The 5:2 Fasting Diet Benefits the Heart

A popular fasting diet called the 5:2 or “Fast Diet” may actually be better than traditional calorie-restricting diets for heart health. Scientists from the University of Surrey found recently that the 5:2 diet lowered levels of fat in the blood and reduced blood pressure. The 5:2 diet was popularized by British doctor and journalist Michael Mosley. The diet contains no requirements about which foods to eat, only about when you should eat them. Five days of the week are normal eating days, and the other two days of the week restrict calories to 500-600 per day, with at least one non-fasting day in between the two restricted calorie days.