Fad Diets: As Healthy As They Claim?

Ever since Atkins mania slammed America in the early aughts, infecting the population with an intense fear of carbs, more and more fad diets have been hailed as the "next big thing." From South Beach to Soylent and paleo to the master cleanse, some are definitely more extreme than others. And there's often conflicting science "backing up" each new trend.

In case you needed any more reasons to avoid fad-diet craziness for good, the experts at Everyday Health have broken down the many issues surrounding these plans. First of all, some of these diets make recommendations that simply don't provide your body with the full range of nutrients needed to function properly. No surprise, then, that many are excruciatingly difficult to follow for long periods of time — we've all had those terrible (and near-constant) cravings and hunger pangs when trying out the latest celeb-endorsed diet or cleanse. Most importantly, the "quick-fix" nature of these diets mean that many people gain the weight right back, contributing to a potentially dangerous cycle of yo-yo dieting.