Fad diets promise instant weight loss, thorough detoxification, and mental rejuvenation. These promises sound amazing if they were not all lies. Most fad diets are a trend, they come and go, just like their empty promises, and they hold no scientific merit. In fact, some fad diets are even dangerous to the body and should be avoided at all costs. Check out our list of the top 5 fad diets to avoid.
The Keto Diet
Low carb, high protein, high fat. This is the ketogenic (keto) diet in a nutshell. Most people use the keto diet for weight loss but its original use was for epilepsy patients to help regulate their seizure activity. Studies have shown that the keto diet is effective in short-term weight loss but there is little evidence to support the long-term benefits of adhering to this diet. When initially starting the keto diet, people may experience fatigue, brain fog, and headaches from the restricted carbohydrate intake. Not to mention, with the limited carbohydrate intake, many nutrient deficiencies could result especially in the B vitamins, iron, fiber, calcium, and magnesium. The keto diet forces the body to use other sources of energy besides carbohydrates and it will enter into a state of ketosis in which fat and ketones are being burned. Ketosis for a prolonged period of time can throw the body out of its natural balance, possibly causing ketoacidosis which can lead to diabetes, kidney stones, a fatty liver, and low blood sugar. A diet that restricts an entire food group from being eaten is almost definitely going to result in negative outcomes and should be avoided. Some popular keto-inspired diet plans to steer clear of are the Atkins diet, the Dukan diet, and the South Beach diet.Â
The Carnivore Diet
If you thought the keto diet was restrictive, then welcome to the carnivore diet where nothing but animal products (meat, fish, eggs, and some dairy) can be eaten. The purpose of this diet is to return to how our ancestors used to eat prior to settled agriculture in which food was mainly hunted and gathered. The extreme limitations of this diet remove the preferred source of energy the body uses to function (carbohydrates) as well as causing overconsumption of protein and fat. In fact, the overconsumption of meat has been linked to weight gain, obesity, and chronic diseases. Since fruits, vegetables, and all other carbohydrates are excluded from this diet, it should not be a surprise that a huge majority of vitamins and minerals are being neglected. Balance is key in a healthy diet, and the carnivore diet most definitely does not understand the meaning of “balance”. A more comprehensive diet that mirrors the hunter-gatherer lifestyle is the Paleolithic (Paleo) diet in which refined and processed foods are avoided and fruit, vegetables, meat, fish, nuts, and seeds are encouraged.Â
Liquid Diets
Have you ever heard the words “detox” or “cleanse” when referring to a diet? These words typically represent the ideas behind liquid diets in which the lack of solid food and obvious caloric deficit these diets create cause a rapid change in body weight that is interpreted as “toxins” leaving the body. News flash: food is not a toxin and should not be treated as something that must be removed from the diet and the body! The whole idea of a juice cleanse or a liquid diet is actually quite cult-like, presenting false beliefs to the consumer, when in reality, consuming only liquids is quite harmful and has been linked to eating disorder behaviors. Next time you pass by a charcoal lemonade or celery juice, just keep walking because chances are, the little nutritional content these beverages offer are incomparable to that of real, whole food.
Meal Replacement Programs
What isn’t there to love about easy, pre-prepared meals that are healthy and result in weight loss? It might seem too good to be true to achieve your goal weight by doing nearly nothing except signing up for a subscription and that’s because it is. Meal replacement programs such as Jenny Craig, Nutrisystem, and Optifast just to name a few are convenient ways to portion control meals with a relatively balanced diet. However, these programs do not teach consumers the most important part of weight loss or management, and that is how to handle food selection, preparation, and portion control themselves in the long run. Additionally, most of these programs do not emphasize physical activity which is almost always a necessary part of weight loss. Also, let’s not forget that these meal replacement programs cost money and a lot of it, not only for the meals themselves, but also for the membership and delivery fees.
Zen Macrobiotic Diet
Finally, a diet that is founded on the idea of balance and inspired by the “yin and yang” principles of Buddhism. This diet became popular in the 1930s by a Japanese man by the name of George Ohsawa. The diet follows 10 stages that stress the ideas of eating locally grown foods, limiting meat consumption, eating in moderation, and using sustainable cookware items. But do not get excited too fast. While the Zen Macrobiotic diet seems fairly pleasant on the surface, it quickly becomes detrimental to human health if all 10 stages of the diet are strictly followed. The diet starts by restricting desserts and progresses to the final stage of eating nothing but brown rice which is thought to be the most balanced food. Fluid intake is also restricted and vitamins and minerals are thought to be created in your body once a certain spiritual level is reached. It is clear to see just from a short description how this diet can lead to severe malnutrition if followed religiously. The macrobiotic diet has since been revised to include a wider variety of foods and has been examined as an alternative treatment for cancer but no conclusive evidence has been shared.
