There’s a not-so-new weight-loss trend in town: Clean fasting or d irty fasting – choose your poison

AS WITH fashion, trends in dieting come and go. You have undoubtedly heard of and perhaps even used intermittent fasting. However, there’s a relatively new term floating around: dirty fasting.

No studies have been done on this practice or how it compares against “clean” fasting. Clean and dirty fasting are terms that refer to what breaks a fast.

The South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) reports that the prevalence of obesity has doubled worldwide since 1980, with about onethird of the world’s population being obese or overweight.

Many people go on to develop eating disorders because, during the process of trying to drop a few pounds, you might decide to run more and restrict the number of calories you consume in a day.

As a result, you may start developing unhealthy habits, when the idea of looking a certain way starts to consume you, which is dangerous for your health.

What is clean fasting?

During a clean

fast, all you consume is water or non-caloric drinks like tap water, mineral water, sparkling water, black coffee, and black tea.

It’s important to drink enough water on a clean fast to stay hydrated. However, during this particular fast, you steer clear of adding things like lemon slices, fruits, and herbs. They may give your water flavour, but they defeat the point of a “clean fast”.

What exactly is a dirty fast? Dirty fasting is when you consume anything with fewer than 50 calories in your fasting window. Your fasting is considered dirty if you drink your coffee with milk or drink a sugar-free drink.

If you want to try a dirty fast, flavour your beverages with these items first: stevia, honey, or have 1 cup of bone broth, lemon water and sugarfree gum.

Experts agree this modified alternate-day fasting, which allows for calorie intake in fasting windows, has been related to several health advantages, including weight loss and decreased levels of inflammatory markers, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

Depending on your goals, always seek professional advice before fasting, regardless of whether you are clean or both types of fasting.