Onions

Does a photo circulating on social media show the rooftop sniper who shot Charlie Kirk? No, that's not true: The photo in question, showing an overcast sky and a sniper wearing a ski mask and parka, is not associated with the shooting that took place on a sunny day on the campus of Utah Valley University. This image existed for…

Did the E.coli outbreak involving McDonald's occur soon after Donald Trump worked at one McDonald's restaurant for one hour during his 2024 presidential campaign? No, that's not true: The E.coli outbreak traced to some McDonald's franchises began weeks before Trump's announcement he would do a shift at a single McDonald's restaurant. The Food and Drug Administration reported that the outbreak…

Is the "Budwig Diet" -- a diet rich in low-fat cottage cheese and organic flaxseed oil -- a scientifically proven treatment or preventative for cancer? No, that's not true: Oncological experts agree that there is "no reliable evidence to show that the Budwig diet can treat or prevent cancer" in humans, writes Cancer Research UK. The Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer…

Does a homemade concoction made of boiled citrus fruits, root vegetables and herbs prevent COVID-19? No, that's not true: An infectious disease expert told Lead Stories that "there's absolutely no evidence that this will work," and there is no verified scientific study confirming the effectiveness of such a mixture in preventing a person from contracting the virus. He recommended that…

Does drinking a mixture of carrots, onions and garlic in lime juice cure "any form of cancer" between stages one and three? No, that's not true: The vice president of research from the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) told Lead Stories that there is no evidence to support this claim and to claim that this mixture can cure all…

Does onion peel water cure or alleviate urinary tract infections, prostatitis or other infections? No, that's not true: A medical expert told Lead Stories there is no scientific evidence that a tea made from the outer skins of onions does any good for recurrent urinary tract infections, prostatitis or any sort of inflammatory condition. They warned that using onion peel…

Is garlic a "fake food"? No, that's not true: A nutrition expert confirmed to Lead Stories that "Garlic is a real food." The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also recognizes garlic as a food that is safe for human consumption. The claim appeared in a video post on Facebook (archived here) on September 13, 2023. The caption under the video…

Is eating soursop, beans, tomatoes and onions a cure for cancer? No, that's not true: An oncologist and a dietitian told Lead Stories this combination of foods is no cure. Instead, the two experts advocated for a healthy, balanced diet to stave off a cancer diagnosis. A previous Lead Stories fact check also debunked the claim that soursop was more…

Does a viral clip show protesters attacking what is described as "one of the HAARP platforms in Brazil"? No, that's not true: The footage in question portrays an unrelated local protest in Brazil. The High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is based in Alaska, and no credible sources reported an attack on HAARP in April 2023. HAARP doesn't have any…

Does wearing socks that contain cut pieces of potato help children combat flu and cold symptoms by absorbing toxins from their bodies? No, that's not true: The American Academy of Pediatrics has rejected this claim as groundless. It's not on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's list of "authorized health claims" -- claims about the health benefits of food or…