Diet fads attract many but should be avoided

Marisa Roper

Diet fads are everywhere and always appeal to a person’s desperation to lose weight. Depending on what one is looking for in results, there are countless products and programs promising to get you where you want to be.

Some of these advertised wonders are in pill form, some a magical tea and some claim weight loss secrets are hidden in the power of flushing.

Rated the 2009 diet of year and Hollywood’s new No. 1 favorite (and Oprah approved) is the Extra-Strength Phosphacore supplement.

This magical pill claims that by taking a nutrient based supplement, fatty deposits will safely disappear.

Bulges and cellulite will supposedly start to melt away within 48 hours of use (about 1.13 inches to be exact) by apoptosis, a fat cell reduction process.

Sounds like a miracle in a capsule, but does it really work?

Maureen Zimmerman of the MCC nutrition faculty said that quick fixes that sound too good to be true should be avoided. Weight loss isn’t something that happens over night and supplements aren’t the best choice.

“Registered dietitians do not usually recommend supplements because we are most certain one can get their nutrients with food, if it is chosen wisely,” Zimmerman added.

Another Oprah favorite is the upcoming Acai Berry Diet & Detox, which is referred to as the “Dynamic Duo.”

The acai are high-energy berries that come from a special Amazon palm tree.

By taking these berries-into-pills the Acai Detox diet says that unnecessary weight will be flushed away.

Ironically, there hasn’t been any direct link between acai berries and weight loss.

But acai berries have been proven to be one of the most nutritious foods in the world, and can help someone on the road to a healthy diet.

As far as detox, there’s no evidence that doing this makes a person more likely to lose weight.

In fact, Zimmerman said that the body already has a built in system for detoxification.

Another miracle diet is Wu-Long Tea. It’s supposed to help someone drink away their “stubborn body fat” and help lose inches in just 30 days.

Unfortunately, it’s not really possible to just drink away unwanted pounds.

“Testimonials are not a test for scientific truth,” Zimmerman said.

So what else is left in the diet world?

There’s always the “fat-free” diet; the “100-calorie snack-pack” diet; the “couch-potato” diet, no exercise needed, just cut back calories; and the “beef and bacon” diet, all the protein desired, all the time. Of course, nutritionists agree that avoiding diet fads, and dieting in general, are best.

For real results just keep in mind the basics; eat real food, cut back on portion size and stay active.

  • Mesa Legend Staff

    These are archived stories from Mesa Legend editions before Fall 2018. See article for corresponding author.

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