Diets are hot topics these days, with almost everyone seemingly looking for the perfect plan to lose weight or to embrace a healthier lifestyle. That's why you see social media flooded with topics about diets, such as paleo, keto, Atkins, and much more.
While some of those diets are beneficial and effective, others can be risky if not followed properly. But have you come across diets that struck you as absolutely weird and bizarre? A diet that caused you to gape your mouth and think, “Wait, what?!” Well, if not, then buckle up, because we are in for a wild ride!
1. The Air Diet
The first on our list of bizarre and weird diets is the Air Diet, also known as the Breatharian Diet. This diet involves eating nothing but air and bright sunlight! Individuals who follow this diet believe that the only thing you need to consume is air and sunlight and that these two elements are enough to sustain you.
Needless to say, this diet is a paved path if you want to ruin your health. The Air Diet is not based on any scientific evidence whatsoever. In fact, science screams NO at this diet!
Should You Try The Air Diet?
Don't follow this diet as you will be at risk of nutritional deficiencies. Not just that, follow it long enough, and you would be literally risking your life (starvation, organ failure, and severe malnutrition).
2. The Tapeworm Diet
The Victorian era, that period of history where women applied lead-containing makeup to their faces, bathed in arsenic, wore corsets that shaped the body, and consumed tapeworm eggs (I know!).
Unfortunately, while all the trends above didn't survive the Victorian era, the Tapeworm Diet made it through. The concept of this diet is to consume pills that contain tapeworm eggs. When the eggs hatch, the worms will eat what you eat. That way, you can eat everything with no need whatsoever to worry about gaining weight.
If learning about this diet gave you goosebumps, then wait till you hear about how they got rid of the worms. One method involved inserting a tube that contains food through the digestive tract. The food is supposed to lure the worms in, that is if you didn't choke during the process! Another method is to hold a glass of milk to both orifices and wait for the worm to come out. Does it really work? We have no idea.
Should you try the Tapeworm Diet?
Absolutely not! Since it's illegal, whatever pills you buy, you can't be sure what's really in them. Also, infecting yourself with worms is not a good idea, as tapeworms can lead to serious complications such as blocking your intestines.
3. The Werewolf Diet
The Werewolf Diet is also known as the Lunar Diet and the Moon Diet. Don't let your imagination stray too far. It's not as dramatic as it sounds. The concept of this diet is to eat and fast according to the moon phases.
Proponents of the Werewolf Diet claim that just as the moon affects the tide, it also affects the water in our bodies (nothing to support this claim). The basic version of this diet is to fast during the full moon for 24 hours. During that period, you can only consume water and juice.
Is the Werewolf Diet safe?
You might if you want (after you talk to your doctor of course). However, it's doubtful that you will reap any significant benefits from this diet.
4. The Babyfood Diet
This diet, which reportedly started with the famous trainer Tracy Anderson, is for those who want to cut calories. The concept of the diet is to replace one or more regular meals with mashed baby food.
The Babyfood Diet does cut on calorie intake and might help with weight maintenance. Although, according to research, calorie restriction is not effective on its own¹, if you are considering it, then read the following first:
The Babyfood Diet might cause nutritional deficiencies, as baby food lacks some nutrients that adults need.
Even if the diet helps and you lose a few pounds in the beginning, doctors say that it won't be effective in the long term.
Consistency is important for every diet, and for this diet, consistency is hard unless you can put up with the bland, monotonous, and boring taste of baby food.
5. The Cotton Ball Diet
The Cotton Ball Diet is, without doubt, one of the craziest fad diets out there. Picture this: you are soaking cotton balls in juice, then eating them. Yes, you read that right! The principle behind this diet is that the fibers in cotton balls will make you feel full without gaining any weight.
Should you try the Cotton Ball Diet?
Don't even think about entertaining that idea. The Cotton Ball Diet is not just unhealthy; it's straight out dangerous.
Dangers of the Cotton Ball Diet
The Cotton Ball Diet has these risks:
Intestinal obstruction: the cotton balls might obstruct your intestines and block the passage of food and water.
Toxicity: the cotton balls that we find in stores and supermarkets are all processed with chemicals that might cause dioxin toxicity. Dioxins may damage the immune system, disrupt your hormones, and even cause cancer, and the bad part is that dioxins can remain in your body for years.
6. The Sleeping Beauty Diet
This diet is built on the basis that when you are asleep, you can't eat. So, the Sleeping Beauty Diet encourages sleeping a lot, sometimes with the help of sleeping aid pills.
Critique of the Sleeping Beauty Diet
This diet is obviously impractical, to say the least, not to mention that taking sleeping pills can cause dependence.
7. The Cabbage Soup Diet
The Cabbage Soup Diet is a low-caloric diet. Those who follow this diet eat cabbage soup for 7 days. You are allowed one or two additions, like vegetables or fruits. Proponents of this method say that you can lose up to 4.5 kg in a week.
