Experts SLAM Usher for promoting ‘harmful’ starvation diets as singer reveals he ‘doesn’t eat on Wednesdays’

Pop icon Usher has been praised for being in top form after his iconic Super Bowl performance.

The 45-year-old singer is now preparing for an upcoming world tour, during which he will perform 80 concerts in six countries.

The ‘Yes!’ hitmaker revealed in an interview last week that to get in shape, he fasts for 24 hours straight every week and drinks only water.

He also swaps coffee in favor of celery juice and a mixture of lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper water, claiming that a morning yoga session “activates” his organs.

Experts told DailyMail.com that while some of Usher’s quirky habits may have minor benefits, most are largely ‘unnecessary’ and potentially ‘harmful’, leading to dangerous malnutrition due to a lack of essential nutrients such as carbohydrates and fibre.

They also warned that practices such as sitting outside in the heat to increase his body’s “natural heat levels” could promote unsafe levels of sun exposure, increasing the risk of skin cancer.

Intermittent fasting involves alternating between eating normally and restricting food intake for four to 12 hours per week.

However, some more extreme approaches involve not eating anything all day. Usher told the Wall Street Journal that Wednesday is his chosen day of fasting.

“I usually try to start the day before around 11 p.m. and drink nothing but water all day Wednesday,” he said.

Dr. Carolyn Williams, dietitian and author of Meals that Heal, told DailyMail.com that while the average person fasting 24 hours a day is “not that alarming,” Usher’s intense exercise routine could increase the risk of side effects.

“What I’m concerned about is whether he did extensive training for the Super Bowl,” she said. ‘If you are going to fast for 24 hours, you should take it easy on the physical activity.’

‘Fasting all day with just water and still trying to maintain this training schedule and so on, that is generally not advisable. When you train like he does, you need more to fuel your body.”

Dr. Williams noted that fatigue and headaches are common side effects that can occur as early as the afternoon.

In addition, intensive exercise means sweating. Sweating leads to a loss of electrolytes, which are minerals that help manage hydration, muscle contraction and bone health, among other things. “Usher could have an electrolyte imbalance,” Dr. Williams said.

Having too few electrolytes can lead to muscle cramps, diarrhea, constipation, irregular heartbeat, nausea, vomiting and numbness.

The research on intermittent fasting has long been mixed.

While some studies suggest that intermittent fasting can help you lose weight, other studies have shown that skipping meals can lead to a higher risk of heart disease, cancer and premature death.

A recently presented study of more than 20,000 adults found that those who followed a time-restricted eating plan were 91 percent more likely to die from cardiovascular disease.

Additionally, a 2023 study in mice found that skipping breakfast caused disease-fighting white blood cells to drop by 90 percent, increasing the risk of infections.

Usher also revealed that he skips a cup of coffee in the morning in favor of celery juice. The drink is touted to contain only 33 calories and is packed with nutrients such as potassium, folate and vitamins A, C and K.

Dr. However, Williams cautioned that there may not be any concrete health benefits associated with the green brew.

“I don’t think there’s been any major scientific research on celery juice,” she said. “If you want to drink celery juice, that’s fine. It will be very hydrating, but I don’t think it’s necessarily superior to other vegetables.’

“There’s a golden health halo around celery juice, and there’s no real scientific evidence to suggest it will improve your health or prevent cancer or anything like that.”

Dr. Williams also noted that because celery juice is strained, the process removes fibers, which which the vast majority of Americans can’t get enough of.

Fiber is essential for maintaining digestion and regular bowel movements, and emerging research suggests that a lack of fiber could be fueling the explosion of cancer cases in young people.

“Fiber is an important nutrient in celery,” said Dr. Williams. “Eating celery gives you the fiber, the hydration and the vitamins and minerals.”

‘Normally, it is always better and more nutritious if you eat fruit or vegetables instead of juicing them.’

As for Usher’s other favorite morning drink – hot water with lemon, ginger and cayenne pepper – Dr. Williams noted that it could be “nutritionally useless.”

“If it helps someone wake up their body and feel like it’s good for them, I don’t think it can do any harm,” she said. “But there’s nothing major that’s going to change your health or anything.”

In addition to specific foods, Usher also noted that he doesn’t eat breakfast until he does “something physical” every morning.

“Going for a walk, stretching or doing yoga, sitting in the sun and increasing my body’s natural heat levels,” he said.

It’s unclear exactly how long the singer spends in the sun and heat, but Dr. Williams suggested there may not be any concrete benefits.

“I don’t know what he means by that,” she said. ‘Your body temperature is very strongly regulated by things in your body. He wants to maintain his normal temperature.’

“I can’t think of any reason from a digestive perspective or from a health perspective to do this.”

This “internal thermostat” is regulated by hormones produced by the brain’s hypothalamus, which tend to keep the body at a temperature of about 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit. While sitting in a warm environment can increase the body’s core temperature, doing so for too long can have adverse effects.

‘Longer periods can certainly lead to heat exhaustion, and things like temperature, humidity and time of day can exacerbate this risk,’ said Dr Williams.

She also noted that “any amount of exposure of unprotected skin to direct sunlight can be harmful and possibly lead to skin cancer.”

While he uses yoga to wake up in the morning, Usher also claimed that the practice helps “activate my organs and get my mind moving in the right direction.”

“I don’t really know what he means by that,” Dr. Williams said. “Yoga will certainly get your blood flowing and increase your circulation, but I’m not aware that it necessarily activates the digestive organs or other organs in the body.”

However, according to Johns Hopkins, yoga has been shown to improve strength and balance, relieve back pain and promote relaxation.