diet trends

The Carnivore Diet: What does the science say?

May 24, 2020 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Hi everyone! I am back to chat about another health/wellness/diet trend. One of my favorite things to do on this blog is to examine scientific evidence to see what true risks and benefits different wellness trends carry. I’ve covered topics like celery juice, the keto diet, plant-based meat substitutes, supplements for immunity, etc,. And today, I’m going to be discussing the carnivore diet.

Now, as a general disclaimer, yes, I am vegan. That said, I do my best to remain objective when writing and creating content, to separate my own feelings and opinions from scientific evidence. In fact, I’ve pointed out some of the nutritional concerns of the vegan diet (including adequate B-12, DHA, zinc, iron, calorie, and protein consumption) in this post. So, all that’s to say, I will do my best to stick to the facts about this diet, regardless of my own dietary preferences.

*Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

Furthermore, as I’ve mentioned repeatedly, there are many ways to have a healthy diet, and the best diet is the one you can maintain long-term that allows you to meet your nutrient requirements. And hypothetically, for most healthy people, all foods can fit into a healthy diet.

With all those disclaimers done, let’s dive into the science of the carnivore diet.

First of all, what is the carnivore diet?

The carnivore diet is a diet that consists entirely of animal products; namely, meat, eggs, fish, and other animal products. Different interpretations of the diet also allow cheese and things like butter.

What are some claims made about the carnivore diet?

Proponents claim that the carnivore diet leads to weight loss, general ‘healing,’ blood sugar regulation, reverses rheumatoid arthritis, improved cognitive function, digestion, and athletic performance, etc. Proponents also like to mention that it is free of ‘anti-nutrients’ including lectins and plant fibers, that may inhibit the absorption of certain nutrients.

It’s also touted as a supreme form of an elimination diet, and many claim it will ‘heal’ the gut, and lead to a longer more prosperous life.

What does the science say about the carnivore diet?

*Full transparency, these ‘meat’ images are all of Beyond or Impossible meat…I don’t eat meat so I have no photographs of it!

Well, the science is supremely lacking. I couldn’t find any scientific evidence that has tested a carnivore diet in humans and measured its ability to ‘heal,’ stabilize blood sugar, improve cognitive function, etc.

Because I could find no scientific studies on the carnivore diet, I read up on similar (but more inclusive) diets, including the Paleo diet and the ketogenic diet.

When it comes to anti-inflammatory claims made by the carnivore diet, a 2017 study on a small sample of mice suggested that a ketogenic diet may suppress inflammation.

However, these results should be interpreted with caution as ketogenic diets include a wider variety of foods than does the carnivore diet, and this study was done on animals, not humans.

When it comes to psychological illness, although there are no studies to support the use of meat-only diets, a 2017 review found that the use of ketogenic supplements may suppress anxiety and depression-related behaviors in rats and mice.

However, many of these studies had small sample sizes, and were short in durations. Furthermore, these animal studies are conducted in controlled environments, and extrapolating these results to humans should be done with caution.

Regarding improved digestion, there is no evidence to support that consuming a carnivore diet will prevent or decrease digestive ailments or symptoms. However, it could be argued that the elimination of fiber may ease IBS symptoms in some people.

One study that many advocates of the carnivore diet like to cite does support the idea of decreasing fiber intake for improved digestive symptoms; however, the study showed improved digestion upon lowering or stopping fiber intake in a sample of 63 people with idiopathic constipation.

This group of individuals was already experiencing severe constipation, therefore it is unclear if these findings are generalizable to the general population.

That said, a diet that only allows three meats is devoid of most fermented oli-, di- and monosaccharides, alcohols and polys (FODMAPs), which may cause or exacerbate IBS symptoms in some people; therefore, elimination of these foods may lead to improvement in functional gastrointestinal symptoms. That said, avoiding fiber may not be best for everyone.

There is ample evidence to suggest that dietary fiber can reduce the risk of diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers, including rectal cancer.

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Do Detox Diets Work? What About Juice Cleanses, Colonics, Tummy Teas, etc?

December 30, 2019 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Detox diets are advertised everywhere. Whether you spend time on social media, watch TV commercials, listen to radio ads, or page through magazines, we are infiltrated with protocols for detox diets and juice cleanses, for-purchase cleanses, ‘flat tummy’ teas, and other magical products are promises of ‘cleansing’ the body. But do detox diets work? Do cleanses work? Are these products and diets worth your time and money?

Well, the short answer is no. But in the interest of diet-talk season aka the New Years season, I thought I’d break down exactly why you should not waste your precious time and/or money on these pursuits, and what you can do instead if you are pursuing health.

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

What is a detox?

