including government health recommendations,

包括了政府的健康建議

seems to change all the time.

似乎天天在變來變去

And yet, ads routinely come about

然而，廣告總是常常

claiming to have the answer about what we should eat.

聲稱有關於我們應該吃什麼的答案

So how do we distinguish what's actually healthy

那麼，我們該如何分辨什麼實際上是有益於健康的

from what advertisers just want us to believe is good for us?

什麼廣告只想要我們相信它對我們有益？

Marketing takes advantage of the desire to drop weight fast,

行銷利用了渴望快速減重的心理

and be stronger,

想更強壯

slimmer,

想更苗條

and brighter.

以及更有精神

And in the big picture, diet plans promising dramatic results,

畫一個大餅，飲食計劃有希望產生戲劇性的結果

known as fad diets,

就是跟風減肥法

are just what they seem: too good to be true.

只是他們看起來，好到不像真的

So where do diet fads even come from?

這樣的減肥風潮，是從哪裡來的？

While the Ancient Greeks and Romans

在古希臘人和羅馬人時期

rallied behind large-scale health regimens centuries earlier,

統整了幾個世紀前，大量的養生之道

this phenomenon began in earnest in the Victorian Era

這個現象最早始於維多利亞時期

with crazes like the vinegar diet

伴隨著狂熱的方法，比如喝醋減肥法

and the Banting Diet.

班亭減肥法（低碳水化合物高脂肪）

Since then, diets have advised us all sorts of things:

從那以後，減肥建議我們做各式各樣的事：

to excessively chew,

充分的咀嚼

to not chew at all,

一下都不嚼

to swallow a grapefruit per meal,

每餐吃一個葡萄柚

non-stop cabbage soup,

不停的喝高麗菜湯

even consumption of arsenic,

甚至服用砒霜

or tapeworms.

或吃絛活蟲

If the idea of diet crazes has withstood history,

如果這個減肥狂熱的想法經得起歷史考驗

could this mean that they work?

意思就是它們是有效的？

In the short term, the answer is often yes.

從短期來看，它們常常發揮作用

Low-carbohydrate plans,

低碳水化合物飲食計劃

like the popular Atkins or South Beach Diets,

就像流行的阿特金斯減肥餐或南灘減肥餐

have an initial diuretic effect.

原本就有利尿的作用

Sodium is lost until the body can balance itself out,

身體的鈉會流失，直到體內能夠平衡它們

and temporary fluid weight loss may occur.

可能會發生短暫的脫水，讓身體變輕

With other high-protein diets, you might lose weight at first

而其他的高蛋白餐，你可能在一開始體重減少

since by restricting your food choices,

因為它限制了你的食物選擇

you are dropping your overall calorie intake.

減少了總體卡路里的吸收

But your body then lowers its metabolic rate to adjust to the shift,

但是你的身體之後會降低新陳代謝速率來適應變動

lessening the diet's effect over time

減肥的效果隨著時間便逐漸減少

and resulting in a quick reversal if the diet is abandoned.

一旦放棄這種飲食，體重就會快速回復

So while these diets may be alluring early on,

所以，這些減肥方式可能一開始吸引人嘗試

they don't guarantee long-term benefits for your health and weight.

但它們並不能保證有長期效用，對於你的健康以及體重

A few simple guidelines, though, can help differentiate between

有一些簡單的指導原則和想法，能幫助你區分之間的差異

a diet that is beneficial in maintaining long-term health,

這個飲食方式是對你維持長期健康有益的

and one that only offers temporary weight changes.

還是只在短期內，提供體重上的變化

Here's the first tipoff:

這是第一個情報：

If a diet focuses on intensely cutting back calories

如果一個飲食計劃極度削減卡路里

or on cutting out entire food groups,

或者減少整個食物群

like fat, sugar, or carbohydrates,

像是脂肪，糖類或者碳水化合物

chances are it's a fad diet.

它有可能是跟風的減重計畫

And another red flag is ritual,

另一個危險信號是有模式的

when the diet in question instructs you to only eat specific foods,

那就是當這個減肥，指示你只吃特定的食物

prescribed combinations,

處方簽上的組合

or to opt for particular food substitutes,

或者去選擇特殊的食物替代物

like drinks, bars, or powders.

像是飲料、棒狀食物或粉末狀食物

The truth is shedding pounds in the long run

從長期來看，減重的事實就是

simply doesn't have a quick-fix solution.

從來沒有一個立馬見效的方法

Not all diet crazes tout weight loss.

不是所有減肥狂熱都以減少體重作為賣點

What about claims of superfoods, cleanses, and other body-boosting solutions?

那麼關於超級食物、清潔食物和其他強化身體的解決辦法呢？

Marketing emphasizes the allure

行銷強調了產品的吸引力

of products associated with ancient and remote cultures

讓產品與古代和久遠文化聯想在一起

to create a sense of mysticism for consumers.

去對消費者營造一股神祕感

While so-called superfoods, like blueberries or açaí,

當藍莓或阿薩伊果（巴西苺）被稱為超級食物

do add a powerful punch of nutrients,

確實增加了強力的營養物

their super transformative qualities are largely exaggeration.

它們的超級塑形特性被大大地誇大

They are healthy additions to a balanced diet,

對於平衡的飲食，它們是健康的添加劑

yet often, they're marketed as part of sugary drinks or cereals,

但是它們經常在市場銷售做為一部份含糖飲料和穀物飲料

in which case the negative properties outweigh the benefits.

在那種情況下，它們的壞處大於好處

Cleanses, too, may be great in moderation

清潔食物，也是一樣，可能對節制有很大幫助

since they can assist with jumpstarting weight loss

因為它們可以幫助開始減少體重

and can increase the number of fresh fruits and vegetables consumed daily.

可以增加每天攝入新鮮水果和蔬菜的數量

Scientifically speaking, though,

但是就科學角度而言

they've not yet been shown to have either a long-term benefit

它們尚未被證實，是否能夠有長期下來的好處

or to detox the body any better than the natural mechanisms already in place.

或者比身體既有的天然排毒機制更有效

Everywhere we look,

無論我們怎麼看

we're offered solutions to how we can look better,

我們提供讓我們怎樣看起來更好的解決辨法

feel fitter,

感覺更適合些

and generally get ahead.

並且整體上在進步

Food is no exception,

食物沒有例外

but advice on what we should eat is best left to the doctors and nutritionists

但是建議我們應該吃些什麼是最好的，交給醫師和營養學家

who are aware of our individual circumstances.

這些人了解我們個別的身體情況

Diets and food fads aren't inherently wrong.

節食和跟風吃食物本質上沒有錯

Circumstantially, they might even be right,

某些時候，它們可能甚至是對的

just not for everyone all of the time.

只是無法適用於每個人