Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHow the 5-Day Fast WorksWhat to EatWhat to AvoidPotential BenefitsPotential Side EffectsIs It Right for You?Other Fasting Diets
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
How the 5-Day Fast Works
What to Eat
What to Avoid
Potential Benefits
Potential Side Effects
Is It Right for You?
Other Fasting Diets
A fast-mimicking, or fasting-mimicking, diet copies fasting’s effects while allowing small portions of food. Fasting is going without food or beverages for a certain period. Fasting is believed to offer many health benefits, such as weight loss, decreased inflammation, and improved blood sugar management.
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A fasting-mimicking diet can last four to seven days and may be repeated once every few weeks or months. Unlike traditional fasting orintermittent fasting(periods of fasting that alternate with periods of eating), eating some food is allowed on a fasting-mimicking diet.
The fasting-mimicking diet is aplant-based dietthat is low in protein and carbohydrates but high in fat. Sticking to the amount of calories andmacronutrient(carbohydrates, protein, and fat) ratios is important to help reach the fasting state and reap the benefits of fasting.
The exact number of calories and subsequent macronutrient goals will vary from person to person, depending on your normal intake.
On the first day of the fast, you will consume more calories than the remaining four days. A five-day fasting-mimicking diet typically goes as follows:
Because the fasting-mimicking diet is plant-based, allowed foods include:
Stick to a plant-based and anti-inflammatory diet while on the fasting-mimicking diet. This includes avoiding:
The fasting-mimicking diet has many potential health benefits, similar toother fasting diets.These include:
More studies are needed to fully understand and confirm the long-term benefits of a fasting-mimicking diet.
While there are potential benefits of a fasting mimicking diet, there are also some potential side effects. These include:
Is the FMD Diet Right for You?
While generally considered safe, a fasting-mimicking diet is not appropriate for:
If you have underlying medical conditions, such as diabetes, or are taking medications, talk with a healthcare provider to see if a fasting-mimicking diet is appropriate for you.
Other Types of Fasting to Consider
There are various types of fasting, all of which have similar health benefits.
One of the most popular types of fasting isintermittent fasting. There are several different types of intermittent fasting, such as overnight, alternate-day, and time-restricted fasting.This makes intermittent fasting a more flexible option, allowing more people to try a fasting diet.
These fasts are ideal for busy individuals seeking a more flexible fasting schedule who want to lose weight and improve their health.
Water fastingis a fast in which you do not consume anything besides water. This type of fast typically does not last longer than 24 to 72 hours and is not appropriate for many people with underlying medical conditions or who take medications.
Juice fasting consists of consuming only fruit or vegetable juices for a few days to weeks.
Summary
A fast-mimicking, or fasting-mimicking, diet is a modified version of fasting that allows for some calories during the fasting period. It follows a plant-based eating pattern that is high in fat while being low in protein, carbohydrates, and daily caloric intake. Allowed foods include vegetables, fruits, and plant-based foods with healthy fats. Foods to be avoided include animal-based products, sugary foods, and high-starch foods like pasta.
There are both potential health benefits of a fasting-mimicking diet, as well as side effects. While generally considered safe, a fasting-mimicking diet is not appropriate for certain people. Consult a healthcare provider before trying it.
8 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M.Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46-58. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005Boccardi V, Pigliautile M, Guazzarini AG, Mecocci P.The potential of fasting-mimicking diet as a preventive and curative strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.Biomolecules. 2023;13(7):1133. doi:10.3390/biom13071133Wei M, Brandhorst S, Shelehchi M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.Sci Transl Med. 2017;9(377):eaai8700. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700Brandhorst S, Choi IY, Wei M, et al.A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan.Cell Metab. 2015;22(1):86-99. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012Rangan P, Choi I, Wei M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet modulates microbiota and promotes intestinal regeneration to reduce inflammatory bowel disease pathology.Cell Rep. 2019;26(10):2704-2719.e6. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.019Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.What is intermittent fasting?Ogłodek E, Pilis, Prof. W.Is water-only fasting safe?Glob Adv Health Med. 2021;10:216495612110311. doi:10.1177/21649561211031178National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.“Detoxes” and “cleanses”: What you need to know.
8 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M.Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46-58. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005Boccardi V, Pigliautile M, Guazzarini AG, Mecocci P.The potential of fasting-mimicking diet as a preventive and curative strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.Biomolecules. 2023;13(7):1133. doi:10.3390/biom13071133Wei M, Brandhorst S, Shelehchi M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.Sci Transl Med. 2017;9(377):eaai8700. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700Brandhorst S, Choi IY, Wei M, et al.A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan.Cell Metab. 2015;22(1):86-99. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012Rangan P, Choi I, Wei M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet modulates microbiota and promotes intestinal regeneration to reduce inflammatory bowel disease pathology.Cell Rep. 2019;26(10):2704-2719.e6. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.019Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.What is intermittent fasting?Ogłodek E, Pilis, Prof. W.Is water-only fasting safe?Glob Adv Health Med. 2021;10:216495612110311. doi:10.1177/21649561211031178National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.“Detoxes” and “cleanses”: What you need to know.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M.Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46-58. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005Boccardi V, Pigliautile M, Guazzarini AG, Mecocci P.The potential of fasting-mimicking diet as a preventive and curative strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.Biomolecules. 2023;13(7):1133. doi:10.3390/biom13071133Wei M, Brandhorst S, Shelehchi M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.Sci Transl Med. 2017;9(377):eaai8700. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700Brandhorst S, Choi IY, Wei M, et al.A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan.Cell Metab. 2015;22(1):86-99. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012Rangan P, Choi I, Wei M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet modulates microbiota and promotes intestinal regeneration to reduce inflammatory bowel disease pathology.Cell Rep. 2019;26(10):2704-2719.e6. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.019Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.What is intermittent fasting?Ogłodek E, Pilis, Prof. W.Is water-only fasting safe?Glob Adv Health Med. 2021;10:216495612110311. doi:10.1177/21649561211031178National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.“Detoxes” and “cleanses”: What you need to know.
Mattson MP, Longo VD, Harvie M.Impact of intermittent fasting on health and disease processes.Ageing Res Rev. 2017;39:46-58. doi:10.1016/j.arr.2016.10.005
Boccardi V, Pigliautile M, Guazzarini AG, Mecocci P.The potential of fasting-mimicking diet as a preventive and curative strategy for Alzheimer’s disease.Biomolecules. 2023;13(7):1133. doi:10.3390/biom13071133
Wei M, Brandhorst S, Shelehchi M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet and markers/risk factors for aging, diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease.Sci Transl Med. 2017;9(377):eaai8700. doi:10.1126/scitranslmed.aai8700
Brandhorst S, Choi IY, Wei M, et al.A periodic diet that mimics fasting promotes multi-system regeneration, enhanced cognitive performance, and healthspan.Cell Metab. 2015;22(1):86-99. doi:10.1016/j.cmet.2015.05.012
Rangan P, Choi I, Wei M, et al.Fasting-mimicking diet modulates microbiota and promotes intestinal regeneration to reduce inflammatory bowel disease pathology.Cell Rep. 2019;26(10):2704-2719.e6. doi:10.1016/j.celrep.2019.02.019
Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.What is intermittent fasting?
Ogłodek E, Pilis, Prof. W.Is water-only fasting safe?Glob Adv Health Med. 2021;10:216495612110311. doi:10.1177/21649561211031178
National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.“Detoxes” and “cleanses”: What you need to know.
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