Elimination diets have taken the Internet by storm. The most popular being the Auto Immune Protocol Diet and the Whole 30. These diets eliminate grains, legumes, dairy, sugars among other things and claim to have major benefits, but do they truly have value?

According to Regional Health’s Registered Dietitian, Cindy Gates, these diets aren’t necessary.

"If you have some digestive issues like irritable bowl syndrome and you need to reset your gut, but for the most general population, elimination diet is not necessary,” says Gates.

READ MORE: Nutrition: Planning and Time Management

Many people try the diets because of promises of reduced bloating and inflammation.

"They eliminate a lot of processed foods, and sugar and alcohol. So, that's great because those things are really hard on your body and cause a lot of inflammation. So, that probably is partially true in some people,” says Gates.

Gates says these diets are best for those with food allergies or gut issues, but doesn't recommend them for the general population.

READ MORE: Wellness Wednesday: The Studio in Rapid City

"Diets like this probably aren't needed because they're not very well scientifically based; they're more testimonial. So, if you do have certain GI symptoms, you might want to try and eliminate dairy or certain legumes, but just for the general population, dietitians don't want to eliminate whole food groups,” says Gates.

The next time one of these diets scrolls across your browser, consider your own digestive health and symptoms before committing.