We would like address the rumors and lies that have been circulating around The F-Factor Diet and F-Factor products recently. In order to do so, we have compiled the following resources and answers for you here, so there is a centralized place you can go to get the facts. Please know, we hear and acknowledge every concern brought to our attention. Thank you for your engagement and we hope that this page will help ease any apprehension you or your loved ones may have about our products, the F-Factor Diet, and our company.

To read our letter to the F-Factor community, click here.

Founder and CEO, Tanya Zuckerbrot, MS, RD filed a complaint against influencer Emily Gellis on October 8, 2020 for publishing over 4,500 false, defamatory, and harassing statements for over 75 consecutive days beginning in July of 2020. The complaint includes a detailed history of Gellis’ unrelenting posts, and the lack of regard for published product labels and certified F-Factor company information. Damage caused by the defendant on F-Factor goes beyond financial ramifications, with her accusations threatening jobs, families, immunocompromised and at-risk individuals in need of structured nutrition, and the underserved communities that receive aid from F-Factor philanthropies.

For more information on the complaint, please click here.

Yes, F-Factor products are safe for consumption when used as directed on the package. They are manufactured in the United States, are NON-GMO, and use only natural ingredients. We maintain the highest standards for testing our products, including testing for trace amounts of metals, microbiological content (for example, E. coli), and label claim veracity. No product leaves our facilities unless tested and shown to be 100% safe for consumption.

Because the products are natural, they do contain a small amount of trace metals, as anything grown in the soil can. This is no cause for concern; strawberries, spinach, and rice, even when grown organically, will contain trace metals. For more on the safety of F-Factor products in general and their trace metal content, click here.

To learn more about trace metals in supplements and foods, click here.

To view the CoAs of the F-Factor products, click here.

No, F-Factor products do not contain guar gum, which is an emulsifier and under stringent guidelines by the FDA. The 20 grams of fiber in the F-Factor 20/20 Fiber/Protein Powders come from partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), which is FDA-approved. PHGG is widely studied with well-established safety and efficacy and a long-standing history of successful clinical trials.

While guar gum and PHGG are derived from the same plant, they are two very different substances. To learn more about guar gum and PHGG, click here.

Please find CoA’s for F-Factor products here.

We issued two Certificates of Analysis (CoA) to the TODAY Show on August 27, 2020: one for F-Factor 20/20 Fiber/Protein Powder Chocolate flavor and one for the unflavored F-Factor 20/20 Fiber/Protein Powder. While the TODAY Show elected only to show the F-Factor 20/20 Fiber/Protein Powder Chocolate flavor, we have made all of our CoA’s public and available on our web site. These documents validate the fact that all F-Factor products are safe for consumption when used as directed on the package, and we will continue to share information with you in full transparency. To view the TODAY Show segment, please click here.

We will always work with our customers to identify and resolve any issue they’re having to ensure they can use our products and program safely. We take complaints about our product extremely seriously, no matter the source. However, it is difficult for us as a company to respond to anonymous sources. We have a formal system in place and outside regulatory groups to help us assess and respond to any complaint we as a company receive no matter how large or small.

If you have an issue with F-Factor products or the program, please email [email protected].

For more key questions answered, click here.

No, following the F-Factor program does not require the use of F-Factor products. In fact, The F-Factor Diet book clearly states on page 78,

“While powders and pills can add fiber to your diet, getting your fiber from foods is generally better for your health. Fiber supplements do not provide the vitamins, minerals, and other beneficial nutrients that high-fiber foods do. In addition, fiber supplements don’t give you the crunchy satisfaction and feeling of fullness that comes with eating fiber-rich foods. The bottom line is, it’s best to try to satisfy your fiber needs with foods. Save fiber supplements for when you simply cannot make the recommended intake or if your doctor prescribes them.”

The F-Factor 20/20 Powders and Bars were introduced to the market 18 years after the F-Factor diet was created and 12 years following the original publication of The F-Factor Diet book (originally published in 2006). F-Factor products were created as an all-natural, healthy, and delicious way to add fiber to your diet.  F-Factor products are not required to follow the F-Factor diet. For more on following F-Factor and the use of F-Factor products, click here.

No, F-Factor does not encourage unhealthy weight loss or disordered eating. The F-Factor Diet was developed to provide ample calories, which is why we ask our customers not to try to customize or alter the program that is prescribed in the book or take it to any extremes. The F-Factor Diet is aimed at good health, not just fat loss.

