&Quot;Food&Quot; &Quot;Diet&Quot;

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…

Does the safety protocol for cleaning up a spill of hydrofluorosilicic acid demonstrate that the fluoride in toothpaste must be damaging to teeth? No, that's not true: The concentrations and amounts of fluoride approved for use in both drinking water and toothpaste, which may come from several compounds including hydrofluorosilicic acid, are proven to be safe. The claims appear in…

Is there a weight loss product that can boost your metabolism by 60 to 90 percent, that can help a person lose 52 pounds in only 28 days simply by taking a pill or eating a gummy every day? No, that's not true: These ads are deceptive in several ways and there is no evidence that such a weight loss…

Is mixing four drops of oregano oil in water a good natural antibiotic? No, that's not true: Joan Salge Blake, a clinical nutrition professor at Boston University, told Lead Stories that this mixture is not an antibiotic. Abbey Sharp, a registered dietitian, also told us that while oregano oil has some antimicrobial properties, it should not be used as a…

Have chemicals been "covertly added" to the food supply to lower testosterone? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that such actions have taken place and there is no evidence suggesting that generally eating food lowers testosterone. The claim appeared in an Instagram post on June 18, 2022. The post includes a video that doesn't mention the claim, but…

Did "Dr. Sebi" cure AIDS? No, that's not true: There is no evidence that Alfredo Bowman -- a self-described herbalist who referred to himself as Dr. Sebi even though he received no formal education -- cured AIDS. Although Sebi claimed his list of clients included celebrities such as Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, John Travolta and Michael Jackson, many of Sebi's…

Does breast milk "leakage" contain "all the impurity that's in the mother's body"? No, that's not true: "This claim is false and is not grounded in science," Dr. Christopher M. Zahn, chief of clinical practice and interim chief of health equity and quality for the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, told Lead Stories. Nursing mothers do not secrete "leakage"…