Great question. There is no universal definition of ‘detox’ diets. The idea behind a detox is that by following a certain diet regimine and/or ingesting a certain product, an individual will somehow remove toxins from the body, lose weight, and/or achieve a higher status of health.

There are a variety of detox and cleanse approaches including fasting, drinking only juices, following strict diets and/or avoiding food groups, taking supplements or drinking teas, and cleansing the colon by with edemas, laxatives, or hydrotherapy.

Do detox diets and cleanses work? What does the science say?

High quality research exploring the impacts of detoxes and cleanses on human health is sparse.

Much of the literature that does exist to support the use of detox diets and cleanses is of poor quality and has serious flaws in terms of poor study design, abysmally small sample sizes, and lack of peer review. And/or it is industry-funded (ie, a detox pill company funding a flawed study that has not been peer-reviewed).

A 2015 review of detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management concluded that although the detox diet industry is booming, there is little clinical evidence to suggest that these diets are useful nor necessary.

Furthermore, upon critical review of the evidence, they found that most studies conducted on ‘detox’ products had been ‘hampered by flawed methodologies and small sample sizes,’ and were primarily conducted in animals. The authors concluded that there were no randomized control trials to assess effectiveness of detox diets in humans.

There is some evidence to suggest juicing or detox diets may lead to initial weight loss due to severe calorie restriction, but the same studies also find that people regain the weight upon resuming a normal diet. Also, this has nothing to do with removing ‘toxins’ from the body, because they simply can not and do not do this. Furthermore, severe caloric restriction of any kind may lead to initial weight loss, regardless of diet or cleanse protocol.

There have been no long-term studies to examine the impacts of detox and cleanse diets on the human body. I’m guessing this is probably because most nutrition scientists know that the liver and kidneys detox the human body, and that these for-profit cleanses and rituals are unworthy of time and money.

So, to answer the question “do detox diets work?” the short answer is no, they do not, and there is little use for them.

Do I need to detox or cleanse my body?

No! I’d like to shout this from the rooftop: You do not need to detox your body. Your liver, lungs, colon, and kidneys do a phenomenal job of removing a majority of toxins and waste products from your body.

The lungs, for example, allow you to exhale carbon dioxide, and are home to cilia and mucus, which trap potentially harmful particles and allow you to cough, swallow, or exhale them rather than breath them in.

The liver breaks down nutrients, as well as medicines, chemicals, pollutants, and other toxins. The liver often converts toxins into water soluble substances that can be excreted in the body. For example, it filters blood to remove large toxins, synthesizes and excretes bile to help remove fat-soluble toxins, and makes enzymes that help the body rid itself of chemicals.

The kidneys filter blood, removing byproducts of digestion, as well as waste, toxins, and excess water, and produce urine as a waste product to rid the body of unnecessary substances. By helping your body rid itself of waste, the kidneys work to help detox the body.

What are the risks of detoxes and cleanses?

Some detox and cleansing protocols carry serious and potentially fatal risks. Others are simply a waste of time and money without proven benefit. Either way, it’s important to understand the risks associated with embarking on a cleanse protocol.

The FDA and FTC have taken action against several companies selling detox and cleanse products that contained illegal or potentially harmful ingredients, that were marked with false claims that they could treat serious disease, and for being medical devices marketed for unapproved uses (as is the case with many colon cleanse products).

The precise risks depend on the diet/protocol followed. Below are a list of a few common cleanse techniques, and associated risks.

Severely Restrictive Detox Diet Plans are often inadequate in nutrients and calories. I often see “detox” diet plans that are 5-7 days long (like the ones on ‘wellness’ website goop) that are very restrictive. Many of these diets are inadequate in energy (calories), and may not provide ample vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health. In addition to putting individuals at risk of micronutrient deficiencies, low calorie diets have been found to increase cortisol (a stress hormone) levels in individuals. Furthermore, overly restrictive diets may lead to a preoccupation with, and/or unhealthy relationship with food.
Colon cleansing procedures, such as edemas and hydrotherapies, come with a variety of risks, including severe GI distress, colon injury, and increased risks of hemorrhoids, kidney disease, and heart disease.
Laxatives may cause diarrhea, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalances.
Juice Cleanses often do not provide enough calories, protein, fat, fiber and/or micronutrients to support optimal health. This puts juice cleansers at-risk for micronutrient deficiencies and other symptoms associated with inadequate energy intake. Furthermore, some juices are high in oxalates, which may increase risks of kidney problems. For more about juice cleanses, see this post.
Taking excessive herbal or dietary supplements and drinking large volumes of water without eating any food may lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances. Electrolyte imbalances may lead to heart palpitations, edema, confusion, and death.
Drinking Hot Lemon Water in the morning is a popular way to ‘cleanse’ the body of toxins. Compared to many of the other cleansing techniques, this one is fairly harmless, but it is worth noting that the high acid content of the lemon water may be harmful to the enamel of your teeth and increase your risk of cavities.

