Before diving into the next diet trend, it’s important to understand that many products or regimens that influencers and celebrities are touting are not science-based. Here are three diet trends that should be put to rest according to eatingwell.com
One-food diets
A one-food diet, sometimes referred to as a mono diet, involves eating only a single food or consuming that food at every meal for several days or weeks. One of the best-known single-food diets may be the grapefruit diet, which was popularized in the 1930s on the basis that an enzyme found in grapefruit helps to speed metabolism and drop pounds. Many of the foods promoted in mono diets are high in water content, which may help you feel fuller, but ultimately they’ll be unsatisfying as they are low in calories, fat and protein. As with any restrictive diet, a mono diet tends to be very low in calories and, if followed long-term, may lead to nutritional deficiencies according to a 2021 publication in Mètode Science Studies Journal.
Eliminating a food group
There’s a reason why the food groups are called “essential nutrients.” They are needed by the body for normal and healthy functioning. So, when you eliminate an entire group of foods, you put your body at risk of nutritional deficiencies. However, many trendy diets can call for limiting or eliminating entire food groups, such as the keto diet, which is a very-low- or no-carb diet.
Detox diets
Detox diets or programs suggest that they are methods that will remove toxins, cleanse the body and promote health and weight loss. Programs may include fasting, drinking only juices, eating only certain foods, using dietary supplements or herbs, cleansing the colon through enemas, laxatives or hydrotherapies, or use of a sauna. Are these programs necessary for health? No.
While some “detox” diets result in short-term weight loss due to low intake of calories, many are falsely advertised and could be dangerous or harmful to your health. According to the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission have taken action against several companies selling detox programs for containing illegal, harmful ingredients, marketed with false claims of treating diseases, and unapproved for their directed use.
