The Chenot Diet® Approach
For centuries, fasting has been used to purify both body and mind. Today, science confirms that reducing food intake allows the body to initiate internal repair processes at a cellular level.
“When we eat less, we give the body the chance to clean itself – and this applies to every single cell, from skin cells to neurons,” explains Dr George Gaitanos, Chief Operating & Scientific Officer at Chenot.
Importantly, complete fasting is not required to achieve these effects. A Fasting-Mimicking Diet (FMD) can activate the same biological pathways in a safe and practical way.
The Chenot Diet® is a seven-day, plant-based programme providing three meals per day, totalling approximately 850 calories, with no snacks. It combines culinary expertise with nutritional science, using complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and selected plant proteins to stimulate metabolism while maintaining satisfaction.
“Because we look after our guests in a hotel environment, it is important to serve breakfast, lunch and dinner – all designed to preserve the fasting effect,” adds Gaitanos.
Scientific Validation
To assess its efficacy, Chenot collaborated with the Medical School of the University of Nottingham. The findings were published in Clinical Nutrition, the official journal of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN).
The study compared three groups:
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A control group following a standard diet
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The Chenot Diet® (low-protein)
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A calorie-matched diet with higher protein and fat content
“We wanted to test the efficacy of the Chenot Diet® and also examine how variations in protein and fat affect mechanisms such as autophagy,” explains Gaitanos.
Autophagy and Cellular Repair
Autophagy is the body’s internal recycling system. It identifies damaged components within cells, breaks them down, and reuses them.
This process:
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Maintains cellular quality and energy efficiency
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Reduces oxidative stress and inflammation
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Supports metabolic resilience
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Activates longevity pathways (AMPK–mTOR–SIRT signalling)
It is associated with improved insulin sensitivity, cellular repair, and long-term preventive health.
Autophagy can be supported through:
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Structured periods of reduced calorie intake
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Circadian-aligned eating
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Targeted physical activity
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Quality sleep
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Controlled heat or cold exposure
Key Findings
Both dietary interventions activated autophagy, but outcomes varied:
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Chenot Diet® (low-protein)
Activated anti-ageing genes such as sirtuins and FOXO3 -
Higher-protein variant
Improved cardiovascular markers
Enhanced gut microbiome composition
Reduced visceral fat
While the Chenot Diet® proved to elicit autophagy, the two diet interventions were associated with different outcomes. The classic low-protein version additionally triggered anti-ageing genes such as sirtuins and FOXO3, while the high-protein variant had positive effects on cardiovascular markers, gut microbiome composition and total bacterial count, and significantly reduced visceral fat.
The main scientific finding is that, irrespective of nutrients composition, calorie restriction appears to elicit self-repair and cell rejuvenation while reducing inflammation. “Nevertheless, the Chenot Diet® strongly activates anti-ageing mechanisms, while the high-protein diet shows additional benefits for heart and gut health,” Gaitanos summarises.
This study is a milestone because it provides human, peer-reviewed evidence that a one-week, plantbased Chenot Diet® with roughly 850 calories per day can trigger clinically relevant changes. To our knowledge, this is the first research study observing multiple FMDs with different macronutrients as well as autophagy and ultimately pro-survival mechanisms within a detox context.
Fasting made safe and effective
For Chenot, this validates their method, strengthens medical credibility within hospitality, and provides actionable parametres to scale safe, evidence-based longevity practices. “We now have evidence-based data: our diet activates autophagy, improves body composition and stimulates anti-ageing genes,” Gaitanos says.
For the public, this demonstrates that fasting does not have to be extreme or dangerous. Carefully designed fasting-mimicking programes can produce effects comparable to full fasting, yet without radical deprivation. Research also opens new possibilities. While the Chenot Diet® focuses on longevity, the studies show that, with the right nutritional strategy, deep mechanisms such as cellular cleansing and gene activation can be steered, opening new horizons for prevention and healthy ageing.
Ultimately, the Chenot Diet® gives the longevity movement a practical, evidence-based tool to promote cellular repair and metabolic flexibility. In the study, a seven-day cycle reduced body weight, visceral and subcutaneous fat, lowered fasting glucose by about 10%, IGF-1 by 35%, and up-regulated autophagy- and longevity-related genes through AMPK/mTOR signalling. Energy restriction was the primary driver, while macronutrients could be adjusted for individual needs such as perimenopause, central adiposity, or sarcopenia risk.
In short, the Chenot Diet® operationalises metabolic flexibility and cellular housekeeping in a supervised, one-week format – bridging laboratory insight and real-world application. It is not a cure-all, nor suitable for everyone, but as a periodic “reset” it represents a meaningful step toward longevity.
Detox & Reset
Unser charakteristisches Chenot-Programm zielt auf eine tiefgreifende Entschlackung und Entgiftung des Körpers ab, um Giftstoffe auszuscheiden, die Vitalität zu steigern, das Energieniveau wiederherzustellen.
CHF 5’500
Detox & Reset
Entspannen Sie Ihren Geist, revitalisieren Sie Ihren Körper – das Programm reduziert chronischen Stress und Müdigkeit und stellt ein optimales Energieniveau wiederherzustellen.
CHF 6’400
Detox & Reset
Das intensivste Programm, das unsere charakteristische Entgiftung mit einer hochwirksamen Verjüngung kombiniert, um den Beginn der biologischen Alterung zu verzögern.
CHF 7’100
Screening & Optimisation
Modernste medizinische Diagnostik und Funktionstests für einen präzisen und zeitsparenden Überblick darüber, wie sich Ihre täglichen Entscheidungen auf Ihre Gesundheit auswirken.
CHF 6’100