What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Registered Dietitians Explain the Weight Loss Plan
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What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Registered Dietitians Explain the Weight Loss Plan

What Is the Sirtfood Diet? Registered Dietitians Explain the Weight Loss Plan
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Updated on July 5, 2022
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Adele made mouths drop two years ago when she released a playful photo of herself looking noticeably thinner. Indeed, the Grammy Award–winning British singer lost 100 pounds.

 At the time, it was rumored that she dropped the weight by following the sirtfood diet.

While Adele has denied following any diet — she credits her weight loss with working out multiple times a day to control her anxiety — there’s no doubt that she made the lesser-known diet suddenly famous.

So what is the sirtfood diet, and does it really work? The two-phase eating plan asks dieters to consume green juice and meals that focus on 20 foods said to be rich in compounds that activate proteins called sirtuins in the body. There’s limited research on it, but here’s what you need to know if you’re considering this fad diet.

What Is the Sirtfood Diet?

The Sirtfood Diet book was written by Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten and published in 2017. It’s centered on eating foods that are rich in polyphenols, plant compounds that the authors say activate proteins called sirtuins in the human body. Sirtuins switch on so-called “skinny” genes, according to the book.

“Sirtuins help regulate a variety of functions in the body on a cellular level. They play an important role in metabolism and possibly decrease inflammation and aging,” says Shelby Burns, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Boston. Although research is ongoing, there is evidence that increasing the levels of sirtuins in the body may influence a healthy life span.

The authors recommend very specific fruits and vegetables on this diet. They cite a study that analyzed flavonoid intake (these are plant chemicals with antioxidant properties) and how different flavonoids are associated with weight loss. The Sirtfood Diet authors draw the conclusion that not all antioxidants in the diet are created equal, and their diet is built around produce that activates skinny genes.

Research is still unclear, however, on the role of these proteins in relation to aging and weight loss. “There are a variety of potential benefits, but we really don’t know a lot about this yet. Research has primarily been done on animals,” says Burns, and these findings don’t always translate to the same effects in humans. One study the authors point to suggests that compounds like resveratrol (found in wine and grapes) may decrease inflammation and slow the aging process, and they note that there are many clinical trials underway to see if these compounds make a difference in disease treatment.

 One of the study’s authors was a consultant for the pharmaceutical industry, which has an active interest in developing these compounds, so there may be a conflict of interest.

How the Sirtfood Diet Works

The sirtfood diet is broken up into two phases.

Phase 1 of the Sirtfood Diet: Green Juice

For the first three days on the diet, you’ll consume 1,000 calories each day, which includes three green juices per day and one meal that focuses on sirtuin-activating foods, says Keri Gans, RDN, of New York City, author of The Small Change Diet: 10 Steps to a Thinner, Healthier You. You’ll then progress to 1,500 calories during days 4 through 7. At that point, you’ll be drinking two green juices and eating two meals. The promise, say the authors, is that you'll lose seven pounds in seven days.

The cornerstone of the first phase is green juice, which is made with kale, arugula, parsley, celery, apple, ginger, lemon, and matcha powder.

Phase 2 of the Sirtfood Diet: Maintenance

For the next two weeks, you’ll eat three sirtfood-focused meals (also called “sirtifying” your meals), along with one green juice per day, and two optional sirtfood snacks. A snack might be dates or walnuts. There is no calorie requirement or limit during this phase.

There isn’t much guidance as to what to do once your three weeks are up, says Gans. You’re encouraged to eat a diet rich in sirtfoods and continue juicing. You’ll also gradually increase the number of foods you eat so you can maintain the diet long term. You’ll expand your fruit intake beyond strawberries, for instance, to include other berries like raspberries and blackberries, according to The Sirtfood Diet. And rather than sticking to walnuts only, pistachios and peanuts also make excellent snacks.

A Food List of What to Eat and Avoid on the Sirtfood Diet

Here are the top 20 foods and drinks listed in The Sirtfood Diet book:

  1. Arugula
  2. Buckwheat
  3. Capers
  4. Celery (including the leaves)
  5. Chilies
  6. Cocoa
  7. Coffee
  8. Extra-virgin olive oil
  9. Garlic
  10. Green tea (especially matcha)
  11. Kale
  12. Medjool dates
  13. Parsley
  14. Red endive
  15. Red onion
  16. Red wine
  17. Soy
  18. Strawberries
  19. Turmeric
  20. Walnuts

A Sample Menu for the Sirtfood Diet

Here’s what a typical day of eating on the sirtfood diet may look like. The below would fit during phase 1 (the first week), days 4 to 7:

Breakfast Sirtfood green juice (see note below)

Lunch Strawberry buckwheat tabbouleh

Snack Sirtfood green juice

Dinner Miso-marinated baked cod with stir-fried greens and sesame

Potential Health Benefits of the Sirtfood Diet

There is not a lot of research to support the use of sirtuin-containing foods for weight loss, but the recommended foods on the sirtfood diet are fairly healthy. “I can’t say anything negative about the foods they recommend,” says Gans. “They would all be recommended on a healthy, balanced diet.” For instance, you can have a dinner of salmon and broccoli with red grapes or a small piece of dark chocolate for dessert. “That’s a great meal, and it incorporates your sirtfoods, however, people mistakenly think that the sirtfoods are doing the magic,” says Gans.

While the diet is not exclusively vegetarian, it does focus heavily on plant-based foods, and research has shown that is a good move for your health. A meta-analysis of 13 studies encompassing more than 400,000 people analyzed the effects of a plant-based diet and found that people who better adhere to a plant-based diet have an 8 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease and a 10 percent lower risk of developing heart disease in the first place.

