'The God Diet' sounds like something out of this world, like the diets of the gods.

However, the diet that has garnered the attention of dieters this holiday season is actually meant for us mere mortals, and according to its believers allegedly makes you feel great. It sounds almost too good to be true, so we take a closer look on its background and the medical facts surrounding it.

The official name for the God diet is the 'Daniel Fast', taken from the Bible's Old Testament prophet Daniel, who according to the Bible refused to eat anything but vegetables while living in the royal palace of the ancient kingdom Babylon.

It is called fasting as followers cut back on much of their food; according to the story, Daniel cut back on meat and wine. Instead, vegetables, fruit, and whole grains is all that true God dieters would eat.

One proponent of the God diet, Susan Gregory, authored a book called "The Daniel Fast" and explains in a video on YouTube her thoughts about the diet.

For Gregory, the diet's benefits are not only based on her nutritional observations, but carries a religious connotation where she believes that it is beneficial because it also appears to benefit Daniel in the Bible story.

She states that the Daniel Fast is like a 'vegan diet with even more restrictions,' which because it abstains from caffeine, chemicals, and sugar, can ease headaches, leg cramps, and fatigue.

Gregory also states that the diet can cause people's cholesterol levels to fall and blood sugar levels to balance out.

So far so good, but are there any warning signs that potential God dieters ought to be wary of?

Nutritionist Zoe Harcombe told MailOnline that there are a number of adverse health effects that can arise when following 'The God Diet' for a prolonged period of time.

While the diet is beneficial in the sense of cutting out junk food, sugar, white flour and processed food, which would reduce the chance of obesity and lower cancer risk in some cases, according to Harcombe the drawbacks far outweigh the benefits of the diet.

Harcombe explains that if you follow the diet for only a few days, it is unlikely to cause any serious complications.However, following the diet longer could lead to deficiency in a number of vitamins and nutrients, in particular those found in animal products.

By following the God diet, Harcombe says you would risk missing out on Vitamin A, Vitamin D, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B12, which could lead to bad health complications rather than miracles.

In extreme cases, deficiency of Vitamin A can lead to blindness, a lack of Vitamin D to muscle weakness and bone pain, and too little Vitamin E can lead to a weakened immune system.

If you are planning to try out the God diet, or Daniel Fast, for more than a few days, Harcombe recommends that you take vitamin supplements to avoid any health problems.