12 Dangerous Dieting Trends That Can Cause More Harm Than Good
The landscape of dieting has witnessed a procession of peculiar and perplexing trends, as individuals embark on extraordinary journeys in the quest for rapid and miraculous transformations. In this exploration, we will delve into some of the most eccentric diet fads that people have wholeheartedly embraced.
The Blood Type Diet
According to Dr. Peter D’Adamo, a naturopathic physician, your blood type dictates your nutritional needs, explaining why individuals on the same diet see varied results.
People who follow this plan feel increased energy and other health benefits within two weeks. This diet supports the idea that our immune and digestive systems still favor our ancestors’ diets. Type O’s, for instance, should focus on animal protein and rigorous exercise, while Type A’s lean toward a fresh, vegetarian diet. And Type B seems more flexible.
Sounds intriguing. But, in 2013, a comprehensive review of 1,415 studies revealed no single study proving the health benefits of the blood type diet fad.
The 12-Day Grapefruit Juice Diet
Introduced in 1930, the 12-day Grapefruit Juice Diet aims for weight loss, claiming a 10 lbs drop. People are advised to keep their calorie intake to under 1,000/day, with protein-rich meals including eggs, bacon, and butter, each paired with grapefruit juice. Oddly, the plan claims the more you eat, the more weight you will lose (which is also contradictory).
How does this diet work? Grapefruit juice supposedly burns fat, yet only one study, funded by Florida’s Citrus Department, supports this. The real reason might be calorie restriction. The catch: after 12 days plan, if you leave the diet, pounds tend to return, making it a temporary solution.
The Cabbage Soup Diet
This 7-day plan features cabbage soup daily on a strict schedule. While It’s a low-calorie, low-protein, low-fat approach and makes you lose some pounds, it is less in nutrients too.
Moreover, as with most fads, the weight returns when you abandon the tasteless soup. It’s wise to skip the cabbage soup and jump into a healthier, sustainable weight loss plan.
The Baby Food Diet
The diet features 14 baby food jars daily plus an ‘adult’ meal. Various health-conscious celebrities have tried the diet but never officially published it.
The idea of a day filled with bland baby purees doesn’t sound interesting. And baby food lacks essential fiber for digestion and chewing, which helps us feel full. The potential weight loss benefit seems dubious, as not all baby foods are low-calorie, and evening meal quality matters too.
The Magnetic Diet
The Magnetic Diet promises to “attract great food” using the laws of attraction, but it works on healthy living principles disguised as something out of the ordinary.
The diet recommends eating fruits, whole grains, veggies, lean meat, and antioxidants while shunning “contaminating magnetism foods,” including refined sugar, white flour, and high-cholesterol options. Calorie control, exercise, and meditation are part of his plan.
Weight loss happens, but not as mystically as the diet suggests. It’s more about sound principles than magnetism.
The Lemonade Diet
The Lemonade Diet is touted as a rapid weight loss fix. People drink lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and water for days while abstaining from solid food.
This diet claims to detoxify the body and aid in shedding pounds rapidly. Because it’s extremely low-calorie, it results in temporary weight loss like all fads.
Interestingly, the diet’s origin is a red flag. It was created by an unlicensed alternative health practitioner from the 1950s who faced legal issues, including a conviction for practicing medicine without a license. So, it’s a big no, without a doubt.
The Cotton Ball Diet
One of the strangest diet trends you can think of. This diet is believed to have originated in the modeling world and involves soaking up to five cotton balls in orange juice and swallowing them to curb hunger. Like seriously?
Yes, it might lead to weight loss, but the consequences are alarming. Beyond the health risks, it causes malnutrition and lacks the essential nutrients for proper bodily function – fats, proteins, carbs, vitamins, and minerals. It’s a diet that’s anything but ‘model-like.’ Stay far away from this hazardous and ineffective fad.
The Zen Diet
The Zen Diet follows strict guidelines, aiming for mindful consumption. The plan includes no meat and fish. Meals must balance yin and yang elements and incorporate all five flavors and colors, utilizing all five cooking methods. It seems complex. Right?
However, its focus on simple, organic, fresh, seasonal produce and the inclusion of green tea make it a healthier and more sustainable option than most fad diets.
The Sleeping Beauty Diet
As the name suggests, the sleeping beauty diet works on the principle that if you’re asleep, you can’t eat.
Dieters must seek doctors willing to sedate them for extended periods, preventing the possibility of munching the calories. However, This strategy seems unwise from every angle. It deprives the body of activity and nourishment while relying on addictive sleeping pills. This strategy seems unwise from every angle.
The Tapeworm Diet
As unbelievable as it sounds, this diet involves intentionally ingesting tapeworm eggs to lose weight. Yes, you read that correctly. People do it into believing that the tapeworm will consume some of their calories, leading to weight loss.
However, this is not only highly unscientific but also incredibly disgusting. Tapeworms can cause serious health problems, such as malnutrition, gastrointestinal issues, and even more severe complications if the tapeworm infection spreads.
Additionally, this “diet” does not promote healthy eating habits or long-term weight loss, and it poses significant risks to the individual’s health.
The Air Diet
Followers of this diet believe that they can sustain themselves by simply smelling their food instead of eating it. Needless to say, this ridiculous idea is neither safe nor effective.
Raw Food Diet
Some people believe in the power of eating raw foods. However, it has it’s limitations and can lead to malnutrition. Finding a balance and not being too strict is key.
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