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

Does raw food cure a laundry list of health conditions including autism, HIV and cancer? No, that's not true: Raw food, specifically raw fruits and vegetables, holds both health benefits and dangers. There is no substantial research to determine the relationship between raw food and several health conditions. The claim appeared in the caption of a Facebook Live video (archived…

Does consuming three carrots give everyone enough energy to walk three miles? No, that's not true: The National Media Spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics tells Lead Stories, "3 carrots cannot provide you (or anyone) with enough energy to walk 3 miles." The claim appeared in a Facebook post (archived here) on November 18, 2019, that featured a…

Did an experiment comparing the effect soaking eggs in various beverages had on their eggshells provide conclusive evidence about aspartame or other sugar substitutes and whether they were unhealthy? No, that's not true: While this at-home experiment did show a dramatic change to one of the eggs -- the one exposed to a sugar-free drink mix -- the design of…

Can we "eat our way out of this pandemic" by eating leeks? No, there's no evidence that's true: An author's claim relies on studies by other people, none of which say that eating leeks prevents COVID-19 infections. A spokesperson for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) told Lead Stories that, at the time of writing, there was no evidence linking…

Does dandelion root kill 98% of cancer cells? No, that's not true: Some lab studies done in vitro (petri dish or test tube work not using living bodies) have shown a potential for dandelion root to kill cancer cells. However, those studies are not human clinical trials that prove that dandelion root is effective in the body. The claim appeared…

Do avocados reduce the risk of cervical cancer, and do they take "9 months to ripen"? No, that's not true: While avocados contribute to maintaining an overall healthy diet, researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) told Lead Stories "there are no research studies that we are aware of establishing a link between consumption of a specific food and risk…

Does asparagus cure cancer? No, that's not true: While asparagus could be part of an overall healthy plant-based diet to help lower cancer risks, it is not a miracle cure for cancer. This claim has been making the rounds for more than a decade and has been debunked many times. There is no scientific evidence supporting this. Yet it is…

Is bathing in a mixture of borax, baking soda, "Indian healing clay" and Epsom salt a good way to "detox" the COVID-19 vaccine from your body? No, that's not true: There is no scientific evidence that bathing in a borax mixture will remove the vaccine from your body. Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine, told Lead Stories that…

Does the presence of dipotassium phosphate in a food indicate that it is heavily processed and that it could harm your health? No. The Food and Drug Administration classifies this food additive as "Generally Recognized as Safe." The additive dipotassium phosphate is a manufactured salt compound. Both potassium and phosphorus are essential for the body's functioning and are found naturally…

Did "experts" issue a warning stating black licorice causes instant death in "seniors"? No, that's not entirely true: This claim is missing context. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says that eating an excessive amount of black licorice over a long period can cause serious health problems, which could eventually lead to death -- for a person of any age.…