DESPITE ongoing media attention about Queen Letizia's slender frame and speculations about eating disorders, nutritionists say the diet followed by King Felipe's wife is one of the healthiest on record.
The former TV reporter, who became Queen in July when her husband was crowned Felipe VI, has suffered criticism in glossy magazines for being very slim and unfounded claims about anorexia – despite other women in her family having a very similar frame, showing her slight build is likely to be genetic.
But Dr Rubén Bravo of the European Medical Institute for Obesity (IMEO) says he and his team of 30 experts have studied over 150 so-called 'miracle weight-loss' diets and conclude that the Queen's régime is highly nutritious.
The Perricone Diet 'puts healthy eating ahead of weight loss as a priority', Dr Bravo explains.
“There may be a thousand and one ways of losing weight, but the end does not always justify the means, because you need to think about what's good for your health long-term and not fall into a vicious circle of rebound weight gain, metabolism disorders and other risks that counteract the effectiveness of different slimming plans,” says the nutritionist.
He and other specialists at the IMEO have found just five diets which work well, with the Perricone régime at the top of the list.
The healthiest slimming plans are those which aim for a moderate weight loss of no more than 1lb to 2lb, or half a kilo to a kilo a week, which are easy to stick to long-term and do not lead to rebound weight gain, Dr Bravo explains.
These diets include practically every food group, but with reduced quantities, and help to re-educate those who follow them by teaching them how to eat properly and lead a healthy lifestyle.
The Perricone diet includes all food groups, but reduces some and increases others depending upon the individual in order to prevent inflammation and oxidation of cells, which helps slow down the process of wrinkles forming and keeps infections at bay.
“A good diet, in my view, centres much more on being healthy than on how many kilos you can lose in how many days,” insists Dr Bravo.
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