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Will eating cabbage stew or soup cause a person to lose "20 pounds in one week"? No, that's not entirely true: A medical doctor specializing in weight loss told Lead Stories that a person would mostly lose water weight, but cannot lose fat that rapidly using this method. A Ph.D. clinical dietician told Lead Stories it is not a well-balanced…

Did the World Economic Forum (WEF) post a tweet about "when being anti-bug is bigotry"? No, that's not true: A spokesperson for the WEF told Lead Stories the tweet is fake. Additionally, a search of the WEF's Twitter feed turned up no such tweet. Although there are posts on the WEF's website that discuss eating insects, none couch the idea…

Will this sugary drink of orange peels, orange flesh, carrots, lemon juice, and ginger prevent diabetes and make a body lose "20 pounds in 20 days"? No, that's not entirely true: A Ph.D. clinical dietician told Lead Stories it's not recommended and poses a danger to a person's health, adding that while it might cause temporary weight loss, diabetes is…

Is monosodium glutamate (MSG) a neurotoxin that will kill brain cells and cause headaches, migraines, learning disabilities and Lou Gehrig's Disease? No, that's not true: The alarming message in this video is not supported by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which classifies the food additive to be "generally recognized as safe" (or GRAS, the commonly used FDA acronym for…

Will this oregano, turmeric and ginger tea cure women of cancer, fibroids or cysts? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that this tea will cure any cancer, fibroids or cysts. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) told Lead Stories that believing this claim could be hazardous to a person's health. CancerResearchUK.org writes that there is some evidence that a…

Does liquid chlorophyll heal acne on the skin? No, that's not true: The director of clinical trials for the dermatology department of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center told Lead Stories that no data from clinical trials support drinking chlorophyll. An Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics spokesperson said drinking chlorophyll can have adverse effects. The claim appeared in a Facebook…

Is an online video advertisement that implies people can rapidly lose weight by wearing a "slimming patch" on their skin realistic? No, that's not true: This is a misleading ad. A bariatric surgeon who also serves as a spokesperson for The Obesity Society told Lead Stories, "there is not enough scientific evidence to prove that slimming patches work." Another weight…

Do soybeans or soy-based products such as tofu contain plastic? No, that's not true: This claim is based on another false statement -- that starch, present in this plant in insignificant amounts -- is an unnatural product. The source of this claim is self-proclaimed "Doctor" Sebi, who did not have a medical degree and was sued for customer fraud in…

Is starch a manmade substance? No, that's not true: Starch exists in nature, and can be found in many naturally occurring foods. Starch exists in many foods, such as rice, bananas, and potatoes, a registered dietician told Lead Stories. A 2016 scientific paper summarizes the current understanding of plants creating their own starch in order to survive. The claim appeared…

Are packaged noodles unhealthy? Will the chemical tertiary butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) cause diseases if ingested? No, the claims made in this video exaggerate risks and instant noodles can be eaten in moderation, a registered dietician told Lead Stories. A retired chemistry consultant added that TBHQ is found in nature and he would not stop eating ramen noodles just because it contains…