To elaborate, F-Factor’s message has never been about restriction or omission, but rather addition; adding fiber-rich foods into your diet for fiber’s medically proven health and weight management benefits. From Day 1, F-Factor encourages breakfast, lunch, snack, and dinner and discourages skipping any meals. On page 92 in The F-Factor Diet there is a section titled No Skipping Meals or Snacks. It states:

“Skipping meals does not help weight loss or dieting! Many people mistakenly believe that by skipping meals, they will save on calories, and lose more weight. Surprisingly, skipping meals may inhibit weight loss and even lead to weight gain over time. When your body is deprived of food for many hours between meals, it starts conserving fuel and burning fewer calories to protect itself from starving. Your metabolism slows down, therefore inhibiting weight loss despite reduced calorie intake.”

F-Factor recommends that all meals are a combination of high-fiber carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats. From day 1 on F-Factor, you can eat carbs, dine out, enjoy cocktails, and work out smarter, not harder while seeing results and improving your health. You are also encouraged to eat non-starchy vegetables, which are among the healthiest foods on the planet, in abundance. Non-starchy vegetables are unlimited at all three phases of the program. The book states:

“Limiting your vegetable intake is one of the worst things you can do if you are trying to lose weight and improve your health. Vegetables contain antioxidants, vitamins, nutrients, and fiber, and relatively few calories. The reason so many people are overweight is not because they are sitting around eating too many vegetables. In fact, it is often a lack of vegetables in the diet that leads people to fill up on calorie dense food.”

F-Factor is not restrictive. It is liberating and on Step 2, “Continued Weight Loss”, no food is off-limits. On page 108, it states

“Step 2 gives you the freedom to choose the carbohydrates you want.  The liberty to decide which foods to add to your diet is what personalizes this program for each individual and what makes this program work.  While Step 1 is the most “diet like” part of this program, because of food limitations and boundaries, Step 2 begins the process of helping you create a healthy eating plan that in with your likes and lifestyle.”

It is recommended you stay on Step 2 until you reach your desired weight and health goals. Step 3, “Maintenance – Eating for Life” provides a nutritious and sustainable approach to looking and feeling your best. On page 135 it states:

“By now you’ve learned a new way of eating that enables you to eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, lots of lean protein and dairy, and even moderate amounts of fat. You eat carbohydrates but find that you gravitate towards those that contain fiber because of its many health benefits and the role it plays in helping you feel satisfied. Eating foods high in fiber is what has enabled you to lose weight without feeling hungry. You now have an entirely new outlook on food. In other words, you are able to eat just about anything, so as long as you maintain your fiber intake. “

Again, the F-Factor diet was developed to provide ample calories, which is why we ask our customers not to try to customize or alter the program that is prescribed in the book or take it to any extremes.

F-Factor is about learning how to eat to honor your health and your waistline. Our goal is to educate people on how to improve their lifestyle through their relationship with food. With education comes empowerment, and we are committed to empowering every one of our customers with the tools they need to live happier, healthier lives.

The claims that F-Factor could encourage unhealthy eating or even disordered eating is something we take very seriously and have addressed in our Letter To The F-Factor community, which you can read in its entirety here.

For more key questions answered, click here.

Cease & Desist letters were sent out to several people who were part of a targeted smear campaign against Tanya Zuckerbrot and her company, F-Factor through 2 anonymous Instagram sites. Lanny J. Davis, attorney for F-Factor in response to Business Insider’s article on the company’s issuance of cease & desist letters, elaborates here.

No. F-Factor does not have a toxic culture, nor a toxic culture problem. We strive to be a place of employment where our employees are happy to come to work, and while we have had to grow over the past 20 years, we are proud of where we are today. That phenomenal growth could not have happened without each and every one of our employees along the way.

F-Factor has never required that its employees look a certain way or dress anything beyond standard business attire, and any anecdotes to the contrary are not true. For more information about company culture, please click here.

There has been some confusion about how eating a banana could be equivalent to eating white bread. At F-Factor, we use a slice (or slices) of white bread as a point of reference so people can gauge the carbohydrate density of foods. We call this the F-Factor Principal of Carbohydrate Equivalency. To learn more about this F-Factor heuristic, click here.

For more information around recipes, tips, tricks, and how-to’s of incorporating F-Factor into your daily routine, and to stay up to date on all things F-Factor, be sure to follow the official F-Factor affiliated pages on Instagram at @f_factor and @tanyazuckerbrot.