Mariah Carey Says She Only Eats Norwegian Salmon And Capers
By Haley Goldberg. Photo: WireImage.
Fact: Mariah Carey always looks great, whether she's rocking a jewel-encrusted gown or sexy lingerie. So, what's the pop diva's secret to staying fit? E! News asked Carey this very important question during an interview about the star's upcoming reality show, Mariah's World. And Carey's answer was...interesting. "It's really hard," she said. "My diet—you would hate it. All you eat is Norwegian salmon and capers every day—that's it." Yup, she eats just two foods. The interviewer asked Carey what we were all wondering: "Are you serious?" And Carey only backtracked slightly: "I'm actually serious. But, no, I try to stick to the proteins. It's the worst."
If Carey is in fact serious that she only eats two foods, that's very worrying. Seriously, a diet of just Norwegian salmon and capers? According to registered dietitians, a strict diet like that wouldn't be sufficient or sustainable. So if this is in fact true, let's hope it's a short-term situation rather than a diet she tries to sustain on a day-to-day basis. "Off the bat, it’s not a well-rounded diet," Tanya Zuckerbrot, M.S., R.D., tells SELF. "[But] I don’t know if this is something that she does long-term or this is what she utilizes for a one-week diet program to lose weight. It would be difficult for a person to eat out at any meal, or live a normal semblance of a life on this plan."
Zuckerbrot says that, yes, a salmon-and-capers diet would be low calorie, but avoiding carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables would prove quite damaging over time. By nixing all other types of food, the diet would lack essential antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are all necessary for good health. And the carb-free regimen would be a major energy killer, too. "Carbs are used for energy," Zuckerbrot says. "I don’t know how she’s dancing...without eating carbohydrates."
Vandana Sheth, R.D.N., C.D.E., agrees. "There are red flags when you look at a diet that excludes huge groups of foods," Sheth says. "Keep in mind that anything is going to work in the short-term, but you might be causing harm to your body in the long-term with deficiencies."
What Carey's salmon-and-capers diet wouldn't lack: sodium. Sheth says salmon is a good source of omega-3 fatty acids and protein, but if the Norwegian salmon is prepared like lox, it could have high sodium levels. Capers have some antioxidants and fiber, but they're high in sodium as well. And eating too much salt does not do a body good—it can cause bloating and increase blood pressure for people with hypertension. If Carey is eating salmon all day every day, that also poses risks. Salmon is a superfood when eaten in moderation, but eating too much could expose a person to high levels of chemicals or pollutants.
Sheth's recommendation on how Carey could eat a more well-rounded diet: expand her meal plan to include fruits, vegetables, and whole grains or other healthy carbohydrates, as well as a source of calcium and Vitamin D. "If nothing else just picture the plate like a three-compartment plate—half your plate needs to be colorful vegetables and fruits, one-fourth of it needs to be your whole grain or carbs, and one-fourth of it needs to be your lean protein source," she says. "If you visualize that, you're getting all the nutrition you need."
Bottom line: Eating just Norwegian salmon and capers is not a good idea.
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This story originally appeared on Self.
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