Throughout history, a number of cultures have undertaken periods of fasting, for both religious and non-religious reasons. While the reasons for fasting in the past have often been associated with the virtues of temporarily depriving oneself, scientists have recently taken an interest in the potential medical benefits to fasting. Not surprisingly, this has led to a number of claims far and wide about the benefits of fasting diets for weight loss and improving metabolic health. What’s the deal...