Created by a professional bodybuilder and powerlifter Stan Efferdingthe vertical diet claims to improve athletic performance and body composition. Although originally developed for high-level athletes, it is now gaining traction with average gym goers as well.
It should be noted that there is not much research to back up its founder’s claims. Many athletes and bodybuilders, as well as regular gym rats, do just as well or better on a more balanced diet. There are also certain groups of people who should avoid the vertical diet altogether (more on that later).
Why is it called a vertical diet?
To understand vertical dieting, it’s important to understand what “horizontal dieting” is.
In one horizontal dietyou focus on eating a wide variety of nutrient-dense foods from many food groups, including fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and proteins. In a sense, this diet encourages you to “eat the rainbow” and consume a variety of nutrients that are unlikely to all be represented in a single food group.
THE vertical diet it is the opposite. Instead of combining foods from many food groups, eat large amounts of just a few foods that are relatively easy to digest. By following this diet, you would simplify meal planning, meeting energy needs and absorbing nutrients.
While the vertical diet may be effective for certain groups of people, such as those with particular gastrointestinal conditions, there is no research to support the same benefits for anyone else.
How do you follow the vertical diet?
If you plan to follow the vertical diet, it is essential to understand that certain foods are not allowed. This diet includes a variety of restrictions and follows some rules from the low FODMAP diet. (FODMAP stands for fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which are a specific group of carbohydrates that are poorly absorbed in your gut and can worsen digestive problems.)
Once you understand the rules, you rely on calorie counting to ensure you’re eating in a calorie surplus to facilitate muscle growth. So, if your focus is on weight loss, the vertical diet is not for you.
Let’s look at some of the basics of vertical dieting.
Who might want to follow the vertical diet?
This diet is for people who want to build muscle and get “hit”. It helps simplify the process of getting a lot of calories quickly and easily. It also makes it relatively simple to track and modify your macronutrient intake, so it’s easy to adjust up or down.
The vertical diet can be useful for athletes and bodybuilders, who carefully monitor their food intake and progress and may need to make adjustments regularly. Health-wise, the diet would be fine for a young, healthy person focused on building muscle, as they can withstand the impact of the large amount of beef and rice while still getting nutrients from the side foods.
However, you can also learn to monitor and modify your intake while eating a greater variety of foods with fewer restrictions and many benefits. This could be more efficient and enjoyable.
Who should avoid the vertical diet?
The vertical diet is not recommended for those who are:
- Prone to heart problems
- Consuming a moderate amount of calories
- Looking to lose weight
Given its focus on red meat intake, it is also not suitable for those with a family history of colon cancer, as high red meat intake has been linked to higher rates of this particular cancer. Additionally, since white rice has a high glycemic index (meaning it can raise your blood sugar levels quickly), this would not be a good choice for those looking to manage their blood sugar levels, such as diabetics.
Foods you eat on the vertical diet
Most of your caloric intake on the vertical diet is supposed to come from two sources:
Efferding chose white rice for its easy digestion and high carbohydrate content and red meat for its iron, B vitamins and zinc content.
The vertical diet also allows for a variety of “micronutrient” foods including:
- Low-FODMAP vegetables (including tomatoes, cabbage, sweet potato and eggplant)
- Low-FODMAP fruits (blueberries, strawberries and unripe bananas)
- Animal products such as eggs, broth, full-fat dairy and fatty fish
- Legumes and oats, but only if they are soaked and fermented
Foods to avoid on the vertical diet
Foods to avoid include:
- High-FODMAP vegetables (which include asparagus, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower)
- High-FODMAP fruits (including apples, cherries and watermelon)
- Cereals
- Legumes
- Sugar or sugar alcohols
- Processed vegetable oils
Coffee and alkaline water are also not allowed on the vertical diet.
The benefits of the vertical diet
It can help build mass
The main goal of the diet is to build muscle mass easily and quickly. That would do the trick for young gym goers, but it’s probably not very sustainable in the long run.
May be helpful for those with food sensitivities
The diet focuses on eating low-FODMAP foods, which it may be easier to digest for those with food sensitivities. However, in the medical setting, the low-FODMAP diet is intended for short-term use, with the intention of reintroducing certain foods into the diet later.
Additionally, the low-FODMAP nature of the diet eliminates prebiotics that feed the probiotics that make up the microbiome, which can further affect overall gut health, says the registered dietitian Cordialis Msora-Kasago.
Disadvantages of vertical dieting
While some people may get desirable results from vertical dieting, there are a few reasons why many others won’t find the same success.
It is restrictive
Efferding claims that eating fewer types of food is optimal for digestion and absorption of nutrients, which results in improved body composition, gut health, and metabolism. However, these claims are not all supported by science.
Following restrictive eating approaches can lead to nutrient deficiencies and potential gut health issues. The research suggests that the gut can function better with a variety of different nutrients.
It can be hard to follow
“While vertical dieting can help a bodybuilder eat enough food to pack on muscle mass without experiencing signs of gastrointestinal distress, it’s certainly not an approach most people can sustain,” Msora-Kasago says. “It limits so many foods and it can get expensive.”
He adds that for consistent results, the key factors are variety, accessibility and affordability. “Start with the foods you like and find opportunities in your personal eating patterns,” she says. “Often, it’s the small changes we make that yield the biggest results.”
The final verdict on the vertical diet
Overall, when it comes to dieting, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Vertical dieting is restrictive and unrealistic for many people, and there are many other ways to pack on muscle that are both more flexible and enjoyable.
