Sardine fasting: a fad or does eating only fish really boost health and weight loss?

LOS ANGELES () — Once a diet fad hits TikTok or Instagram, it kind of takes on a life of its own. Such is the case with sardine fasting. The idea is that you eat nothing but sardines to get your body to burn fat.

7 asked nutrition experts if it works and what’s the science behind the trend?

It’s called “sardine fasting.”

“Is that what it sounds like? You just eat sardines?,” said Pasadena resident Jason Fennel.

That’s right. You eat them for two or three days or up to a week, once a month. Many people ascribe to the purported benefits which include longevity, boosted mood and weight loss.

It’s a trend, with influencers leading the charge.

“We even have a famous podcaster out there. Because anybody now can be a nutrition expert, right? Anybody can be a wellness expert,” said Culinary nutritionist Gina Cousineau, with Providence St. Joseph Hospital in Orange.

She believes some wellness influencers may be leading people astray. They claim a sardine fast gives your metabolism a much needed break, and while there’s science behind calorie restriction, Cousineau said we don’t need sardines to do that.

“The thing is about the human body, it’s really good at doing all those things for us, and you know what that’s called? Sleep,” she said.

We may not need a reset, but aren’t sardines considered a super food? They’re packed with Omega-3’s, vitamin D and calcium.

While sardines are a healthy, beneficial addition to your diet, experts say solely eating this fish does not give your body the well-balanced nutrition it needs. And it could be dangerous

“We’re missing out on carbohydrates, we’re missing out on fiber, and so not only are we going to deal with issues like brain fog, we’re going to have fatigue, and we’re going to have GI issues,” Cousineau said.

She suggests a good way to incorporate sardines into a meal is to sauté them with some olive oil, onions, white kidney beans and greens.

“Top it with a little bit of Parmigiano Reggiano, a little bit of red pepper flakes on there, and you’ve got a healthy plate that is going to promote wellness across the board and joy,” said Cousineau.

That’s how you turn a sardine fast into a sardine feast.