Harvard-Trained Doctor Shares 6 Popular Gut Health Trends That He Would Never Follow

Social media has become a place with overflowing healthcare trends and quick fixes that claim to provide effective results. However, before jumping into these trends, it is essential to verify whether there is any scientific evidence behind these trends or if they are simply hyped-up, unproven internet buzz.

In an Instagram post, Harvard and Stanford trained gastroenterologist Saurabh Sethi breaks down some popular, social media-favourite gut health trends that he does not recommend following. “I'm a board-certified gastroenterologist, and here are 6 gut-health trends I don't follow,” he writes before breaking down each trend:

1. Fibre Maxing

According to Dr Sethi, fibre maxing is not healthy but rather a bloating disaster. “Dumping 50g of psyllium, inulin, and chia into one smoothie is not ‘healthy' – it is a bloating disaster. Your microbiome needs weeks to adapt. Slow wins,” he shares.

2. Cooking Everything In Beef Tallow

Dr Sethi warns strongly against this trend. He explains tallow is ~50% saturated fat, and at high doses it shifts the microbiome toward harmful bacteria and impairs the gut barrier. He adds, “The research is dose-dependent, but ‘cook everything in it' is well past the safe zone.”

3. Raw Milk for Gut Health

Unpasteurised milk is having a massive moment on TikTok, and many users have started following this trend. “As a GI doctor I have seen what Salmonella, E. coli, and Listeria do to a gut. No probiotic benefit is worth that risk, especially for kids and pregnant women,” Dr Sethi shares.

4. Chlorophyll Water for Gut Detox

According to the gastroenterologist, our gut does not need detoxing. He shares evidence that chlorophyll water is almost nonexistent and recommends everyone eat actual vegetables.

5. The BeanTok Challenge

The BeanTok Challenge has been going viral on social media for some time now. This challenge urges users to have 2 cups of beans per day to complete their fibre intake. Dr Sethi explains that although fibre is genuinely great for the body, jumping straight to 2 cups may cause bloating for most people. Instead, he recommends building up slowly.

6. Parasite Cleanse

Dr Sethi shares, "Most digestive symptoms in developed countries are not parasites.” Describing it as a harsh herbal formula, he explains it irritates the gut and causes nutrient deficiencies.

The takeaway? When it comes to gut health, slow, sustainable habits backed by science are often far more effective than the latest viral trend.

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.