Busting Myths Around Detox Diets: Do They Really Cleanse Your Body?

Detox diets frequently surface in wellness circles, promising to cleanse your body and flush out toxins. These diets, often trending on social media, claim to purify your blood and eliminate harmful substances. Yet, how these diets specifically target and eliminate toxins remains largely undetermined, as highlighted by a Healthline report.

What are detox diets?

Detox diets are typically short-term interventions aimed at removing toxins from the body. These regimens usually begin with fasting, followed by a strict menu of fruits, vegetables, juices, and water. Some detox plans also incorporate herbs, teas, supplements, and even colon cleanses or enemas.

The supposed benefits of detox diets include resting the organs through fasting, stimulating the liver to expel toxins, enhancing elimination of toxins through faeces, urine, and sweat, improving circulation, and enriching the body with healthy nutrients.

Common motivations and claims

Detox proponents often recommend these diets due to potential exposure to environmental toxins or dietary chemicals, which may include pollutants, synthetic chemicals, heavy metals, and other harmful entities. Claims also extend to improved immune function, digestion, energy levels, and weight loss.

Scientific perspective and efficacy

However, research on the effectiveness of detox diets is sparse and often flawed. The actual toxins targeted by these diets are rarely specified, and the mechanisms by which detox diets work are not well-defined. Furthermore, evidence supporting the removal of toxins through these diets is minimal. According to Healthline, the body is already equipped with a natural detox system—the liver, kidneys, faeces, urine, and sweat efficiently handle detoxification.

While certain chemicals like persistent organic pollutants (POPs), phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and heavy metals can accumulate in the body and are not easily expelled, these are exceptions rather than the norm.

Personal experiences and effects

Individuals on detox diets often report increased focus and energy, attributing these feelings to the absence of processed foods and alcohol from their diet and possible increases in previously lacking nutrients, however, some also experience adverse effects, feeling unwell during the detox process, as per a Healthline report.