Closer Weekly

Hollywood’s Hottest Slim-Quick Trend: MONO-EATING DIETS

Stars are buzzing about the perks of filling up on bland foods to ward off middle-age spread. But is this healthy? Health and wellness expert Jorge Cruise weighs in

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Oscar-winning actress Julianne Moore once admitted to eating the same foods — yogurt, cereal and granola — day in, day out to maintain a trim figure. Jennifer Aniston famously ordered the same chicken, bacon and tomato salad every day for 10 years on the set of Friends. Mariah Carey reportedly lost 45 pounds recently by following what she referred to as a “bleak diet” of boring foods. Even Dr. Oz has said he drinks the same spinach smoothie each morning. What’s this humdrum food fad all about? Called mono-eating, the practice entails restrictin­g your diet by abandoning rich, flavorful foods in favor of either eating just one single food item at a time or regularly sticking with a small variety of bland foods at meals.

Though it may sound odd, mono-eating actually has roots in science out of Penn State University. There, researcher­s discovered that dieters who are offered bland foods tire of the monotonous flavors and textures and stop eating sooner than those who are offered food with more varied flavors and textures. The researcher­s call this “sensory-specific satiation,” and they found that it really works for people looking to take off a few pounds: In one study, people who ate sandwiches with the same cream cheese filling at two meals in a row consumed 35 percent fewer calories at the second meal compared with those who were offered a variety of different sandwich fillings. In follow-up studies, the researcher­s found that there was a decrease both in liking and wanting the foods that are eaten regularly — meaning the participan­ts ate less and also had less hunger and fewer cravings.

Scientists at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, report that this effect extends to the visual aspects of the meal as well. In their study, women looked at 60 photos of either sweet or salty foods and then were given peanuts to snack on. Those who had viewed salty foods were up to 25 percent less interested in eating the nuts than those who had eyed sweets. The researcher­s posit that seeing the same foods over and over helps squash appetite while following a mono-eating plan.

“[I] battle with my deeply boring diet of, essentiall­y, yogurt and breakfast cereal and granola bars.” —Julianne Moore, 56

Proponents of mono-eating say that in addition to dialing back appetite, the practice can boost detoxifica­tion and fire up fat burning. The reason: The standard American diet calls for eating a mix of food groups at each meal. To process this variety, the liver and pancreas have to pump out digestive fluids and enzymes to break down both animal proteins (which require an acidic environmen­t for digestion) and starches (which require an alkaline environmen­t for digestion). As a result, these digestive organs become overwhelme­d, which hinders their ability to filter fat-packing toxins and break down fat into fuel. But sticking to meals that lack variety allows the body to divert all of the energy and resources normally used for digestion toward these slimming processes.

Despite the potential benefits, though, some doctors caution that limiting the diversity of meals too much can be risky. Extreme food boredom and self-restrictio­n, they say, can backfire, ultimately intensifyi­ng cravings and eroding selfcontro­l—a double whammy for women looking to cut calories. Doctors also warn that limiting intake of a wide variety of foods can lead to potentiall­y dangerous shortfalls of vitamins, minerals and macronutri­ents that are necessary for controllin­g appetite, keeping hormones in balance, revving metabolism and warding off fat storage. What’s more, mono-eaters often complain that frequently eating bland, boring meals — especially when they’re restricted to a single food — can lead to anxiety, blue moods, low energy levels and brain fog.

“I have a glass of ice water before meals, which helps burn some calories, but it also cuts down on hunger.” — Renée Zellweger, 48

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