Kim Kardashian’s Diet: We’ve Got A Nutritionist’s Verdict

Last week, Kim Kardashian West revealed her daily routine – eats an’ all – to Harper’s Bazaar. It seemed, well, paltry: eggs or oatmeal for brekkie, followed by fish and veg or chicken and veg for both lunch and dinner, and ZERO snacks save a single portion of peanut butter, if – and only if – she “needs a sugar hit.”

But we got to wondering: is Kim’s diet really totally grand, and we’re the pigs who are eating way too much? So we got on the blower to nutritionist Ciara O’Dea of the Allergy and Treatment Clinic in Kinsealy to ask her for the skinny on how Kim, well, stays skinny.

Breakfast

Kim gets up at 6am or 6.15am and works out for an hour and a half before she eats a single thing – which is a big no-no, says Ciara. “It’s recommended always to eat something before exercising,” she cautions. “The food you eat before a workout will fuel your workout and maximise your efforts and results.”

That’d be a Happy Meal before spin class then, yes? Eh, NO. “Bananas are loaded with digestible carbohydrates (i.e. fuel),” says Ciara, “and packed with potassium, which aids in maintaining nerve and muscle function.” Ciara reckons Kim could do with eating a banana with 1/2 cup of Greek yoghurt 30 minutes before working out.

Brekkie’s at 8am, which Kim says she often rushes so she can spend time with North, and while Ciara says her choices are good – “eggs are a first-class protein and oatmeal supplies you with energy, protein and healthy fats” – eating quickly is not advisable. “It’s important to take your time while eating,” she recommends. “If you don’t do an efficient enough job of chewing, an undue burden is put on the rest of your digestive system.”

Kim’s 3pm snack – Justin’s peanut butter – gets top marks.

Lunch

Kim eats lunch at 1pm – fish or chicken with vegetables. So far, so good – but Ciara says she leaves too long between meals. “Keep blood sugar and energy levels stable by eating something every three hours,” she warns. But Kim’s 3pm snack – Justin’s peanut butter – gets top marks.

“Nuts are powerhouses, packed with heart-health fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals,” says Ciara. But: “Choose organic and unsalted nut butters where possible.”

Dinner

Once more, it’s chicken or fish and veg for Kim come dinner time – which is usually at around 7pm. Kim says she doesn’t have cocktails or desserts (but adds, lest we think she’s not one of us, “I wish!”).

Dinner’s a good ‘un, especially if it’s fish, says Ciara: “Fish is a really nutritious food, packed with protein, vitamins and nutrients that are essential for good health and skin.” And as for chicken? “Buy organic, free-range chicken where possible.” When it comes to cocktails and desserts, “avoiding them is recommended… but a bit of everything in moderation is fine,” comforts Ciara. (Phew!)

So… What’s the verdict?

Ciara has her concerns about Kim’s diet – starting with the fact that breastfeeding women should be consuming at least 1,800 calories a day. Add to that the fact that Kim’s diet is very low-carb and “not varied enough” and you have a recipe for, says Ciara, a host of problems down the road.

“Some diets restrict carbohydrates so much that, in the long term, they result in vitamin and mineral deficiencies, bone loss and gastrointestinal disturbances – and may increase risks for various chronic diseases,” Ciara warns.

And will a low-carb diet make Kim as super-skinny as she wants, anyway? Ciara says no – at least not in the long term.

“Low-carb diets may lead to greater short-term weight loss than low-fat diets, but studies have found that, 12 or 24 months later, the benefits of a low-carb diet are not very large,” says Ciara. Plus: “High-protein diets increase the water requirement necessary to eliminate nitrogen through urine and bears a high burden on the kidneys.”

So there you have it: variety truly is the spice of life, and low-carb ain’t all that. Take that, Kimmy K.

Pic credits: @kimkardashian on Instagram

Tags:

• Ciara O'Dea
• diet
• eating
• food
• healthy eating
• Kim Kardashian
• nutrition