8 Trends That Became Viral but Can Do More Harm Than Good

Famous family recipes and old wives’ tales are passed along from generation to generation. Many of them were given to us by our grandmas, and to them by their grandmas, and so on. All in all, most of them were proven over time and are completely healthy and safe. Which we cannot say about many of today’s trends. They suddenly appear out of nowhere and are copied and applied without giving them any thought. When we really should be carefully examining them.

We at Bright Side have found many different trends which, most of the time, don’t make any sense but still are believed to be quite useful and handy.

1. Putting garlic into your nose to cure a cold

Many people are following a new trend — putting full cloves of raw garlic up in their nostrils and keeping them there for about 20-30 minutes. They are trying to release mucus and cold symptoms like congestion, but they’re doing it in the weirdest way. Others are simply copying the trend just for kicks.

While in reality, shoving garlic cloves up your nose can irritate your nostrils and make them less effective. And doing it repeatedly could cause inflammation, which can cause bleeding and thin your mucus.

2. Drinking chlorophyll water

There are many claims that chlorophylls are good for clearing your skin and may ’detox your blood’ (whatever that means). And though natural chlorophylls are not toxic, when you sip chlorophyll water, you’re not actually drinking the same chlorophyll compound found in plants.

Chlorophyll water contains chlorophyllin because actual chlorophyll can’t dissolve in water. And drinking it may end up with you having dark stools, black discoloration of the tongue, and diarrhea. Since its safety has not been tested in pregnant or lactating women, doctors recommend that they avoid consuming it during pregnancy and lactation.

3. Squeezing lemon in your coffee

The other trend is squeezing a lemon in your coffee to lose some weight. Well, at least they think this might help. To our disappointment, a few drops of lemon won’t help you squeeze into a smaller pair of jeans. Lemons simply do not have those special fat-burning qualities.

Besides, lemon juice may cause heartburn due to its high levels of citric acid. That acid can harm your tooth enamel as well. So be very careful and don’t ruin a good cup of coffee just because you’ve seen people do it somewhere on the internet.

4. Consuming energy drinks

Many athletic bloggers consume energy drinks on camera. According to the ESFA, it is safe for the typical healthy adult to consume 400 mg of caffeine per day. And that’s 2 and a half of standard cans (250 ml) of any energy drink. So there’s probably no reason to worry if you drink it occasionally.

Over-consuming it can lead to some very rough consequences. It may disrupt your sleep patterns and can lead to cardiac problems, such as arrhythmias and heart attacks.

5. Obsessing with ’What I Eat in a Day’ videos

From ideal photos on Instagram, we’ve gotten used to seeing videos of ideal lifestyles and diets on different platforms. It may all look different, but it causes the same problems.

Viewers simply don’t see the whole picture and don’t see what’s going on behind the scenes. While it’s all just another way to show that you can look like those shiny bloggers by simply eating like them — in that framed reality. And paradoxically, it can end in different disordered eating behaviors, including orthorexia — the unhealthy obsession with healthy eating.

6. Eating large portions of nachos together

Huge nacho tables have also become viral videos lately. And though it all looks delicious and like an interesting way to have fun together, it’s not very safe and healthy to consume any food with so many people from the same table.

First of all, nobody can be sure that each and every person has washed their hands before touching anything. And the entire table will be contaminated if only one person doesn’t do it. Let alone all the germs coming from our mouths while chewing, talking, and sneezing right in front of the mutual “plate.”

7. Washing raw meat

We’ve gotten used to washing fruits and vegetables before eating. So many people don’t see anything wrong with doing the same with raw meat. Well, it’s a pity to say this, but washing raw meat is extremely dangerous for your health, no matter how many people recommend that you do this.

Recent research has found that it increases the risk of cross-contamination because water doesn’t kill any nasty bacteria and simply splashes it all around your kitchen. Of course, you can sanitize it all after that, but the best way to get rid of any bacteria is to just properly cook the meat.

8. Making a cheese sandwich in a toaster

Simple tips on how to do or make something better and faster have been popular for a while. And sometimes, it’s with the use of devices that were not designed for anything like that, like for instance, toasters.

Many people advise making a cheese sandwich in a toaster by turning it on its side. And this time, the danger lies not in consuming the food, but in the attempt to cook it in such a weird way. To keep it short, all the fire brigades may warn you that you will spark a kitchen fire if you try to put your toaster on its side and play a chef, even if it’s just for a few minutes.

What trends do you personally follow? How do you check their safety, and how do you think they help your health and well-being? Please share your experiences with us all in the comments below.