How to properly spend a fasting day on buckwheat with maximum efficiency and benefit
The idea of fasting days is extremely attractive. It's so easy to lose a couple of extra pounds in just one day. A day on a diet is not such a big price for being slim. Among the variety of options for fasting days, one of the most popular is buckwheat.
In the article we will talk about the pros and cons of a fasting day on buckwheat, the basic rules of such a diet and its varieties. Advice and feedback will help you unload as efficiently and safely as possible.
The content of the article
Rules for a fasting day on buckwheat
The following rules will help to achieve the desired result and minimize stress for the body during the diet:
- Only whole grains are suitable for weight loss. Flakes and prodel contain less fiber and are therefore less effective for weight loss.
- The daily food intake is divided into 4-5 parts. Between meals, it is advisable not to exceed the interval of 2-3 hours. The last meal is no later than 4 hours before bedtime.
- Drink 1.5-2 liters of liquid during unloading. Ideally, this should be clean, still water. Coffee, herbal or green tea without sugar is also allowed, but not more than 1 cup per day.
How to cook buckwheat
In order to preserve the rich vitamin and mineral composition of cereals, it is better not to boil it, but to steam it.
It's easy to do this:
- Rinse a glass of dry buckwheat, pour two glasses of boiling water.
- Cover and leave to infuse for several hours (overnight).
Some nutritionists advise steaming cereals in a thermos or wrapping the cooking container in towels and blankets. This makes sense if you want to eat hot porridge in the morning, but it will not affect the readiness of the dish in any way.
Buckwheat grains have such a structure that moisture easily penetrates inside, buckwheat “swells” and becomes indistinguishable from cooked cereals in consistency. At the same time, the taste of steamed buckwheat is more intense and natural.
Salt, sugar and other spices cannot be added to buckwheat for a fasting day - they retain fluids in the body and increase appetite.
Efficiency
Buckwheat is one of the lowest-calorie cereals: 100 g of the product contains only 300 kcal in dry form and 87-107 kcal - in cooked... It has a balanced nutritional value: rich in protein (11 g) and fiber (14 g) with relatively little carbohydrates (56 g).
If porridge is prepared from 250 g of dry buckwheat for a fasting day, the calorie content of the daily diet will be 750 kcal. This is about half of the recommended rate for women. Thus, a significant calorie deficit is achieved, which leads to weight loss.
In addition, buckwheat porridge without salt and sugar removes excess fluid from the body, and the non-heat-treated fiber helps to cleanse the intestines.
How much can you lose weight
Depending on the initial parameters and the strictness of adherence to the recommendations, in one day on buckwheat, you can lose from 0.5 to 2 kg of weight. However, to maintain this result, a smooth exit from the diet and a further reduction in calorie intake will be required.
Options for fasting days with buckwheat
In order not to become discouraged, chewing "empty" buckwheat porridge, and not to break off the diet, you can add other foods to the diet.This will diversify and enrich the diet with missing vitamins and microelements.
Buckwheat + kefir
In this version, as an addition 1 liter of kefir is allowed for buckwheat fat content 1%. The drink is consumed separately or poured into cereals during preparation (in a 1: 1 ratio with boiled water).
The lactic acid bacteria of kefir normalize the microflora in the intestines, promote better digestion of buckwheat. It is also an additional source of protein, phosphorus, calcium and potassium.
Reference. Although the calorie content of such a tandem grows by 400 kcal in comparison with “naked” buckwheat, kefir has a diuretic effect, which means it accelerates weight loss.
With apples
Sweet teeth will help to survive the fasting day apples... These fruits are available all year round, they are high in fiber and low in calories - no more than 48 kcal.
You can eat no more than 3 medium sized apples during the day. Use them as a snack, or slice them into buckwheat porridge.
Council. It is better to choose green varieties (Antonovka, Granny Smith, etc.) - they have less carbohydrates.
With milk
It is allowed to drink or pour steamed buckwheat with skim milk. This option is good for those who do not give up sports during a diet: milk provides additional energy and is rich in minerals.
With tomato
Tomatoes are almost 90% water, so 100 g of tomatoes contain only 20 kcal, but there is a lot of vitamin C (1/5 of the daily requirement). Thus, buckwheat with tomato is preferable during the period of vitamin deficiency.
