Three King’s dietitians have founded ‘Fight The Fads’ to bust food myths

We are three student dietitians at King’s: Elisabeth, Caroline and Harriet. Together, we’re Fight The Fads, a myth-busting group who tackle myths about dieting in the media and set the records straight with regular posts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter (@fightthefads) and now The Tab.

Have you been lured into low-carb, dairy-free or paleo diets with false promises? Well if you have, we don’t blame you. With so much confusing information out there, it’s hard to know what diet to follow and who to believe. Whenever you’re online, it’s likely you’ll come across a new diet or “superfood” claiming to offer a quick fix cure for miraculous weight loss, ripped abs and a summer hot body…Oh how we wish this was true! However, a quick fix is never a solution to long-term problems (which is why it takes four years to qualify as a dietitian!)

Elisabeth (left), Caroline (centre) and Harriet (right) are fed up of nonsense diets

We’re fed up with the rise of self-styled nutritionists and “food gurus” on social media (think Deliciously Ella, Madeline Shaw, Pippa Middleton). They dish out advice without any (or questionable) nutritional qualifications. Anyone can qualify as a “nutritional therapist” for instance, with many courses offered on websites such as Groupon at bargain prices. For just £12 you could get yourself a diploma in child nutrition, without so much as a GCSE in science.

Dietitians are often viewed as the Nutrition Nazis, so why should you trust a dietitian? The advice we give might not be sexy or offer a quick-fix solution, but it is based on the latest scientific research.

Alarm bells should start ringing if you see a diet which:

•              Claims you can lose more than 2-3 pounds a week
•              Makes reference to ‘miracle foods’ or ‘superfoods’
•              Restricts certain food groups or requires that you eat foods in a specific order (i.e. Beyoncé Diet)

Make sure you follow us and keep an eye out, Fight the Fads will be posting again soon on The Tab.