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The Whole30 Diet: Is Whole30 good for you? What does the science say about Whole30?

August 25, 2019 by Katherine Baker 4 Comments

Hey there friends! It’s been a minute since I wrote a science/nutrition type post. Life has been crazy and all over the place. But let’s not dwell upon that. Let’s talk about the Whole 30 diet. A lot of people ask me about Whole 30. But what is the Whole 30 diet? Is Whole 30 Good for you? Today, we will look at the science behind the Whole30 diet?

PS: Video version at bottom of post or watch here.

What is Whole30?

I never learned about the Whole 30 diet in my masters of nutrition program, nor in my undergraduate nutrition classes. The Whole 30 diet is not included in my Clinical Nutrition textbooks, nor is it in my nutritional biochem textbook (granted, these books are a couple years old, but still).

So, I turned to the internet to find see what was out there about Whole30.

I couldn’t find any scientific studies on Whole30 on PubMed nor Google Scholar.

Thus, I turned to regular Google. According to the Whole30 official website, Whole30 is a 30-day diet that emphasizes whole foods and the elimination of sugar (real or artificial, including maple syrup, agave, coconut sugar, date syrup, Splenda, Stevia, etc) alcohol, grains including wheat, corn, rice, millet, etc, legumes of all kinds (ie: beans, peanuts, and peas), soy, dairy, and carrageenan, MSG, and sulfites.

The Whole30 program also forbids consuming baked goods, treats, or junk foods made with “approved” ingredients, as well as stepping on the scale or measuring one’s body during the 30 days.

According to the website, you must completely adhere to the full program “exactly as written 100% for the full 30 days.” If you have any “slip ups,” (even a bite of pizza) you “have” to start over again on Day 1.

Whole30 is also a lifestyle brand, of sorts. The website offers a couple Whole30-related books, and seems to work with brands on “Whole30-approved” certifications for certain products.

What Does Whole30 promise?

The Whole30 website claims that completing the Whole30 program will lead to “stunning, life-changing results.” According to their website, Whole30 can cure digestive ailments, seasonal allergies, skin issues, inflammation, and improve your immune system.

The Whole30 also advertises itself as a “nutritional reset” to help you “end” unhealthy cravings and habits.

There are no links to any scientific studies to support these claims on the Whole30 website. There are, however, links to Whole30 books available for purchase, written by the Whole30 founders.

Who Designed Whole30?

According to the Whole30 website, the diet was founded by Melissa Hartwig Urban, who obtained a sports nutrition certificate from ISSN (according to her LinkedIn page). ISSN is an online nutrition certificate site,sponsored by Bayer, bioPro, CBD+oil, Muscletech, and many other companies.

I can’t speak about the quality of the program as I have never taken the exam.

What Does the Science Say About Whole30?

As I alluded to above, I couldn’t find a single scientific studies on Whole30 and the diet’s impact on health on PubMed nor Google Scholar, nor did I ever learn about it in any academic nutrition setting. It’s not in any nutrition textbook I own, etc.

So, every health claim made by the Whole30 website lacks scientific data. Normally, when researching a diet or trend, I try to weigh the evidence and sift through the science available to determine the validity of claims made. However, in this case, all I can say is, there is no evidence to support any health benefits of the Whole30.

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Celery Juice: What does the Science Say?

July 2, 2019 by Katherine Baker 4 Comments

Celery juice is one of the most popular and heavily Instagramed recent health trends. Suddenly, it seems like everyone is guzzling celery juice, and proclaiming that it can cure every ailment from acne to cancer to infertility.

Confused, as I couldn’t remember ever hearing about any benefits of celery juice during my master’s in nutrition program, I decided to take a deep dive into investigating the trend and truly examine what – if any – evidence there was behind this wellness trend.

So today I’m spilling the tea on celery juice. I’m a bit anxious to post this as I fear some people may get upset with me; after all, links to peer-reviewed literature are way less sexy than colors of pretty pastel green juice and promises of perfect health.

But after a lot of internet digging, database searching, and textbook consulting, I have come to the conclusion that yes, celery, consumed as part of a robust, diverse diet, can be healthful food. And yes, it has some healthful plant compounds…as do many other plant foods. And those celebrated in celery are not exclusive to the vegetable.

Importantly, there is scant evidence to support the alleged health benefit of consuming celery juice in humans. As far as I can tell, the trend was started by someone with no actual nutrition or medical background information, and brought to the mainstream by often as inadequately-educated health influencers.

Now, if you’re interested in joining me into the deep throws of my research journey, I’ve explained some of what I found while research celery juice in the sections below, detailing everything from healthful compounds truly found in celery, to dangers of overconsumption.

