For many of us, a new year means resolutions for healthier living — and if your social media is anything like mine, you’re probably seeing a flood of posts about the latest health fad or “hack,” plus “quick and easy” recipes, workouts and supplements. Whether the buzz is around sea moss gummies or weighted vests, it can be hard to know what actually has true health benefits versus what’s just trending online.
To cut through the noise, I reached out to two local experts — Autumn Beam, a certified nutrition specialist and founder of HopeWella Functional Nutrition, and Elizabeth Brown, a registered dietitian nutritionist and certified personal trainer better known on social media as “The Kitchen Vixen” — to separate fads from fact and help you make informed choices.
Alkaline water: Worth the cost?
Alkaline water has been on the scene for years, and it’s nearly impossible to enter a grocery store without spotting the higher-priced bottles next to spring or distilled options. Most drinking water is neutral or slightly alkaline, around pH 7. Alkaline water has a higher pH scale — typically 8 to 9.5 — which simply means it’s less acidic than standard drinking water.
Social media, ads and even well-meaning relatives often tout it as a cure-all, claiming it offers better hydration, smoother digestion, reduced inflammation and even cancer prevention. At the core of these claims is the idea that it can neutralize excess acid in the body.
Here’s the catch: Our stomachs are naturally acidic, which quickly overrides whatever you drink. Your body tightly regulates pH, and even a lot of alkaline water would only have temporary effects.
Beam notes that existing studies are small, sometimes with fewer than 100 participants or not even involving humans. “This does not add up to strong clinical findings,” she says. “Whether it’s filtered, spring or alkaline, the goal is consistent hydration — not chasing trends.”
Brown agrees: “The main advantage is flavor and consistency, not chemistry.”
The bottom line: Fad. Regular water, filtered or spring, is just as effective for hydration.
Sea moss, ‘superfoods’ and the search for magic ingredients
If you’ve been on TikTok or Instagram, you’ve likely seen posts about sea moss and other “superfoods.” Social media claims that sea moss, because of its iodine content, can help with rapid weight loss, gut health and thyroid healing. But too much iodine can actually cause hypothyroidism, leading to fatigue and weight gain, Brown warns.
While it won’t hurt you to eat it (if you can get past the texture), with limited evidence, sea moss is still TBD — just one ingredient in a long line of trending “superfoods.” Beam says the term itself is more marketing than science: “Colloquially, it’s considered a food high in nutrients, but that’s just any whole food. If you enjoy it, include it. Otherwise, leave it at the store.”
The bottom line: Fad. No one “superfood” is a miracle worker, although they can be beneficial to add to a diverse and varied diet.
Protein: How much do women really need?
If you’re a woman of a certain age, you’ve likely been bombarded with social media posts about eating what often feels like an impossible amount of protein, with some accounts recommending 150 grams a day or more.
Protein needs do increase with age as we lose muscle and bone mass, but how much is necessary? At the end of the day, it’s not one size fits all.
“Protein needs are highly individualized,” Beam says. “They’re based on age, height, activity, gender, goals and genetics, which is why there’s a range rather than a single number.” The U.S. Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) is 0.8 g/kg body weight, but most research suggests 1.2-1.6 g/kg better supports muscle mass — about 70-95 grams for a 130-pound adult.
Beam notes that she has clients who thrive on higher-protein diets, with more energy, better digestion and appetite control. Others feel sluggish or constipated with higher protein. Listen to your body and consult a professional if needed.
For those increasing protein, Brown recommends a slow, steady approach using a tracking app to make small, consistent tweaks.
The bottom line: Fact. As we age, increasing our protein intake does help with muscle loss, but you probably don’t need as much as social media is telling you.
Weighted vests and waist trimmers: Tools or gimmicks?
Every time I leave my house, I can’t help but notice multiple people walking around my neighborhood in their weighted vests — but is it just a passing trend?
If social media is to be believed, it’s a must-have accessory for perimenopausal women, especially, to boost bone density. But at the end of the day, there just isn’t enough research on the specific effects of weighted vests to back up all the hyped-up claims. There is, however, ample evidence on the benefits of weight-bearing exercises such as resistance training and Pilates.
That’s not to say there won’t one day be evidence of the benefits of weighted vests, and anything that gets you to get out and walk more, boost calorie burning and expend more cardiovascular energy can definitely be beneficial.
Waist trimmers, on the other hand, seem to be hawked by every pseudo-influencer out there. According to Brown, however, they just increase sweating, not actual fat loss, as is purported. Any supposed “trimming” you’ll see will be lost water, which will just come right back as you rehydrate. The tight compression of the waist trimmers can also restrict breathing, which is never a good thing.
The bottom line: Fad. Weighted vests aren’t harmful, but they don’t replace true strength training. Waist trimmers are a gimmick with potential downsides.
Esther Carlstone is a parenting and travel writer/editor who’s always looking for the best places to see, eat and stay with kids.
