John Myers
The range of detox products is huge: juices, oils, pills, powders, teas, and cosmetics can be bought in stores. If you believe the promises of the manufacturers, the products can, for example, rid the body of toxins, improve the calorie balance or cleanse the intestines. The prices for detox products are relatively high. But in most cases, they have no scientifically proven benefit.
Detox teas: beware of harmful substances
Drinking a lot is important. Doctors warn that special detox teas can often even be harmful. If you want to try such a tea, you should take a close look at the list of ingredients and check whether the substances listed have a proven effect. In some cases, the supposedly detoxifying substances are themselves contaminated with pollutants, especially heavy metals.
Instead of overpriced detox teas, experts recommend inexpensive herbal teas from the supermarket or – to stimulate the metabolism – appropriate medicinal teas from the pharmacy. They are subject to strict controls and usually cost less than detox products.
No need to detox with powders and pills
Powders and pills that are supposed to rid the body of toxic heavy metals are also not useful. Organs such as the kidneys, lungs, skin, and liver are already responsible for detoxifying the body. Only in rare cases is the body’s own detoxification process overwhelmed. For example, problems can arise:
- arsenic in rice
- Mercury in fish
- Lead from old water pipes
In these cases, the body may store some of the pollutants in fatty tissue. In such cases, however, only medical detoxification can help, the expensive over-the-counter powders and pills are ineffective.
Cosmetics: Detox in name only
After a look at the list of ingredients, detox cosmetics mostly care products that are simply labeled Detox.
Purging is a myth
Many detox products are said to be able to remove waste products that supposedly accumulate in the body – for example in the intestines, in the skin, or in other cells of the body. In fact, no slags accumulate in the human body that would have to be removed. Still, the detox industry persistently promotes the myth in order to get consumers interested in their products.
Detox juice: More sugar than cola
Cures with special detox juices are also advertised for detoxification. A sample from Visite has shown that these juices are usually not healthy: they contain more sugar than the same amount of cola. If you eat it for a long time, you risk deficiency symptoms and metabolic problems, muscle breakdown, and a weakening of the immune system.
Fasting supports metabolism and detoxification
Fasting is better than just drinking juice for days. It doesn’t matter whether it’s two days a week, basic or at intervals. Because when we fast, drink a lot, and exercise enough, our metabolism is stimulated and the body’s own detoxification runs like clockwork. This is really a spring cleaning for inside and outside.
