It’s always important to be discriminating about what advice to take and what to ignore. When it comes to diet advice, though, you need to be on high alert because less-than-sensible diet methods and tips are everywhere. If you can’t be sure about some of the diet advice that you come by, check out the list of the worst diet tips you should always ignore.
1. Fasting
Fasting is frequently promoted as a way to quickly lose weight, slow down aging and cleanse the body. Whether it is staying without food for days on end or depriving yourself of food for long periods of time, fasting has no scientific merit as a weight-loss method. It comes with added dangers: low blood sugar levels, digestive problems and psychological issues, not to mention heart disease and cancers.
2. Weight loss with pepper
Cayenne pepper has powerful therapeutic effects. It helps with migraine, allergies, digestive issues, bad breath and joint pain. Moreover, it’s been popular as a weight-loss supplement, ever since the Master Cleanse diet offered it as a part of its recommended formulation, along with lemon juice and maple syrup. Cayenne pepper can only help you lose weight through bumping up your metabolism slightly, though. It doesn’t do enough to deserve a label as a weight-loss supplement.
3. Weight loss with coconut oil
Since coconut oil contains healthy fat, it certainly should be a part of any weight-loss diet. It doesn’t help burn fat, though, the way the proponents of coconut oil weight-loss methods claim. There is no scientific evidence to support such a belief. The only thing we know is that coconut oil is much healthier than vegetable oils.
4. Weight loss with soups
If you allow yourself nothing but thin soup the way the Cabbage soup diet recommends, it’s a given that you’ll starve and lose considerable weight. Doctors and nutritionists don’t recommend starvation diets. You run the risk of malnutrition.
5. Weight-loss with negative-calorie foods
Lettuce and celery are said to be negative-calorie foods: you expend more calories chewing on them and digesting them than you gain from them. While salad ingredients certainly are healthy, turning to them as a way to burn calories doesn’t make much sense. You could burn calories much more quickly trying exercise. Diets that entirely consist of vegetables often result in malnutrition.
More: 10 Ways to Sneak in Healthy Eating
6. Weight loss with raw food diets
Raw diets certainly are an effective way to lose weight, but not because raw ingredients somehow aid in weight loss. It’s the incidental removal of processed foods, refined sweetening agents, refined flours, unhealthy heated oils and other unhealthy diet ingredients that helps. Raw diets can lead to malnutrition if they aren’t properly planned, too.
7. Weight-loss through carbohydrate deprivation
Some kinds of carbohydrates do lead to weight gain, especially the refined kinds found in white rice and white bread. Cutting these foods out of your diet can certainly help you lose weight. There is no scientific research that finds that depriving yourself of carbohydrates from whole grains and legumes helps you lose weight, though.
8. Weight loss through protein-focused diets
Famous diets such as the Atkins method severely restrict carbohydrate intake and have you focusing, instead, on high-protein foods. The Zone diet takes the high-protein route, too. When you deprive yourself of a well-rounded diet, though, you no longer have the benefit of fiber and antioxidants. You also risk loading up on fat if you don’t plan your diet very carefully.
9. Weight loss through giving up gluten
No scientific study proves that gluten is fattening. Additionally, when you jump on the gluten-free bandwagon without thinking your diet through, you run the risk of giving up foods that are an important source of nutrition. Consult your doctor and find out whether you are gluten sensitive or not.
10. Weight loss through getting exercise on an empty stomach
Hitting the gym on an empty stomach can certainly help you lose weight, but not in the way you may think. When you’re hungry, your body chooses to break down muscle for its energy. Your fat reserves stay intact. Opt for oats, Greek yogurt with fruits, egg whites, fruit smoothies, quinoa or brown rice. These are all great foods to eat before workouts.
More: 10 Weight-Loss Snacks for the Perfect Body
The weight-loss field gets more than its fair share of crank ideas. It’s important to never believe in an idea that you haven’t thoroughly researched. Before trying any diet tips, make sure you consult your doctor. This way, you will avoid many health issues and reach your weight loss and health goals faster. Do you agree with this list of the worst diet tips?