Many of us have done it—you see a link that claims someone has discovered the "5 things you should never eat" or "the one thing that will make you healthier" and you take a peak. Today, there is nutrition advice about what we should and shouldn't be eating pretty much everywhere on the internet.
It's fine to grab some recipes for your post-workout snack or ideas of how to add a healthy ingredient to your meals, but the risk comes when untrained individuals start giving full diet plans or advice.
As a nutrition student, I've seen the dangers that come with taking nutrition advice from the internet. While you may not see the risk in trying out a new way of eating (worth a shot, right?), here's why you should reconsider following the "eat this, not that" advice from your favourite blogger or celebrity.
Anyone can say anything
Literally anyone can make a blog post or video that says they found the secret to health. Even more, anyone can call themselves a nutritionist. Even when the person or the site looks legit, their skills are likely more in marketing than nutritional science. Make sure to scout out the pros by looking at their education, specifically look for the protected term "dietitian,"
"Feels good" is not scientific proof
Many people claim that they cut out a food or started a certain diet and now they feel great and have more energy.
Unfortunately, they probably haven't discovered some big secret to eating healthy. More often then not, they feel better because they are eating less processed foods, or they are just falling into a placebo effect.
There may be long-term risks
If you're thinking that any diet or trick is worth a shot, you may be putting yourself at a risk that is definitely not worth it. Often, internet diet advice is restrictive to a type of food, or energy in general. With restrictive calories or nutrients, you are putting yourself at risk for deficiencies.
Since those prescribing the diets likely aren't experts, they may not realize that their advice is cutting out certain vitamins or minerals, which can have long term effects on the body.
There is no cookie cutter fix
This is the one no one wants to hear. There is no single fix to healthy eating, losing weight or getting in shape. Starting a healthy lifestyle is not easy, and the real pros know that.
Every person is different in the way their bodies work, what their schedule is like, what they like to eat and what they have access too. What works for one person may not work for you.
Real health takes time, but it lasts
When people suggest that there is one way of eating that will fix your problems, it makes it a pass/fail. You either followed the rules or you didn't and if you failed, it's because you didn't try hard enough. Even though eating balanced meals and exercising may not bring the results you want by your upcoming vacation, the results will last a lot longer than your crash diet will.
With a healthy lifestyle, there should be a goal of long term, sustainable changes that make you a healthier (and happier) person for more than just a season. Real health becomes a habit and still allows you to treat yo' self.
So before you read the article or blog about the next big diet claim, remember that the random blogger sitting in their home office probably did not discover the big secret to health, and your health (and sanity) isn't worth being a guinea pig for their experimental claim.