 1hr 32mins 03.897sec
2. Max Verstappen (Red Bull-Honda) at 0.745s
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes) 37.383s
4. Lando Norris (McLaren) 46.466s
5.Sergio Perez (Red Bull-Honda) 52.047s
6. Charles Leclerc (Ferrari) 59.090s
7. Daniel Ricciardo (McLaren) 1:06.004
8. Carlos Sainz Jr (Ferrari) 1:07.100
9. Yuki Tsunoda (AlphaTauri-Honda) 1:25.692
10. Lance Stroll (Aston Martin-Mercedes) 1:26.713,
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Health Valley
Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
If you go
Flights
Emirates flies from Dubai to Phnom Penh with a stop in Yangon from Dh3,075, and Etihad flies from Abu Dhabi to Phnom Penh with its partner Bangkok Airlines from Dh2,763. These trips take about nine hours each and both include taxes. From there, a road transfer takes at least four hours; airlines including KC Airlines (www.kcairlines.com) offer quick connecting flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville from about $100 (Dh367) return including taxes. Air Asia, Malindo Air and Malaysian Airlines fly direct from Kuala Lumpur to Sihanoukville from $54 each way. Next year, direct flights are due to launch between Bangkok and Sihanoukville, which will cut the journey time by a third.
The stay
Rooms at Alila Villas Koh Russey (www.alilahotels.com/ kohrussey) cost from $385 per night including taxes.
Bio
Born in Dubai in 1994
Her father is a retired Emirati police officer and her mother is originally from Kuwait
She Graduated from the American University of Sharjah in 2015 and is currently working on her Masters in Communication from the University of Sharjah.
Her favourite film is Pacific Rim, directed by Guillermo del Toro
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GOLF’S RAHMBO
- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 540hp at 6,500rpm
Torque: 600Nm at 2,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Kerb weight: 1580kg
Price: From Dh750k
On sale: via special order
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
