Dukan Diet Review (2022) | Sample Menu & More

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Does The Dukan Diet Really Work?

The Dukan Diet has gained attention when Kate Middleton was following this diet to prepare to lose weight for her upcoming wedding to Prince William in 2011. As someone who has reviewed a variety of diets, including the Atkins diet, the Paleo diet and the Keto diet, as well as the Mediterranean diet, I wanted to know more about it and write a review for you on The Dukan Diet.

 

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What is The Dukan Diet?

The Dukan diet is one of the most popular weight loss diets for women in the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. 

Dr. Dukan has published several books on the Dukan diet, in which he has seen many patients lose weight on this plan and according to him it is still one of the best diet programs. He attributes the success of the diet to people who might otherwise have difficulty eating, and attributes the high protein diet to his success, as well as the low fiber – low carbohydrate – diet, like in any good ketogenic diet, such as “The Custom Keto Diet”.

Dr. Dukan developed this weight loss method to lose excess weight, stabilize weight and use all the foods that are allowed to eat as much as you want. In the first two, 100% of the food is allowed to make delicious recipes, but discipline is required to follow the rules, which are not to drink alcohol and carbohydrates as long as you lose weight. 

 

What Can You Eat On The Dukan Diet?

It’s a high Protein, Low-Carbohydrate, High-fat Diet that has been heralded by many experts as a way to help people lose weight fast. There is no weigh-in, no measuring, no counting calories or “counting carbs.”

You eat as much of the foods you desire, as often as you like – as long as it’s lean protein, preferably first thing in the morning. It is recommended to follow this diet for at least ten weeks in order to experience its maximum weight loss benefits. Some testimonials on the Dukan Diet website claim that users have experienced weight loss of up to 27%.

 

How Does The Dukan Diet Work?

The main challenge with this type of low-carb diet is finding the balance between hunger and fullness. During the initial phase of the program, your body is supposedly on a stabilization mode, in which it will burn more fat and lower your caloric intake to burn even more fat. This means that you need to consume fewer calories than you burn in order to maintain a stable weight.

So, how does the Dukan Diet work to provide for this goal? Does it work as promised?

The key to The Dukan Diet is its high protein, low-carbohydrate approach. As the name implies, the diet plan eliminates or limits almost all carbohydrates. Starches are instead encouraged.

 

 

While some foods are prohibited (for example, breads and most potatoes), a lot of other foods are also encouraged, including fruit, vegetables, fish, eggs, poultry, legumes, mushrooms, nuts, seeds, and dairy products. So when I say all carbohydrates eliminated, this means that you are allowed to eat pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, cereals, and pasta sauce. But all other foods are required to be consumed in moderation.

Besides eliminating carbs, this approach promotes a state of carbohydrate-ration, or the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar before they are converted into fat.

In other words, carbohydrate cycling helps people convert their daily food consumption into energy that can be used during the day. The six days of the phase that consists of the induction period are referred to as The Stabilization Phase. After the stabilization period, this diet plan is known as the Maintenance Phase.

 

Dukan Diet Sample Menu 

Monday

Breakfast: 2 slices of whole-wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of all-natural peanut butter and 1/2 a grapefruit

Lunch: Grilled chicken salad with 1 cup of steamed broccoli and 1/2 an avocado

Dinner: Lean ground beef (4 ounces) with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and peppers; served over 1/2 a cup of brown rice

 

Tuesday

Breakfast: 1 scrambled egg with 2 slices of bacon and 1/2 a grapefruit

Lunch: Tuna salad (made with 3 ounces of canned tuna, 1/4 an onion, celery, and light mayonnaise) on 2 slices of whole-wheat toast

Dinner: Salmon (4 ounces) with sautéed spinach and 1/2 a sweet potato

 

Wednesday

Breakfast: Omelet made with 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of chopped peppers, 1/4 cup of chopped onions, and 1 ounce of shredded cheese

Lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich on whole-wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and onion

Dinner: Pork tenderloin (4 ounces) with roasted Brussels sprouts and 1/2 an apple

 

 

Thursday

Breakfast: Protein shake made with 1 scoop of whey protein powder, 1 cup of almond milk, and 1 banana

Lunch: Soup made with 3 ounces of lean ground beef, 1/2 a cup of chopped veggies, and 1 cup of beef broth

Dinner: Steak (4 ounces) with roasted cauliflower and 1/2 a baked potato

 

