Quack Diets May Lead to Weight Gain, Cramping and Death
Cabbage Soup Diet
The cabbage soup diet has been around longer than the Internet. The diet consists of eating cabbage several times a day and little else. Several recipes for the cabbage soup diet circulate on the Internet and in print, but all contain cabbage as the main ingredient. Dieters eat soup and select fruits and vegetables for the first four days on the plan. On day five, meat is added to the menu. By day seven, dieters eat brown rice in addition to more cabbage soup. Limited calorie intake and the short list of approved foods classify this diet as a very low calorie diet with the potential for rebound weight gain after the allowed seven days.
The lemonade diet, also called a master cleanse, prohibits food intake. Dieters consume "lemonade" with cayenne pepper and a few other ingredients to increase weight loss. The diet gained popularity more than 50 years ago. Celebrities claim to use the lemonade diet for fast weight loss. The lemonade diet is a fast, so dieters are not allowed to consume solid foods while following the diet. Dieters drink the diet lemonade for up to 14 days. Toward the end of the 14 days, dieters slowly add solid foods. The lemonade diet does not provide essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
Detox Tea
Colon cleansing and detox teas often claim weight loss as a healthy benefit. These products include natural laxatives and diuretics, promoting increased bowel movements and urination. Despite claims of losing a large sum of weight in a short time, detox teas do not product permanent weight loss. Changes on the scale are likely attributed to water loss and the laxative effect. Some laxatives used in detox teas have a stimulating effect on bowels, leading to cramping and intestinal pain. Diuretics can cause dehydration and potassium loss.
Very Low Calorie Diet/Starvation
Starvation diets severely restrict calories to promote weight loss. Severe calorie restriction, often referred to as anorexia, leads to health problems and, potentially, death. Dangerous side effects of starvation diets include dehydration, irregular heartbeat, muscle atrophy and hypoglycemia.
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Published by Summer Banks - Featured Contributor in Health & Wellness
Summer Banks is a medical assistant with four years college nursing education. She is a senior health writer for Dietspotlight.com and Featured Contributor in Women s Health, Parenting and Dating & Relations... View profile
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