Potential Risks of the Sirtfood Diet

While there’s nothing wrong with incorporating these nutritious sirtfoods into a balanced diet, “I look at the list and I don’t see a ton of nutritional variety in there,” says Burns. What’s more, the low-calorie plan may leave you with little energy to keep up with your workouts.

Gans worries that phase 1, which tops out at 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day, is far too little energy for most adults. You might feel fatigued, mentally cloudy, and all around hungry on it.

As mentioned, there’s a lack of hard research on this diet, but in general, healthwise, you should be okay. “I’m not concerned with the danger of the diet but more so the misunderstanding of the health benefits,” Gans says.

Summary

The sirtfood diet is, at its core, a calorie-restricted diet, says Gans. While the authors deliver big promises about sirtuin-activating foods, the research isn’t there yet. “Healthy eating doesn’t need to be complicated. Unfortunately, this is another trendy diet,” says Gans. “For many people, they will go on this diet and off it, then look for the next diet to go on.”

Common Questions & Answers

What does sirtfood stand for?
Sirtfood refers to sirtuins, proteins that are activated by certain plant-based foods to switch on skinny genes, according to the creators of the diet. Foods that activate sirtuins are central to the diet.
The top 20 sirtfoods include arugula, buckwheat, capers, celery, cocoa, coffee, extra-virgin olive oil, matcha, kale, red wine, strawberries, turmeric, and walnuts.
Initially, only sirtuin-activating foods are permitted, but after the first phase of the diet, others are allowed. You’ll avoid baked goods, butter, ultraprocessed foods, and fatty cuts of meat.
No, sirtfood and keto are very different. Keto is a high-fat, very low-carb diet. Sirtfood is a low-calorie plan that’s focused around eating sirtuin-rich foods, particularly green juice.
While it was rumored that Adele followed the sirtfood diet to lose 100 pounds in two years, she has denied following any diet. Instead, Adele credits her weight loss with a strict exercise regimen.
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Lynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES

Medical Reviewer

Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She completed requirements to become a registered dietitian at Valparaiso University in 1987 and completed a dietetic internship at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey, Illinois, in 1988. 

Lynn brings her expertise in nutrition, exercise, and behavior change to her work in helping people reach their individual health and fitness goals. In addition to writing for Everyday Health, she has also written for websites and publications like Food and Health Communications, Today's Dietitian, iVillage.com, and Rodale Press. She has a passion for healthy, nutrient-dense, great-tasting food and for being outdoors as much as possible — she can often be found running or hiking, and has completed a marathon in every state.

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Jessica Migala

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Jessica Migala is a freelance writer with over 15 years of experience, specializing in health, nutrition, fitness, and beauty. She has written extensively about vision care, diabetes, dermatology, gastrointestinal health, cardiovascular health, cancer, pregnancy, and gynecology. She was previously an assistant editor at Prevention where she wrote monthly science-based beauty news items and feature stories.

She has contributed to more than 40 print and digital publications, including Cosmopolitan, O:The Oprah Magazine, Real Simple, Woman’s Day, Women’s Health, Fitness, Family Circle, Health, Prevention, Self, VICE, and more. Migala lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, two young boys, rescue beagle, and 15 fish. When not reporting, she likes running, bike rides, and a glass of wine (in moderation, of course).

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Resources
  1. Adele Shows Off New Look While Thanking Fans for Birthday Messages. People.
  2. Did ‘The Sirtfood Diet’ Help Adele Lose Weight? Here is What to Know About It. Today.
  3. Adele, Reborn: The British Icon Gets Candid About Divorce, Body Image, Romance, and Her “Self-Redemption” Record. British Vogue.
  4. Aidan Goggins and Glen Matten. The Sirtfood Diet.
  5. Sirtuins, a Promising Target in Slowing Down the Ageing Process. Biogerentology.
  6. Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Weight Maintenance: Three Prospective Cohorts of 124,086 U.S. Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years. BMJ.
  7. Slowing Ageing by Design: The Rise of NAD+ and Sirtuin-Activating Compounds. Nature Reviews Molecular Cellular Biology.
  8. The Association of Plant-Based Diet With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Prospect Cohort Studies. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine.
Additional Sources
  • Adele Shows Off New Look While Thanking Fans for Birthday Messages. People. May 6, 2020.
  • Did The Sirtfood Diet Help Adele Lose Weight? Here Is What to Know About It. Today. May 12, 2020.
  • Adele, Reborn: The British Icon Gets Candid About Divorce, Body Image, Romance, and Her “Self-Redemption” Record. British Vogue. November 2021.
  • Goggins A, Matten G. The Sirtfood Diet. 2017.
  • Bertoia ML, Rimm EB, Mukamal KJ, et al. Dietary Flavonoid Intake and Weight Maintenance: Three Prospective Cohorts of 124,086 U.S. Men and Women Followed for Up to 24 Years. BMJ. January 2016.
  • Bonkowski MS, Sinclair DA. Slowing Ageing by Design: The Rise of NAD+ and Sirtuin-Activating Compounds. Nature Reviews Molecular Cell Biology. August 2016.
  • Sirtfood Green Juice. TheSirtfoodDiet.com.
  • Quek J, Lim G, Hui Lim W, et al. The Association of Plant-Based Diet With Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Prospect Cohort Studies. Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine. November 2021.
  • Grabowska W, Sikora E, Bielak-Zmijewska A. Sirtuins, a Promising Target in Slowing Down the Ageing Process. Biogerontology. 2017.