Detox Diets: The Harm

Where do we start with this one?

Firstly, the idea that switching just to fruits and vegetables, or even specialized detox products will rid your body of toxins is utterly absurd.

Even if the products or diets did this, it would take far more than a few days or even a week to rectify any damage caused from years of an unhealthy diet and poor lifestyle habits, not to mention actual toxins that you have probably also been exposed to. The true fact however is that cleansing products simply don’t do "detox" – and they don't need to, either, because your body already has its own amazing detoxifier; your liver. If this is up to scratch, you have no need to embark on cleanses.

Secondly, you have the issue of the calorie intake.

A low calorie intake, as discussed earlier, will help you lose weight. Great, you may think, until you examine it further. Only eating fruits and vegetables will mean your calorie intake is incredibly low – this may not do you any lasting harm if you only keep it up for a few days, but it’s definitely far from good for you.

Plus, these diets are completely devoid of any usable protein (fruits and vegetables do contain protein, but the amount is minuscule and doesn't contain all the essential amino acids your body needs, making them incomplete proteins) as well as healthy fats. Most detox diets don’t allow any fat whatsoever, despite the fact that fat is essential for maintaining healthy hormone production and cell function.

Demonizing Certain Foods

Just go with the idea that these detoxes are beneficial for a moment.

This can create a terrible relationship with food. Say you’re following a detox, and believe that meat, fish, dairy products, grains and nuts are off the menu. They’re either too high in fat, contain carbohydrates, or supposedly add to the toxins in your body – this makes it incredibly difficult to maintain a normal social life and a healthy relationship with food.

For the duration of the diet you become a social hermit, unable to partake it meals out or dinners at friends’ houses. After the diet finishes, even though you’re supposed to transition back into “normal” eating, they’ll always be that nagging voice in the back of your mind, arguing that a lot of the foods you’re now eating are causing damage and harm to your body. This of course, is not the case, but it’s difficult to get that notion out of your head.

Demotivating

Just because some folks will find the initial rapid weight loss highly motivating, others will find it just as demotivating.

There’s a high expectation to carry on losing weight at this fast weight. If you lose five pounds in week one on a detox or fast, you’ll want that to continue, even if you switch diets. The meal plan you go onto post-cleanse is probably far healthier and sustainable, but if you’re now “only” losing one to two pounds per week, it can make you feel like you may as well not bother.

A lot of the weight loss during your cleanse will be simply due to having less food in your body. You’ll potentially lose muscle mass too as a result of the chronically low calorie intake and will have lower levels of muscle glycogen (the body’s stored form of carbohydrate.) Suddenly your five pounds of weight loss equates to only one, possibly two pounds of pure fat loss.

The Bottom Line

Will cleanses and detoxes harm you? It’s highly unlikely if you only run the odd short-term one.

Will they help you? Almost certainly not. There just doesn't appear to be any need or scientific backing to them.

Your wallet can take a big dent from the expensive products, but your waistline probably won’t.