Something seems off

Five ways to spot harmful nutrition advice by Christina Figueroa, RD, CDN.

In a world of "influencer experts," it’s hard to tell what is real and what is just a trend. Here are five tips for checking whether the nutrition advice you’re seeing needs a closer look.

1. The “expert” is selling you a quick fix

If the creator is pushing a detox, cleanse, or supplement to "get rid of toxins," watch out. Your liver and kidneys handle detoxing your body for free every day.

Many unregulated supplements can cause stomach or intestinal problems and may not mix well with prescription medications. If you need to “click here now for my paid plan” or pills, it’s probably just marketing and not medicine.

2. The advice is full of complicated rules

Nutrition is complex and can be specific to each person, but it shouldn't feel like a full-time job. If a plan requires you to eat only during a 20-minute window, weigh every leaf of spinach, or follow a 15-step "protocol," it’s likely you won’t be able to keep up with that change for very long. Real nutrition advice should be flexible enough to fit into your actual life.

3. It relies on one person’s story

Just because a specific diet "cured" one influencer’s brain fog doesn't mean it will be true for everyone. Evidence-based advice comes from specific studies with large, diverse groups of people. If the only proof provided is a before-and-after photo or a personal testimonial, it’s not evidence. It’s a story.

4. There’s a hyper-focus on a “superfood"

Beware of claims that a single food or beverage like celery juice, apple cider vinegar, or collagen is a miracle cure-all. No single food has all the nutrients you need. Healthy eating is about the total pattern of your diet over weeks and months. Not a single ingredient.

5. You must permanently cut a certain food group

Unless you have a diagnosed allergy or a medical condition like celiac disease, any advice that tells you to completely cut out entire categories like carbohydrates, fruit, or dairy is usually extreme. Drastic restriction often leads to nutrient deficiencies and a "binge-restrict" cycle that can harm your relationship with food.

How to find advice you can trust.

Now that you know what to avoid, how do you find nutrition information you can trust? True nutrition advice usually comes from Registered Dietitians (RD or RDN). Unlike the broad term "nutritionist," which anyone can use in many states, RDs are board-certified health professionals with standardized education and clinical training.

Look for experts who:

• Encourage variety: They focus on what you can add to your plate rather than just what to take away
• Acknowledge complexity: They use phrases like "it depends" or "based on your individual needs" because they know nutrition isn't one-size-fits-all
• Cite sources: They can point to reputable organizations, like the American Heart Association or peer-reviewed journals, rather than just their own experience

If a piece of advice sounds too good to be true, expensive, or feels like it was designed to make you feel guilty, you can probably keep scrolling. Real health is built on consistency, not a secret hack!