In recent years, the trend of fad diets is increasing very fast. Because most of the people in the world are becoming victims of obesity. Many people opt for a fad diet if they want to lose or gain weight. Diabetes and blood pressure diseases are also caused due to obesity. All kinds of heart diseases are also related to obesity.
Fad diet includes such food which contains very little amount of fat. Most of those things are included in the Fad Diet which is high in fiber content.
When a keto diet is used to lose weight, it is a fad diet. To lose weight, it is beneficial to consume a keto diet for some time, but consuming a fad diet for many years in a row is dangerous.
Diet fads claim they make you lose fat, but it removes excess water from the body, which happens after consuming diet fads. Therefore, most diet fads make false claims that they make you lose fat, when in fact they just end up drinking water.
Diet fads also limit food intake and force a person to eat only one type of food, making the person extremely uninterested in eating the food. Due to this, people usually are not able to take this type of diet plan for a long time.
Fad diet and balanced diet
Like the ketogenic diet; Alkaline diet, baby food diet, vegan diet, paleo diet, and zone diet are some of the fad diets that have become quite popular these days. As our age increases, we need different types of vitamins and nutrients for good health. There is a difference between a fad diet and a balanced diet. A fad diet is mainly good for when the amount of fat in the body is very high. But when fat is reduced in the body, then a balanced diet is needed for the body.
In this regard, diet experts believe that a balanced diet is needed after the age of 30. Because after 30, the supply of essential nutrients to the body is very necessary. If the age is around 50, then consuming a fad diet should be avoided. Because in increasing age, taking a fad diet leads to a lack of nutrients in the body. Due to the lack of nutrients in the body, the chances of diseases increase greatly.
Healthy fat is needed after a stage of age. Some people also forget to take healthy fat in the wake of a fad diet. Due to this, there is a lack of healthy fat in the body. Hunger should never be controlled. Eat when you want to eat. Take a healthy diet only, do not do that if you are hungry then eat anything.
If you want to stick to a diet plan, ask yourself the following questions to help you differentiate between a diet and a fad. Look for the points mentioned below and if you find them, it is most likely a fad diet.
Look for the points mentioned below and if you find them, it is most likely a diet.
- Does the diet plan claim to lose weight?
- Is that diet plan realistic?
- If a diet plan is selling some product?
- Are there enough scientific claims to substantiate this?
- Does the plan list good & bad foods?
- Examples of Fad diets
- Liquid diet
Such diets suggest drinking plenty of fluids to lose weight.
For example, you may lose essential substances like phytochemicals, which are plant matter (found in vegetables and fruits) if you start this type of diet. They protect the body from many diseases. Furthermore, losing weight through liquid diets may only result in a temporary effect, and once you stop taking them, you can regain the lost weight quickly.
Meal-Combination Diet in the Fad Diet
These diets claim to lose weight by eating a combination of fad foods. However, this only results in loss of vital nutrients and so far, there is no scientific evidence that makes the same claim.
High-protein diet
High protein (meat, eggs, etc.) diets are commonly proposed in such diet fad. These diet fads can be extremely dangerous because they put excessive pressure on the kidneys and liver to metabolize protein.
Diets that focus on protein-rich foods may be missing specific nutrients the body needs to keep healthy.
Juice or Soup in Diet Fad
In such diet fads, the dieting person tries to lose weight by drinking juices and broths only for a short period. Not eating solid food for a long time can lead to extreme weakness and fatigue. In addition, it leads to a lower basal metabolic rate, which leads to fewer calories from the body, which leads to weight loss.
Cabbage Diet in Diet Fad
This diet fad claims that eating cabbage over a long period can help you lose weight, although eating cabbage consistently can lead to gastrointestinal problems and loss of vital vitamins and minerals from the body.
Grapes Fruit in the Fad Diet
In this type of diet plan, it is proposed to eat only one kind of fruit i.e. grapefruit. This type of diet plan is very low in calories and leads to loss of vital minerals and vitamins. This causes severe weakness in the body.
Complications that arise from Diet Fad
Regain Lost Weight:
Most diet deficiencies lead to quick weight loss, and eating boring food for a long period can leave dieters feeling depressed. As dieters return to their normal diet, it becomes a problem for them to quickly regain the lost weight.
Diet fads pose a higher risk for chronic disease:
Diet fads eliminate important nutrients from our bodies, which causes the loss of essential vitamins and minerals that protect our bodies from diseases and infections. This increases the risk of certain diseases such as heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis.
Decreased physical activity due to diet fad:
All diet fads limit the number of carbohydrates in the body. Carbohydrates are essential for supplying energy to our bodies. Low carbohydrates also result in loss of electrolytes from the body. Which causes low blood pressure. The reduced supply of carbohydrates results in fatigue and reduced physical activity.
Kidney stones and gout due to fad diet:
Diets that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates often lead to the formation of uric acid and calcium oxalate, which lead to kidney stones and gout.
Diet fad risk of resulting in ketosis
Due to the low carbohydrate content in the diet, it results in ketosis. Ketosis is a state that develops when the body is under starvation, and mainly when the body is devoid of carbohydrates. Without enough carbohydrates to supply energy, fat becomes the primary energy source and ketones become a means of transport. People with ketosis have bad breath.
One should consult a dietitian before relying on Diet Fad, as most of them contain false promises. More than benefiting the body, they can cause serious health issues.