The vegetable is allowed fresh, baked or stewed without oil. You can eat 200-300 g of tomatoes per day, divided into several meals.
With bran
The bran makes buckwheat porridge more satisfying and nutritious, improves digestion, and lowers cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The slimming effect is achieved by suppressing appetite and actively removing toxins from the body.
Of the whole variety of bran, buckwheat is the least high-calorie - 120 kcal per 100 g. They are added to the finished dish - no more than 1 tbsp. l. at one meal.
Attention! Bran absorbs a lot of liquid. In order not to face the problem of constipation and intestinal colic, follow the drinking regimen.
With soy sauce
The sauce adds piquancy to unleavened buckwheat, but it contains a lot of salt. Nutritionists are allowed to consume up to 5 g of table salt per day - this is about 100 g of good quality soy sauce.
With vegetables and other products
In addition to tomatoes, buckwheat porridge goes well with herbs, celery (it has a diuretic effect), bell pepper, stewed zucchini. The main thing is to avoid starchy vegetables: potatoes, beans, peas, lentils.
Anyone who lacks protein can add boiled chicken breast, lean fish or mushrooms to the menu.
Contraindications and possible harm
The chemical composition of buckwheat is an impressive list of vitamins and minerals, useful acids and fats. However, the long-term use of this product exclusively (more than a week) will inevitably lead to a deficiency of certain substances, for example, water-soluble vitamins A, C, etc.
Buckwheat porridge can provoke flatulence, especially when combined with apples or milk. Kefir has a laxative effect, and tomatoes have a choleretic effect. Therefore, it is better for people with any gastrointestinal diseases to refuse such a diet.
A special substance - rutin - increases blood viscosity. This is a direct contraindication to the buckwheat mono-diet with hypercoagulation.
Advantages and disadvantages
Fasting days on buckwheat are good for a number of reasons:
- buckwheat is an affordable product;
- preparation does not take much time;
- the diet has many variations;
- buckwheat dietary fiber restores the normal functioning of the intestines, so "unloading" is good after a plentiful feast.
On the other hand, such a mono-diet is not without its drawbacks:
- carbohydrates prevail in it - 50% of cereals consists of starch and has a significant glycemic index– 40;
- short-term effect - if you do not change the approach to nutrition, the lost pounds will quickly return.
Diet on buckwheat
In addition to fasting days, in the struggle for harmony they use diet on buckwheat.
Duration
Most often, 3-, 5- and 14-day diets are used.
Sample menu
The diet includes steamed buckwheat and all kinds of additives to it:
- vegetables - fresh and processed (soups, stews);
- low-fat protein foods - poultry, lean meat and fish, as well as eggs and low-fat cottage cheese;
- non-starchy fruits with a low sugar content - apple, kiwi, strawberry;
- drinks - low-fat kefir and milk, herbal or green tea, coffee without sugar (only in the morning).
Efficiency
The number of pounds thrown off depends on many factors. Adherents of the toughest option - a 2-week diet on buckwheat and kefir - promise an impressive result of 12 kg. The real figures are somewhat lower - from 5 to 7 kg over the same period.
Reviews of losing weight
The effectiveness of fasting days on buckwheat is easy to assess from the reviews of those who practice this method of losing weight.
Irina, 30 years old: “After a fasting day on buckwheat, the scales showed a decrease of only 500 g, but I immediately felt lightness in my body. Now I practice the same days regularly - about once every 1-2 weeks. "
Anna, 25 years old: “I use it as a preparation for any diet. Metabolism starts, the body tunes in to cleanse. "
Larisa, 43 years old: “Buckwheat and kefir are my magic wand after New Year and Easter feasts. 3 days of diet - and I'm back in shape! "
Conclusion
Fasting days on buckwheat and buckwheat diet is a budgetary and affordable way to lose weight. It is advisable to combine cereals with other products so that the diet is varied and complete.
The most effective option is with kefir, since the fermented milk product has a diuretic and mild laxative effect. If choosing a long-term diet, be sure to include sources of animal protein, fruits and vegetables.