The tuna diet is a short-term eating pattern in which you mainly eat tuna and water.
Then, you can add low-fat dairy products, fruit, poultry, and vegetables for an unspecified period. During this phase, your macronutrient ratio should be 40% protein, 30% carbs, and 30% fat.
Although promoted as a way to break bad dietary habits and encourage quick weight loss, it’s a crash diet that isn’t supported by research.
The tuna must be plain — without oil, mayonnaise, vinegar, or spices — and enough to give you 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight (3.3 grams per lb.) each day.
You’re also supposed to drink 34 ounces (2 liters) of water daily, down a serving of Metamucil each night for fiber, and take vitamin, mineral, and branched-chain amino acid supplements.
After three days, you can add leafy green vegetables, steamed non-starchy vegetables, fruit, low-fat dairy products, and chicken.
Although there’s no set duration, you’re likely meant to follow it until you reach your target weight, then repeat it from time to time for rapid weight loss.
Both canned tuna and oatmeal are high in calories. Oatmeal has 187% more calories than canned tuna – canned tuna has 128 calories per 100 grams and oatmeal has 367 calories. For macronutrient ratios, oatmeal is much lighter in protein, much heavier in carbs and lighter in fat compared to canned tuna per calorie. Oatmeal has a macronutrient ratio of 17:69:15 and for canned tuna, 78:0:22 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories. Macro Ratios from Calories:
Other versions of the diet
While Draper’s plan is strict and regimented, various websites offer slightly different rules.
In fact, many of these adapted diets allow for additional foods, such as starchy vegetables, grains, unsweetened beverages like coffee and tea, and other protein sources like eggs.
Still, none of these plans are supported by scientific research.
The tuna diet is an extremely restrictive plan that may cause rapid weight loss due to its low calorie count. Yet, diets that severely restrict calories can harm your health.
Notably, severe calorie restriction slows your metabolism and impairs muscle mass. Many studies show that regularly eating far less than your body needs reduces the number of calories your body burns at rest (1, 2, 3, 4, 5).
What’s more, severe calorie restriction can trigger severe hunger — and even result in weight gain after you go off your diet (3).
Overall, research suggests that very-low-calorie diets like the tuna diet are unsustainable and fail to improve body composition (4).
In moderation, tuna is a healthy, low-calorie protein source.
It’s rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential nutrients that aid your heart, brain, and immune system (6).
Additionally, this fish is high in selenium, an essential micronutrient that provides anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, in addition to promoting thyroid function (7, 8).
Nonetheless, tuna doesn’t provide all the nutrients your body needs. As such, the risks of the tuna diet far outweigh its benefits.
The tuna diet has several severe downsides, including its low calorie count, highly restrictive nature, and risk of mercury poisoning.
Might Want to Think Twice Before Eating Oatmeal
FAQ
Can I eat canned tuna while losing weight?
Can you eat oatmeal and still lose weight?
Is it okay to eat canned tuna every day?
Does tuna speed up metabolism?
Is the tuna diet healthy?
Nonetheless, tuna doesn’t provide all the nutrients your body needs. As such, the risks of the tuna diet far outweigh its benefits. Tuna is a healthy protein that can be part of a balanced diet. However, the tuna diet is far from balanced — as this fish is not meant to be your sole source of nutrients.
Is oatmeal a healthy food?
Yes, very healthy. Oats contain antioxidants that help lower blood pressure, so it contributes to preventing infarction cases and other heart problems. The cereal also assists in digestive health and acts to reduce bad cholesterol rates, thanks to the presence of a fiber called beta-glucan, as well as increasing satiety. It maintains these benefits regardless of the way it is consumed.
What is the oatmeal diet?
Initially, the oatmeal diet involves eating oatmeal for all meals. Online advocates have described several variations of the oatmeal diet. Most are divided into phases, such as: Phase 1 The first phase of the oatmeal diet usually involves eating oatmeal for three meals a day.
Is the oatmeal diet good for weight loss?
Oatmeal is a good option for breakfast because it can help a person to feel full for a long time. However, it does not provide the nutrients that a person needs on a daily basis. This makes the oatmeal diet a poor strategy for long-term weight loss. Does the oatmeal diet work?