Re: IguanaDen Diet: maybe not the best choice

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Posted by Alta on December 30, 1998 at 23:11:32:

In Reply to: Re: IguanaDen Diet: maybe not the best choice posted by Jamie on December 29, 1998 at 01:15:39:

: Hi, Jeff
: I have a couple things to say about this diet. I realize that this diet has been hyped and that many people have great things to say about it, but it is not a 'wonder diet.' For one thing, if one was to do research on every vegetable in this diet, you would find that while all of them are *very* high in calcium, many are also high in other, more undesireable things. These things are, one, oxalic acids, which binds much of the calcium in these veggies and makes it useless. Also, many are high in goitrogens, which causes the problem goiter. Which is, quite simply, a serious problem with the thyroid. I throughly advocate the use of lots of greens in a diet, I suggest 60% leafy greens, but I *do not* believe that leafy greens alone is enough. Nutritious veggies such as green string beans and butternut squash are great additions. As are occasional offerings of nutrutious friuts like papaya, mango, and dried figs. It has been said that the Iguana Den diet is more natural because iguanas only eat leaves in the wild. BUT, the greens they eat in the wild are not available to us here, and we can't replicate their nutritional content with these greens alone. This diet has been created on the grounds that all these veggies are high in calcium, but, please remember, there is more to an iguana's diet than calcium. The MK diet is a decent but misunderstood diet. Many people believe that the basic salad is all there is to it, just the four or five hard veggies listed. That's not true. For those who continue reading her caresheet, she mentions leafy greens and their necessity *many* times. My advice: Don't follow some one's list of foods that is called a diet: that kills variety and is insulting to you. Do research on veggies and create your own diet. Don't limit yourself that therefore your iguana. This, I feel, is the best way to go. Anyone else?
: Best,
: Jamie

I agree with Jamie. Diet should be determined by nutritional content of foods, not their form. Choosing a food because it's superficially similar to another doesn't have anything to do with their respective nutritional value. Saying that one type of leaf to will have the same nutritional value as another is about as accurate as saying that carob is just like chocolate because it looks the same. :)

Also, a balanced diet needs to take into account a number of different things. IME, the iggyden diet has a high calcium to phosphorus ratio, but doesn't take into account oxalates and goiterogens, just as Jamie says. Melissa's diet, OTOH, does, so comparing the two diets just on the calcium to phosphous ratio is misleading.

The best advice I can give is read everything, then *think* about it. Don't just take anyone's word, and be suspicious of people who want you to take things on faith. Look at the information presented and the sources it came from. Then decide what you think is best and do it. For me, that mean Melissa's and Jen's guidelines since they have a solid research background behind what they say.

Alta

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: : Hi, Jeff : : I have a couple things to say about this diet. I realize that this diet has been hyped and that many people have great things to say about it, but it is not a 'wonder diet.' For one thing, if one was to do research on every vegetable in this diet, you would find that while all of them are *very* high in calcium, many are also high in other, more undesireable things. These things are, one, oxalic acids, which binds much of the calcium in these veggies and makes it useless. Also, many are high in goitrogens, which causes the problem goiter. Which is, quite simply, a serious problem with the thyroid. I throughly advocate the use of lots of greens in a diet, I suggest 60% leafy greens, but I *do not* believe that leafy greens alone is enough. Nutritious veggies such as green string beans and butternut squash are great additions. As are occasional offerings of nutrutious friuts like papaya, mango, and dried figs. It has been said that the Iguana Den diet is more natural because iguanas only eat leaves in the wild. BUT, the greens they eat in the wild are not available to us here, and we can't replicate their nutritional content with these greens alone. This diet has been created on the grounds that all these veggies are high in calcium, but, please remember, there is more to an iguana's diet than calcium. The MK diet is a decent but misunderstood diet. Many people believe that the basic salad is all there is to it, just the four or five hard veggies listed. That's not true. For those who continue reading her caresheet, she mentions leafy greens and their necessity *many* times. My advice: Don't follow some one's list of foods that is called a diet: that kills variety and is insulting to you. Do research on veggies and create your own diet. Don't limit yourself that therefore your iguana. This, I feel, is the best way to go. Anyone else? : : Best, : : Jamie : I agree with Jamie. Diet should be determined by nutritional content of foods, not their form. Choosing a food because it's superficially similar to another doesn't have anything to do with their respective nutritional value. Saying that one type of leaf to will have the same nutritional value as another is about as accurate as saying that carob is just like chocolate because it looks the same. :) : Also, a balanced diet needs to take into account a number of different things. IME, the iggyden diet has a high calcium to phosphorus ratio, but doesn't take into account oxalates and goiterogens, just as Jamie says. Melissa's diet, OTOH, does, so comparing the two diets just on the calcium to phosphous ratio is misleading. : The best advice I can give is read everything, then *think* about it. Don't just take anyone's word, and be suspicious of people who want you to take things on faith. Look at the information presented and the sources it came from. Then decide what you think is best and do it. For me, that mean Melissa's and Jen's guidelines since they have a solid research background behind what they say. : Alta

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