Friday

Breakfast: Smoothie made with 1 scoop of whey protein powder, 1 cup of spinach, 1/2 a banana, and 1 cup of almond milk

Lunch: Chicken salad (made with 3 ounces of grilled chicken, 1/4 an onion, celery, and light mayonnaise) on 2 slices of whole-wheat toast

Dinner: Shrimp (3 ounces) with sautéed zucchini and yellow squash; served over 1/2 a cup of quinoa

 

 

Saturday

Breakfast: 2 slices of whole-wheat toast with 1 tablespoon of all-natural almond butter and 1/2 a grapefruit

Lunch: Grilled chicken sandwich on whole-wheat bread with lettuce, tomato, and onion

Dinner: lean ground beef (4 ounces) with sautéed mushrooms, onions, and peppers; served over 1/2 a cup of brown rice

 

Sunday

Breakfast: Omelet made with 2 eggs, 1/4 cup of chopped peppers, 1/4 cup of chopped onions, and 1 ounce of shredded cheese

Lunch: Tuna salad (made with 3 ounces of canned tuna, 1/4 an onion, celery, and light mayonnaise) on 2 slices of whole-wheat toast

Dinner: Salmon (4 ounces) with sautéed spinach and 1/2 a sweet potato

 

Side Effects Of The Dukan Diet

People who follow the Dukan diet have reported significant weight loss, a decreased risk of heart disease, and a decrease in cholesterol. However, there are a number of side effects reported by people following the low-carb diet.

The first two phases of the program are challenging for some. These include feelings of hunger and cravings for foods that are not allowed on the diet. In addition, people may experience mood swings and have difficulty sleeping at night. They may also report bouts of insomnia and frequent bowel movements.

While these side effects are considered normal when you’re following a low-carb diet, they’re an issue for those who have health issues. One of the most common health issues cited by those following the Dukan diet is osteoporosis. People who follow this program complain about joint pain, especially in the knees. Women are twice as likely to develop osteoporosis as men. 

However, ketogenic diets like “The Custom Keto Diet” advocate for food sources which are rich in calcium such as:

 

• Green leafy vegetables: broccoli, kale, collard.
• Salmon and sardines with the bones.
• Almonds and Brazil nuts.

 

…to counter osteoporosis, which can be linked to a lack of calcium. 

Aside from the health concerns linked to the Dukan diet, there’s also some concern over the amount of calories allowed. Proponents of this diet advocate consuming large amounts of healthy fats and proteins, such as nuts and eggs. But since it only allows up to 100 calories of each food each day, it can be tricky and not easily controlled.

Also, the Dukan diet doesn’t allow carbs such as bread or pasta. The goal is to consume large amounts of healthy carbohydrates such as fruit and vegetables. 

 

 

Especially in terms of fruit however, this seems like a counterintuitive measurement for losing weight. Fruits are high in sugar and should be used sparingly in any serious ketogenic diet. Fruits are healthy nonetheless, but you should aim to get your vitamins and minerals from “lean” vegetables such as broccoli, kale, cucumbers, peppers (which are high in vitamin c) and tomatoes to some extend. 

If you want to implement fruit in your diet, make sure to choose berries over bananas or apples which have a high sugar content. 

You dont want to follow a ketogenic diet, where you restrict yourself of bread and pasta only to destroy your efforts by eating as much fruit as you can like advocated in the Dukan Diet. 

 

 

Conclusion

The Dukan Diet takes the right approach by being a low-carb, high-protein diet. However, its policy of eating only up to 100 calories of each food a day, not only seems querky but unneccessary.

For this to implement you have to shop dozens of different groceries, which can be very expensive at the end of the day. Besides, even though some had success with this diet, allowing eating a lot of fruits in an almost ketogenic diet, is counterintuitive and has the potential to cancel its weight loss effects out.

Ketogenic Diet Plans, such as “The Custom Keto Diet” provide you with all the necessary information and food ideas to stay in ketosis and lose weight day by day, by doing keto right. 

While the Dukan diet doesn’t support nor recommend any type of exercise, participants can engage in strength training and aerobic exercises. It does encourage participants to get 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every other day. We recommend keeping a journal of your progress so that you can monitor your caloric intake and make changes if necessary.

Have you tried the Dukan Diet or are you thinking about using it as your next diet? Let us know in the comments below!