Detox yourself to flush out all the toxins from your body.

As we cleanse the outer body you also need to cleanse your inner body with diet!

You get to hear this from most people who encourage detox and dietary cleanses.

But what's the truth behind these detox diets?

We know that you came in search of that so in this blog we will understand everything regarding dietary cleanses, how they work, what research says about that, and what options are available for a detox diet.

You might have heard a lot of things regarding dietary cleanses and detox diets because they have become quite popular these days as they claim themselves as the best solutions for weight loss, boosting energy, and promoting overall health. Also, there are several products available in the name of dietary cleanses but do you know what are they? Here is the definition of, 

Dietary cleanses and detox:

❖Detox diets are dietary interventions that are designed in such a way that they flush out toxins from our bodies. But how it cleanses out, is by the consumption of limited quantities of solid and liquid foods that help to cleanse the digestive system.

❖There are different approaches for each detoxification program such as juice cleanses, water fasting, including herbs, colon irrigation with laxatives, enemas or colon hydrotherapy, dietary supplements, including sauna, having only beverages or juices, etc.

The science behind detoxification:

❖Whatever the claim can be, there is a science behind that, so the human body is itself a system of detoxification containing the liver, kidneys, digestive system, skin, and lungs.  All of these organs work together to filter and eliminate toxins from the body. Among all of these kidneys play a crucial role in converting harmful substances to harmless substances that are excreted from the kidneys or as bile. 

❖The above-mentioned different approaches for detoxification and cleansing the body claim themselves as they can help to promote overall health but let's research what in-depth studies are telling about these detox and cleansing diets:

Research & survey on detox diets:

❖As per a study by the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH) in 2017 there is no clear evidence that detox diets flush out toxins from the body and improve overall health. So this research reported that you can lose weight through this but it is short term and it also added that it is a calorie restriction and fluid loss process rather than eliminating toxins from your body.

❖A 2015 survey on detox diets reported that these detox diets and dietary cleanses can help you out with liver detoxification by reducing the levels of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the body. Also, they mentioned some participants did not experience any benefits.

❖In the next survey in 2015 with 84 women, they used or followed a low-calorie lemon detox diet that is made up of lemon juice and syrups, and a few others followed a low-calorie placebo diet for about 7 days. Coming to the results after seven days both of the groups lost weight and saw a drop in insulin levels. So the report suggests that it was the calorie restriction, not the detox diet itself, that led to these health improvements.

❖A 2019 survey involving 22 women found that taking a detox supplement containing 1,350 milligrams of a blend of papaya leaf, cascara sagrada bark, slippery elm bark, peppermint leaf, red raspberry leaf, fenugreek seed, ginger root, and senna leaf for four weeks did not provide any health benefits.

❖The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have taken action against some companies selling detox products because the products contain illegal or harmful ingredients and the companies made false claims to the customers that their products could treat serious diseases and few of the devices that they used for colon cleansing were marketed for unapproved uses.

Survey results on detox diets and cleanses:

This graph will help to understand the benefits and potential drawbacks associated with detox diets and cleanses. You might think the benefit percent is more but all of them were temporary outcomes.

You can also check out healthy alternatives on diet.

End note:

You can get a clear idea regarding dietary cleanses and detox with the above-mentioned reports and studies. So in a few cases, the detox diet might be helpful in temporary weight loss, nutrient supply, and hydration but it may not support you for benefits in the long run leading to nutritional deficiencies, muscle loss, electrolyte imbalance digestive issues, etc. So despite following these dietary options that show temporary solutions, you need to follow healthy choices such as a well-balanced diet, quality sleep time, and then proper hydration along with stress management. These are the things that will best help you to maintain better health. You can consult with a medical professional to guide you to differentiate between healthy and unhealthy cleansing processes.