Are Detox Diets Really Good for you?

You don’t want to hear about it. You don’t want to talk about it. I don’t want to write about it. But none of those things is going to stop it. The end of summer is fast approaching. I’m sorry, but it is. You had lofty expectations for a healthy summer. You weren’t going to drink nearly as many cocktails as you did last summer. You were going to cook more. You were going to attend all of Seven Mile Beach’s many exercise offerings.

But then … what about all the new restaurants you had to try? You couldn’t disappoint all of that company you had visiting every weekend, could you? You can’t go a summer without sticky buns, it’s tradition!

Now your “healthy summer” is almost through and it didn’t turn out as healthy as you had hoped. I understand, it had to be done. After polluting your body for several months, maybe the perfect idea to get back on track and lose those extra pounds is to put yourself through a healthy detox diet, maybe a juice cleanse. But are these detox fads all they’re cracked up to be, or will you be even worse off than where you started?

The detox diet has been very popular lately. Everyone seems to think their bodies are chock full of “toxins” and the only way to get rid of them is to starve themselves and drink a lot of juice. Is there any scientific basis for this insanity? Not really.

Most detox diets involve a lot of juicing and limiting intake of other foods. So, what does it really do to the body? That depends on what you’re juicing. If the majority of your juice is from fruits, you are going to be consuming a lot of sugar. By juicing the fruit, you are removing the fiber. With the fiber gone, your body will absorb more fructose at a faster rate. If you are not blessed with great blood-sugar regulation, your levels will be bouncing up and down all day and might leave you jittery and tired. This fluctuation could be dangerous for those with diabetes. If you are juicing mostly veggies, there will still be fluctuations but not as severe. With excessive juice consumption, you will be getting a ton of great vitamins and minerals but will be missing out on vital nutrients like fat, fiber and protein. The excessive amount of potassium might be dangerous to those with kidney issues.

OK, but does it detox? Most cleanses claim to eliminate toxins but don’t list what these “toxins” actually are. The truth is, your body is very efficient at eliminating toxins even without juice. Your liver, kidneys and intestines are working hard even as you read this article. Every time you go to the bathroom, you are detoxing. What aids greatly in the digestive process? Fiber. That’s right, one of the things you are eliminating with your juice.

Maybe I don’t need it to detox, but will it help me lose weight? Definitely, initially. Any time you restrict calories, you have the potential for weight loss. But is it the weight loss you want? This kind of diet puts a lot of stress on the body. Your body expects food, and when it doesn’t get it, it will start to cannibalize muscle tissue. This might slow your metabolism in the long run. When you stop the detox, you will gain the weight back (and maybe then some) and be worse off than when you started.

Detox diets and cleanses don’t really do anything positive for your health, but they really aren’t bad for you either. If they help you jump start your healthy eating or break bad eating habits, then I’m all for them. Is some magical juice elixir going to rid your body of very harmful yet unidentified toxins? No. On the other hand, actual fasting does have some scientifically based benefits. According to the Institute for Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economics, periods of deliberate fasting induce neuroendocrine activation and hormetic stress response, increase production of neurotrophic factors, reduce mitochondrial oxidative stress, and provide general decrease of signals associated with aging and promotion of autophagy. Which all sounds very scientific and I am sure is beneficial. Fasting therapy might contribute to the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases.

While juice cleanses may be unfounded, that doesn’t mean juice isn’t healthy. People would be much better off concentrating on eating a nutritious diet (which might include some juice) on a daily basis rather than a random three days of some magic green elixir. Detoxing and cleansing might not have the health benefits you think, but there really isn’t anything bad about them as long as they are short and unless you are diabetic or have kidney issues. I would still consult a physician.

So, although you can’t detox those sticky buns, you can start concentrating on a healthy daily diet, and feel free to include some juice. And I’m sure next summer will definitely be your “Summer of Health”!