Nutritionists are warning about a new diet craze taking TikTok by storm that could have serious health consequences.
The Lion Diet has become popular with young people on the social media platform but it follows a set rule of foods that over time can negatively impact health. They include salt, water and red meat for one month.
But while red meat has some benefits, including iron, it is not nutrient dense while salt can cause fluid retention and blood pressure issues. So if you're planning your new year health kick, it may be best to avoid trying out this trend due to the potential issues it could cause.
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Some of the long term issues that could emerge include high cholesterol, bad breath, low energy and haemorrhoids. You could also end up suffering with piles and constipation.
Claudia Le Feuvre, a nutritional therapist and eating psychology coach at Goldster, says there are many issues involved. She said: "Beef is a very low-allergenic food so while the lion diet might feel like an easy and good solution for people with IBS, underlying food intolerances, and inflammation triggered by the food allergens. It is not a long-term or healthy solution.
“The biggest risk is that if you're only eating beef, you are missing out on other nutrients like healthy fats, fiber, and all the vitamins and minerals from fruit and vegetables. In the long run, you could develop a significant nutrient deficiency.
"We don’t know the long-term consequences of this diet, but we know that salt is not helpful for fluid retention and blood pressure, so I wouldn’t recommend people to try out this trend. I understand that people are doing it because it provides temporary relief from some of their symptoms, but there are far more superior ways of identifying and addressing underlying food intolerances and what the triggers are.
"If you’re still unsure, please speak to your GP and ask them if they have a dietician or nutritionist that they work with and seek expert help, because this is a fad diet."
She continued: "The long-term results and consequences from this are likely to include: halitosis (bad breath), piles, high cholesterol, constipation, haemorrhoids, and very low energy because they’re missing a lot of the fibre and good nutrients from carbohydrates. So, in short I'm not a fan and would highly recommend people skip out trying this TikTok trend”.
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