The Cabbage Soup Diet, which is currently being circulated, is an example. This so-called fat-burning soup is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables. The diet supposedly helps heart patients lose 10-17 pounds in seven days before surgery. Does it sound too good to be true? That's because it is.

Here are the real facts that fad diets like this don't mention:

•  Fad diets violate the first principle of good nutrition, which is to eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods.
•  No "superfoods" exist. That's why people should eat moderate amounts from all food groups, not eat large amounts of a few special foods.
•  Fad diets also violate a second important principle of good nutrition: that eating should be enjoyable.
•  Fad diets are so monotonous and boring that it's almost impossible to stay on them for long periods.
•  A liquid protein diet, using digested collagen with little or no essential substances added, became popular several years ago. But in 1977 this diet was blamed for at least 60 deaths.

AHA Recommendation
American Heart Association nutrition experts recommend adopting healthful eating habits permanently, rather than impatiently pursuing crash diets in hopes of losing unwanted pounds in a few days.

Despite what fad diet books may say, the only sensible way to lose weight permanently is to eat less and maintain or increase physical activity. Some major medical centers prescribe extremely low-calorie, high-protein diets for selected patients, who are carefully monitored by physicians.

Forget the Fads - Eat a Well-Balanced Diet Instead
Unlike an incomplete liquid protein diet or other fad diets, a good diet can be eaten for years to maintain a healthy body weight and good health.

Visit Easy Dietary Guidelines to discover how you can easily adopt a healthy, nutritious diet that offers an amazing array of delicious food choices.

Or, if you would like to lose weight safely, visit Lighten Up! for recommendations, guidelines and helpful motivation.

Stop Fretting and Start Sweating!
Fad diets fail to provide ways to keep excess weight off. Because fad diets require drastic changes in eating patterns, dieters can't stay on them for long. Fad dieters don't learn anything about permanently changing their eating patterns.