Don’t like reading? Take a listen to the video chat here (and/or scroll to the bottom for embedded video).

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Let’s Talk About Dietary Supplements (And what precautions to take when they are marketed to you all over social media)

June 26, 2019 by Katherine Baker 1 Comment

Hello to my wonderful friends from all corners of the internet! Today we are going to be chatting about dietary supplements. I get a lot of questions from friends, family members, and followers about supplements. Should you take a multivitamin? Which brand? Do supplements work? What about if I workout? Do diet pills work? Etc etc. I get it. There’s a lot of confusion out there.

And then, of course, I frequently see people on my Facebook feed, or influencers on my Instagram suggested page, selling all sorts of lovely supplements, making various promises that range from weight loss to improved brain function to increased muscle strength to better sleep. Suddenly it seems like many people feel well-qualified to give dietary advice and sell supplements!

There’s also this extremely bizarre-to-me trend of influencers ingesting all sorts of pre-workout powdery concoctions, bulking up frothy beverages with all sorts of mystical potions, and getting IV “vitamin cleanses,” and acting as if these activities are not only glamorous, but also totally normal ways to improve one’s health.

All of this adds to the noise and confusions about what – if any – supplements are the best for consumers to take. And with the multi-billion dollar supplement industry continuing to grow at a rapid pace, it seems like every day we’re infiltrated with advertisement for a new “essential” supplement to add to our daily routines.

If you know me at all, you know that the spread of illegitimate nutrition information and trends is one of my biggest peeves. So rather than continuing to suppress all my feelings, or end up thrashing out irrationally, I thought it was time to use my platform to shed some truth about nutrition-related issues. Including supplements.

So let’s get into it. The highs, lows, unknowns, and in between of dietary supplements.

Disclaimer: As always, this is general information intended for healthy adults who are not pregnant or breastfeeding. Your needs may vary based on medical status, lifestyle, or life-stage. Please never replace generalized health information you’ve read online with individualized clinical care.

No One Regulates Supplements Before They Hit Shelves

If there’s one thing you should be aware of as a consumer, it’s that no one regulates supplements before they hit the market. That’s right – no one – not the FDA, USDA, etc – regulates dietary or herbal supplements for quality, safety, or purity before you’re able to pick up a bottle at your local drug store.

The FDA does prohibit companies from marketing adulterated or misbranded supplements, meaning they have a legislation in place that prohibits tainted products from hitting store shelves, and outlaws manufacturers from selling products that aren’t as advertised. However, since there is no pre-sale testing required for a product to hit the market, a lot of stuff very easily slips through the cracks.

That means you could, quite literally, be spending your hard earned money on sugar pills, pills that don’t actually contain the amount of supplements advertised on the bottle, or contaminated supplements that contain all sorts of unwanted components, including prescription drugs and heavy metals. All of these have happened, and all of them are worrisome.

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Is it Really Bad to Eat Late at Night?

October 7, 2018 by Katherine Baker Leave a Comment

Wednesdays are a doousy this semester, filled with running between two campuses (I TA at the Columbia main campus and am a student at the CUMC campus), and capped off beautifully with a 3-hour night class that lets out around 8:30pm. Brutal. I don’t often hate my hour commute, but let me tell you – on Wednesday nights I find it very unfun.

Typically, I snack before night class, but for whatever reason, never feel like eating a meal before/during class. Hence, I usually eat dinner once I’ve gotten home/unloaded/gotten Millie out for a walk, typically around 10:00pm. As I often document what I’m up to on Insta stories, I had a follower ask me if it’s really true that it’s bad for you to eat before bed.

I get asked about if it’s really bad for you to eat before bed quite a bit, and see confusion surrounding the topic circulating the internet quite a bit, so I thought it could make for a fun and informative blog post.

Disclaimer: As with all my nutrition and health-related posts, I’d like to point out that while I have a background in nutrition science, I am not your healthcare provider nor personal nutritionist. I have no information on your health history or current state of physical and mental well-being. These posts are intended as general information for healthy adults. Please do not substitute what you read on the internet for seeking individualized clinical care.

First of all, Here’s The Right Time You Should Eat:

You know when the best time to eat is? When you’re hungry, that’s when! We’re living creatures with circadian rhythms and every day presents different activity levels, stress levels, sleep levels, and environmental factors that may impact when hunger hits and when we eat.

If you ask me, clocks are pretty arbitrary when it comes to hunger. The idea that you should ‘close the kitchen’ or ‘stop eating after 7/8:00pm is totally arbitrary and it bothers me that so many people think this is a rule you should implement into your life.

So the best time to eat dinner (or any meal) is when you’re hungry for dinner (and of course, have access to food and time to eat it), whether this be 4:30pm or 10:30pm.

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