

"4 bullsh*t health buzzwords I'm tired of hearing"

Nutrition expert Ian Marber on why he would love to never hear words like "cleanse" or "alkaline" again

Reese Witherspoon with green smoothie
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They used to be things one heard every now and again, mostly in health food stores or alternative wellness centres. But now terms likes detox, alkaline and raw food diets seem to be more commonplace. But what do they mean, and are they even worth repeating?

These words tend to share similar attributes in that they shun the norm and mundane, suggesting that there is a secret to being healthy, only shared with a few special people. Once you have learned the secret of say, raw eating or an alkaline diet, you too will be healthy. However well meaning they may be, the notions are taken up by people who are not qualified in their subject yet continue to advise and act like gurus. Often they are linked to celebrities who may be wonderfully talented musicians or designers, but when it comes to health and wellbeing, surely it makes sense to follow people equally talented and trained in their craft, even if that craft is as dull as medicine and nutrition?

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1. Alkaline

They say that eating specific foods will change the ph of the body, which in turn reduces the risk of disease, notably cancers. Supporters use science-y terms and the theory sounds plausible, hence its popularity.

Science says: PH, or potential hydrogen, is a scale used to measure acidity. A 0 is very acidic whilst a score of 14, the other end of the scale, very alkaline. Human beings are generally around 7.3 although some areas, such as in the stomach, can be far more acidic, but this is all quite normal. If the levels change, the human body uses supremely sophisticated systems to bring them back into an acceptable range.

The truth is, what we eat cannot change the ph by anything more than a minuscule, negligible amount, And even then, if it did, the change would be maintained for a millisecond before being corrected. The theory of alkaline eating is not supported by research and has been repeatedly disproven, yet supporters continue to espouse an alkaline diet usually for subjective reasons.

There isn't so much a downside to following what is termed an "alkaline diet", as the foods recommended are all quite healthy. However classifying dairy products and some proteins as acid does mean there is the potential to be lacking in protein and calcium. The main downside is that the theory isn't true and is sold on the notion that the supporters have discovered something that science and medicine have missed.

2. Detox and/or cleanse

Proponents claim a strict diet or fast will rid the body of toxins that have built up and are causing weight gain, poor cognitive function and lethargy. It's popular and evocative, because supporters claim that human beings are exposed to more toxins than we were designed for.

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Science says: The human body has evolved to process potential toxins via the liver and excrete them via sweat, urine and stools.

The liver is efficient and hard working, and unless one has liver disease, a person doesn't need any potions or green liquids to enhance its actions. In fact, the main benefit to following a so-called 'detox' is that one drinks these pointless potions with water and simply increases hydration. Creating a plan that has rules means that we follow it, even for a few days, and as detox plans are usually quite Spartan, of course one is going to lose weight and feel satisfied after finishing it. Sadly it's another silly notion sold on spurious science.

3.Raw and/or cold food diets

The theory is that cooking and heating food depletes the nutrient levels and can also damage nutrients so that they are less potent.

Science says: Where do I start on this one? Firstly, the ability to cook is one of the fundamental reasons why man survived and thrived amongst other species. Secondly, cooking changes the nature of some proteins to make them edible as well as neutralises bacteria that would otherwise cause disease and illness.

In his seminal book Cooked, Michael Pollan highlights the pivotal cultural significance of man learning to use fire to cook. Yet to claim that cooking somehow damages food is, well, ungrateful as well as silly. Cooking, whether that be steaming, boiling, roasting or stir-frying. adds heat in measured amounts which changes the physical structure of what we eat, making it edible and safe. It is quite possible to overcook food, as anyone who grew up in Britain in the 1970's will know having lived with vegetables boiled for so long that they lost their colour and had the texture of a warm smoothie when eaten. 

But when applied even by the most lacklustre cook, heat can change a raw chicken breast and vegetables into a stir-fry worth eating. If heat damages nutrients then one can only imagine that supporters view something like soups as life-threatening. Silly, isn't it?

4. Deficiencies

Having a low intake of some foods might mean you could have less than optimum levels of nutrients, but to actually have such as low level to qualify as a "deficiency" is thankfully rare. Yet the word deficient is used to inject worry and anxiety, so we take supplements. This term is most often used to sell supplements, not food and the first place one heads is the health food store. It's akin to selling new clothes by making the public terrified of being naked, when in fact they could simply wear clothes they already own.

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