In today’s society, there is a plethora of diets and health fads that take the media by storm. Some are short-lived like the Atkins Diet, while others stick around like gum on a telephone pole. But all-to-often the diets in the media focus on avoiding or restricting certain foods or engaging in behaviors that we cannot maintain long-term. Even more confusing, popular diets and trends can contradict one another, and we bounce around like ping pong balls trying one fad and then another.

For the sake of our health (we only have one body after all), it’s important to understand the facts and myths of the diet and exercise trends swirling the media. Furthermore, it’s crucial for our mental wellbeing not to engage in trends that may be detrimental to healthy thinking or potentially encourage eating disorder thoughts and behaviors. I’m a walking case of how “harmless diets” that I learned in my adolescence can quickly manifest into to an eating disorder. I know I’m not alone.

From detoxing and juicing, low-fat and gluten-free, intermittent fasting and calorie-tracking apps, there are numerous trends to investigate for validity and health effects. For instance, who knew that juicing actually eliminates dietary fibers of fruits and veggies, or that the supposed toxins that detox diets rid from our bodies have never been scientifically identified? And who knew gluten-free diets do not support weight loss and that only one percent of the American population has celiac disease or gluten intolerance?

A new infographic by Rader Programs, “Top Health Myths: Fact or Fad?” lays out the facts of what’s trending today. Educate yourself by reading it here.