If You See the Word “Detox,” Run--and 5 Other Diet Claims Never to Believe

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. By Ava Feuer, REDBOOK.


Detoxing will help you lose weight


"Detoxification is a made-up term," says Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., author of The Diet Fix. "Juice cleanses that call themselves that rely on pseudo-scientific babble." Yes, you'll lose weight on a three- or five-day liquid diet, but once you go back to solid food, you'll gain it all back--and maybe more thanks to acting on feelings of deprivation and the idea that you deserve treats after being "good." "Our liver, kidneys, and skin detoxify our bodies naturally. There is nothing left over that we need to remove, nor is there any mechanism by which these cleanses could do so."

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There's a miracle in a bottle
"I am constantly bombarded with questions about supplements--right now it's raspberry ketones and green bean coffee extract," says registered dietitian and author of Skinny-Size It Molly Morgan. "But there's very little research to prove their effectiveness." Not to mention that weight-loss supplements aren't regulated by the FDA, so there's no way to know exactly what you're putting into your body. "The best-case scenario is that you lose a couple of extra pounds--and I mean a couple," says Freedhoff. "People buy into it because of the fallacy that what's natural is good, but many supplements are also laced with prescription-strength medicine. Not knowing is risky, because can lead to dangerous drug interactions."

You can outrun your fork

Yes, exercise is part of a healthy lifestyle, but it isn't the key to weight loss. "The science shows that exercise is crucial for weight management, but exercise won't make you lose weight," says Freedhoff. Even when it comes to keeping the number on the scale steady, experts agree that unless you're an Olympic-level athlete, the balance is about 80-20 between what you eat and how much you move. The reasons are likely twofold: "People are made to believe, in part by the food industry that wants the pressure off, that exercise burns many more calories than it does," adds Freedhoff. While working out does speed up your metabolism, people overestimate by how much, then consume more. The other problem is that working out ups hunger, which can lead to overeating.

Related: The Magic Food Formula That Makes You Lose

Eat whatever you want and still lose weight

You should certainly eat some of the things you love--a life without dessert sounds like no fun at all. But subsisting on 1,700 calories of jellybeans will do you no good. "One hundred calories of French fries will affect your body very differently than a 100-calorie apple," says Freedhoff. "The majority of your calories need to come from whole foods--primarily plant-based ones--along with some whole grains and low-fat dairy," adds Morgan.

The secret is giving up gluten
If you're part of the small portion of the population who suffers from Celiac disease or some degree of gluten intolerance, you should absolutely cut the stuff from your diet. But many people who give up gluten, including those who do it for medical reasons, actually gain weight. "Being gluten-free doesn't necessarily mean eating better-for-you foods," says Morgan. "It's about selection of products." Gluten-free cookies, breads, and cereals are often higher in fat and calories than their gluten-laden counterparts, so the key is sticking to natural grain alternatives and other unpackaged, unprocessed foods.

Related: 10 Foods That Fight Fat

Just cut out a food group, and voilà
"Scientific evidence shows that we need to eat more natural plants, less animal products, and not exceed our calorie requirements," says Joel Fuhrman, M.D., author of The End of Dieting. "There's no data to show that cutting out fat or carbohydrates will lead to weight loss, and any fad diet will only hurt you." Fuhrman counts 88 different studies that show eating nuts and seeds reduces heart disease and cancer risk and increases longevity, meaning that we should be eating healthy fats. Plus, they're absorbed slowly into the bloodstream and help the body process other nutrients, which leads to feeling full longer and ultimately eating less. The same goes for unprocessed carbohydrates, says Morgan. "Any diet that cuts out an entire food group is not a good idea."


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