Health Tip: Beware of Phony Diets

(HealthDayNews) -- Lots of people will be looking to shed those holiday pounds by starting a new diet plan.

But beware, the American Heart Association (AHA) warns. Some phony diet sponsors are wrongfully claiming that their plans are sanctioned by the AHA.

Three-day or seven-day cabbage soup diets that have surfaced recently are prime examples.

Another phony diet purports to include vanilla ice cream, hot dogs, eggs and cheddar cheese. The plan promises a 10-pound weight loss in three days. The poorly typed and photocopied phony diet has been offered by mail for $2 per copy.

If the fat-laden contents of these phony plans don''t offer enough proof, the Association says you can tell the phonies from the real deal because the fake diets specify recommended daily servings of various food categories, not specific foods. Also, AHA diets are meant to be followed for a lifetime, not for a limited period.

-- Anne Thompson