Over the past decade, detox diets have become all the rage, and while their popularity has risen, many nutritionists and other medical experts are not convinced they’re worth the trouble. The main premise behind these sorts of programs is that our bodies are full of “toxins” that need to be eliminated in order to achieve weight loss and overall health. Creators of these diets claim that by following the dietary guidelines, this elimination process can be accomplished. However, is this really the case? Here’s a look at how detoxing may be able to both help and hurt you.
The Good
If you follow the guidelines set up by a particular detox diet, chances are you will lose weight—sometimes drastically. Most of these types of diet are extremely low in calories, and any time your body is using more calories than it’s taking in, weight loss normally follows. Additionally, some detox plans may help you from a nutritional standpoint, depending on what you’re required to eat. Diets that emphasize fresh fruits and vegetables can be beneficial if these are foods you don’t normally include in your diet.
The Bad
Despite the benefits that a detox diet may be able to offer you, there are several key drawbacks to this approach to healthy living. For one, “detoxing” is largely unnecessary. Your immune system and liver are continually working to remove toxins from the body, and as long as they are functioning normally, they need no help for this duty. On top of that, there is currently no scientific research indicating that short-term diet changes can have any sort of impact on toxins in the body.
It’s also important to realize that much of the weight lost during a detox program can return quickly. Many of these pounds can be attributed to water weight, which is known to fluctuate during the early stages of a dietary change. However, once you finish the detox and return to your old eating habits, your body is likely to start retaining water normally again—and this means that your weight is likely to go up as well.
The Dangerous
While some detox programs are merely ineffective, there are others that are downright dangerous. For example, the Master Cleanse Diet, a popular detox program purported to help you lose 20 pounds in 10 days, can put your health at risk. This diet is a strict juice fast with no solid food allowed. With such restrictive requirements, this approach puts users in danger of malnutrition. It’s very difficult to break 1000 calories per day on the Master Cleanse, and most nutritionists recommend a diet of at least 1200 calories daily to avoid any negative side effects from weight loss, such as fatigue, headaches, and nausea. Additionally, the “juice” used on this program is simply a mixture of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup—none of which can provide your body with all the essential nutrients it needs to function normally.
