While diet culture has always been popular, and people continue to search for quick fixes to reach desired body goals, influential search platforms such as TikTok has become a go-to for millions seeking diet hacks.
TikTok enables those with no training or education in nutrition to guide others on their weight loss journey. With one in five people trusting influencers more than they trust health specialists¹, it’s essential those undertaking the next viral diet understand the possible implications.
With this in mind, holistic health specialist Altered Health delves into the most popular diets and the dangers:
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Carnivore diet (895.8M views)
Generating 895.8M views on TikTok², the “#carnivorediet”, has gained extreme traction worldwide. This restrictive diet includes meat, fish, and other animal foods like eggs and certain dairy products. It excludes all other foods, including fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts, and seeds. Many simply eat meat, cooked or raw, and drink water. This diet is claimed to aid weight loss, mood fluctuations, and blood sugar regulation, among other health issues. However, this diet is extremely limiting and likely unhealthy in the long run.
Founder of Altered Health and author of the personal growth book ‘I Am Not My Diagnosis’, Carley Mellors-Blair, comments: “Not all meats are quality meats, if you’re taking part in this diet, please be careful which meats you’re eating. Most meats are filled with antibiotics and chemicals in which the animals are fed. There is a big risk here of lacking essential nutritional intake. Likewise, a lack of antioxidants, fibre, vitamins and minerals can create long-term digestive issues.
“While this diet does eliminate processed sugars and flour, which is great, this can be done by eating a more balanced nutritional intake.”
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Volume eating (141.4M views)
The hashtag “#volumeeating” has received a huge 141.4M views on TikTok², with many influencers worldwide promoting the diet. Compared to having high-calorie food in small or normal portions, the volume-eating diet focuses on consuming extremely low-calorie foods but high quantities of them.
This includes high nutrient-dense foods that are low in calories and high in water content, such as fruits, vegetables, and soups. This ultimately limits calorie-dense foods, such as saturated fat, candy, cookies, and junk food.
Carley comments: “This diet has great content. You will feel fuller for longer, so you wouldn’t need to eat as much. You will intake lots of vitamins and minerals, which is extremely important in any dietary choice.
“Regardless of what you’re eating, you will most likely gain weight if you’re not moving your body. No matter how much healthy food you eat, this must be combined with exercise; if not, your body can store it as fat.”
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Egg diet (77M views)
The egg diet is simply in the name. This diet consists of eating only eggs for every meal, alongside low-carbohydrate snacks like fruit or vegetables. The egg diet is a low-calorie, low-carb, high-protein eating plan that advocates argue can lead to rapid weight loss without losing muscle mass. Having recently gained high social media traction, the “#eggdiet” has now reached 77M views on TikTok².
Carley explains the serious risks of this diet choice: “This is a highly inflammatory diet, with a huge risk for intolerance. Being such a high fat, high cholesterol intake can cause heart issues, affect your digestive system, kidneys and liver, and can also be related to prostate cancer. If trying this diet, you may experience high bloating and possible nausea.
“Likewise, I wouldn’t recommend taking part in this diet if you have arthritis or any other joint issues, as having a highly inflammatory food intake can be the worst thing for this.”
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Military diet (31.2M views)
The Military Diet is a strict, short-term plan requiring a drastic reduction in calorie intake. The restrictions work over a three-day period, and then you take four days off from the diet. This plan can reportedly allow you to lose ten pounds in a week. You can repeat the diet weekly until you reach your weight loss goal. Those who have tried this diet plan recommend consuming between 1,100 and 1,400 calories each day for the first three days of the plan.
Having 31.2M TikTok views², the “#militarydiet” is certainly popular, but what do the experts think?
Carley adds: “When reducing calories, it must be understood that not all calories are created equal. For example, 1,400 calories in a day of food with a low nutritional value will not benefit your health. Moreover, you may experience ‘brain fog’ with no fats or carbohydrates as your brain isn’t receiving the nutrients it needs to function.
“The main issue with this diet is that it’s not sustainable. Once you return to your normal diet, the weight you’ve lost may return or, in fact, double.”
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Baby food diet (19.2M views)
This diet may be the most shocking trend of all! The basic plan calls for eating 14 jars of baby food throughout the day, with an option to have a healthy adult meal at dinner. Ultimately, the idea is to cut calories and control portions. The average jar of baby food ranges in calories from 20-100.
Although “eating baby food for weight loss” has gained 19.2M views on TikTok², Carley disagrees with the nutritional benefits: “Jarred baby food is not something I would personally recommend, from a nutritional standpoint, for babies or adults. I always recommend making your own. In jarred baby food, there is a complete lack of nutrients for adults. Although you may lose weight while on this diet, you will most likely gain this back, if not more, due to the severe lack of calories.
“Due to the amount of salt in baby food, you may cause issues for your heart and blood pressure. If you’re going to take part in this diet, I would strongly recommend reading the labels of each jar. Alternatively, making your own soup and eating this daily would have a healthier and more sustainable effect.”
Carley comments on diet trends overall: “If your overall goal is weight loss, it’s all about balance! Make sure your output is more than your input. Ensure it’s something sustainable that you can do long term, and not a ‘quick fix’.”
“It’s all about lifestyle change and discovering which change works best for you. Each body and lifestyle differs, therefore we cannot all be intaking the same types and amounts of food. I strongly recommend discussing the diet plan you have in mind with a specialist and doing lots of research before submitting your body to such extreme changes.”
For more information on diet trends and nutritional hacks, please visit: https://alteredhealth.co.uk/the-tiktok-diets-to-avoid/