Hey loves! Spring is coming and with the hope that the pandemic will just be a bad memory, many of us want to get back in shape. Lately, I saw many videos, posts and social media content about detox diets to get ready for summer and to feel more energized. As a scientist, I realized I really had to talk about this topic.
Marketers have done an outstanding job in commercializing detox products. They generated a psychological need in people to eliminate toxins accumulating in our bodies due to the exposure to chemicals, processed food, pollution, heavy metals and other dangerous substances in the modern life we live. Scientists are quite skeptical about information, and I always try to find a proof before believing in something. There are so many people online that claim the great effects of the detox diet, so I did some research to understand more about it. Let’s go through it together step by step!
- What is a toxin?
Toxins are biologically produced substances that are toxic at a certain concentration for tissues and organisms. There are several dangerous substances that we are exposed to, like alcohol, pollutants, micro-plastics or heavy metals. However, these are potentially toxic for us only if they exceed a certain limit. In case of intoxication from one of these substances, there are specific medical procedures to eliminate them, which vary from substance to substance. That said, I was already wondering how can a diet remove all these substances simultaneously.
- How does our body react to substances that it does not need?
Food is amazing. It is an enjoyable social moment, and it allows us to gain all the energy we need. From food, our body selects proteins, sugars and fats, and eliminates all the other substances that are not required for its function by breaking them down into smaller molecules. For this purpose, the body has organs like the liver, kidney, lungs and the gastrointestinal system that work with complicated systems to eliminate all the compounds that we do not need. So, our bodies do not need to be cleansed because they can effectively do it by themselves!
- Do detox diets work?
Science advances with peer-reviewed publications. When a new topic is studied and new findings have been proven, scientists write papers which are revised and accepted from the scientific community. Google Scholar is a great source to find publications and when I searched for papers which prove that detox diets work, I couldn’t find any!
Currently, there are no scientific proofs that detox diets have a positive effect on our health or on weight loss. Actually, these type of diets can be dangerous if they are not correctly formulated and monitored. Please be careful if you want to try anyway this diet out, because it may cause vitamin, energy deficiency or more serious problems, and we really don’t want that for ourselves.
- Are detox products regulated by law?
One of the concerns is that detox products like juices, teas, bars etc. are not regulated by any law. This means that companies don’t have to prove if they work or even if they are safe! Many of these products contain ingredients which are not part of our daily diet, and we don’t even know what is their effect in case of a prolonged intake.
To conclude loves, I know how tempting is to find an easy solution for our insecurities about our appearance. The best way to feel great is to have a balanced and healthy diet without cutting out food categories, avoiding alcohol, too much sugar or processed food, and drinking water instead of any other soft drink. Try also to be skeptical about what you see on social media, and don’t hesitate to ask experts in the field if you have any doubts.
Stay healthy and take care of yourself <3
Ref: Klein A.V. & Kiat H. (2015) Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet. 28, 675–686
