Are Water Chestnuts Good for Weight Loss?

When following the Keto diet, net carbohydrate consumption should be limited to 5% (25–50 g) daily. 20% protein and 75% fat constitute the macronutrient ratio for ketosis (1).

Water chestnuts are excellent for Keto diets because they have 23.9 g of carbohydrates per 100g (2).

The Atkins Diet is a low-carbohydrate eating plan that encourages the body to burn fat rather than sugar for energy.

It should be noted that, in contrast to the keto diet, the Atkins diet permits a phase in which fat intake is reduced and protein and carbohydrate intake are raised, so water chestnuts are allowed on certain phases of the Atkins diet (3).

The Dukan diet requires a person to consume high-protein foods while reducing their carbohydrate and fat intake. It emphasizes natural foods over processed foods and encourages daily physical activity.

The Dukan Diet, created by Dr. Pierre Dukan, consists of four phases: the Attack phase, the Cruise phase, the Consolidation phase, and the Stabilization phase.

Water chestnuts are not recommended on the first and second phases of the Dukan diet due to their low protein content, but during the third and particularly the fourth phase, they are allowed in moderation (4).

A low-carb diet typically allows 20 to 57 grams of carbohydrates per day. Some low-carb diets strictly limit carbohydrates at first. Then those diets gradually permit a greater amount of carbohydrates.

Water chestnuts are an excellent choice for the Low Carb Diet due to their low carbohydrate content (5).

DASH stands for dietary approaches to hypertension; the ultimate goal of this diet is to lower blood pressure through dietary choices.

The DASH diet allows for a daily allowance of 4 to 5 servings of nuts. Non-starch polysaccharides, which are abundant in water chestnuts, may help reduce arterial blood pressure.

Based on the information mentioned above, water chestnuts are allowed during the DASH diet (6).

The Paleo Diet is based on foods consumed between 2.5 million and 10,000 years ago, during the Paleolithic era.

The Paleo diet encourages the consumption of lean meats, fish, fruits, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Dairy products, legumes, and grains are prohibited on this diet. 

Based on this, water chestnuts are allowed during this diet (9).

A vegan or vegetarian diet allows plant-based foods like fruits, nuts, and legumes. You can consume water chestnuts on this diet (10).

A pescatarian eats fish and other seafood as part of a vegetarian diet. Water chestnuts are also allowed on a Pescatarian diet (11).

When eating a gluten-free diet, it's crucial to pay great attention to the foods you select, the ingredients they contain, and their nutritional value.

A gluten-free diet excludes all gluten-containing proteins found in wheat and other grains. It entails eating whole gluten-free foods like fruits, vegetables, meat, and eggs and processed gluten-free foods like gluten-free bread or pasta.

Water chestnuts are gluten-free, so you can add chestnuts to the gluten-free diet's recommended food list (12).

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that focuses on when to eat; you only eat at certain times of the day. Like all meals, water chestnuts can be consumed as part of this diet (13).

It should be mentioned that you should first talk to your doctor if you wish to undertake intermittent fasting. People with diseases such as diabetes mellitus should avoid skipping meals and substantially restricting their calorie intake. Some people who take drugs for high blood pressure or another heart disease may also be more at risk for mineral imbalances during longer-than-normal fasts.

Low-fat foods are those that get 30% or less of their calories from fat. A common rule states that a food qualifies as low-fat if it contains 100 calories and 3 grams or less of fat.

Water chestnuts have a tiny amount of fat, making them a perfect food for low-fat and low-calorie diets (14).

Some products, like nuts, contain antioxidants that may decrease the impact of free radicals, reducing inflammation (15).

Water chestnuts contain antioxidants like anthocyanin, isoflavones, flavonols, gallocatechin gallate, and catechin gallate. These compounds have potent anti-inflammatory effects (16).

Furthermore, water chestnuts contain puchiin, an antibacterial compound that works similarly to penicillin in aiding immune function.

Based on these, chestnuts are allowed during this diet. 

The BRAT (bananas, rice, apples, and toast) diet has been suggested to treat stomach flu, diarrhea, and other digestive problems (17).

Water chestnuts are not allowed on the Brat diet because they cause gas and bloating in the GI tract.