There are no studies about the Cabbage Soup Diet, but if it results in any weight loss, then that effect is temporary, for some reasons; one of them is that this diet is not sustainable, and another one is that the diet might not be effective due to the fact that the metabolism of your body will decrease with the decreased caloric intake.
8. The Five-Bite Diet
In this diet, you can eat anything as long as you don't exceed five bites per meal. This diet was created by Dr. Alwin Lewis back in 2007, and it's based on the premise that you can lose as much weight as someone who underwent gastric bypass surgery without needing the surgery itself. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it?! Well, yeah, but hang on a little.
The Five Bites Diet is considered to be a very low-calorie diet, and such diets have limitations². For example, it can cause digestive issues, increase the risk of developing an eating disorder, increase the risk of gallstones, and according to scientists, this type of diet often leads to you regaining weight again³.
9. The Hollywood Cookie Diet
A less dramatic, 40-year-old diet that involves replacing two meals with specially formulated cookies is designed to be low in calories but high in proteins and fibers. The participant is supposed to eat up to nine cookies per day in place of breakfast and lunch, while dinner should be sensible and balanced.
Should you try the Hollywood Cookie Diet?
You can, but the right question is, “Is it worth it?”. While the Hollywood Cookie Diet might result in some weight loss, it has a number of drawbacks, such as:
There is no evidence to support this diet.
It's very restrictive.
It doesn't give a plan as to how to manage your weight when you stop this diet.
It's not sustainable.
It's expensive.
10. The Ice Diet
The Ice Diet relies on the principle that your body burns energy to heat up the ice or cold water. Advocates of this diet say that you can burn about 70 calories for every liter of ice water you consume, but there is no evidence behind that claim yet.
When thermogenesis is triggered, the metabolism increases, and this leads to the breakdown of more calories.
While the basis of this diet is fairly logical, we don't have evidence that eating or drinking iced water is enough to induce such a response.
Should you try the Ice Diet?
Since we have a lack of studies and this diet can be harmful to your gums and teeth, I wouldn't recommend it.
Questions
Q: Are there any benefits to these bizarre diets?
A: While some people may see short-term weight loss, these diets often lack scientific evidence and can pose serious health risks.
Q: How do I know if a diet is safe to follow?
A: Research the diet thoroughly and consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new diet.
Q: Can I lose weight safely without following extreme diets?
A: Yes, you can read my article: How to Lose Weight Efficiently.
Q: Are any of these bizarre diets safe to follow?
A: While some of them are less risky than others, and some like the Cabbage Soup Diet and the Babyfood Diet are not risky on the short term, most of the diets mentioned are not safe and can pose significant health risks. It's essential to consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet plan.
Q: Why do people try such extreme diets?
A: People often turn to extreme diets out of desperation to lose weight quickly or due to the influence of trends and celebrities. However, these diets can be harmful and are not sustainable long-term.
Q: What should I look for in a healthy diet?
A: A healthy diet should be balanced, providing essential nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. It should include a variety of foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
Q: How can I determine if a diet is a fad?
A: If a diet promises rapid weight loss, eliminates entire food groups, or lacks scientific evidence, it's likely a fad. Always research and consult a healthcare professional before starting any new diet.
Q: Are there any benefits to intermittent fasting, like the Werewolf Diet suggests?
A: Intermittent fasting has some evidence supporting its benefits, such as improved metabolism and weight management. However, fasting based on moon phases, like the Werewolf Diet, lacks scientific support. Always consult a healthcare professional before starting any fasting regimen.
Q: Can short-term diets like the Cabbage Soup Diet be effective?
A: Short-term diets might lead to temporary weight loss, but they are often not sustainable and can cause nutritional deficiencies. A balanced, long-term approach to diet and exercise is usually more effective.
The Bottom Line
There are a lot of bizarre and strange diets out there, such as the air diet, the cotton ball diet, the tapeworm diet, and more. Don't follow everything you see, hear, or read about on the internet. Most of what you encounter is designed to gain clout. If you hear about a diet and you want to follow, read a lot about it first, and after you do your reading, talk to your doctor about it and hear what they have to say. If they tell you it's okay, then go for it.
Sources
World Health Organization. (2016). Dioxins and their effects on human health. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/dioxins-and-their-effects-on-human-health
Benton, D., & Young, H. A. (2017). Reducing calorie intake may not help you lose body weight. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 12(5), 703-714. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691617690878
National Clinical Guideline Centre (UK). (2014). Obesity: Identification, Assessment and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Children, Young People and Adults: Partial Update of CG43. London: National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK311324/.
Fad diets. (2017).
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/9476-fad-diets
Obert, J., Pearlman, M., Obert, L. et al. Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques. Curr Gastroenterol Rep 19, 61 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11894-017-0603-8
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