Ever since detoxifying juices first appeared, several other trends have tried to follow in their footsteps, and the latest one seems to be detox teas.
With bold claims regarding their miraculous properties and benefits, ranging from record-breaking weight loss to overall revitalization, it’s not hard to think it all sounds a bit too good to be true.
If you actually take a look at the ingredient list for some of these tea blends, you’ll find a number of items that are known for posing health risks.
Pair that with the fact little to no actual research has been done on the „miraculous“ properties these detox teas may have, and you’ve got quite the situation on your hands.
With how little info is available on this new trend, we’ve decided to compile a list of some of the known benefits and drawbacks detox teas may have.
This way you’ll have a better idea of whether it’s something that fits your needs and lifestyle, or if it’s just another wellness fad.
Even if you don’t intend to use detox teas as a cleansing strategy, knowing what they can and can’t do will set you one step ahead of the rest.
Make educated choices when it comes to your body and ingest only what’s best for it.
What is a detox tea?
Similar to the famed detox juices that have crawled their way into every recent diet trend, detox teas are tea blends marketed for their supposed healing and detoxifying qualities.
This generally includes classics like green tea, dandelion root, lemon, ginseng, and peppermint, although it won’t be surprising if dozens of other, much more common tea blends make it onto this list.
According to those promoting these blends, green tea is excellent for burning fat, whereas peppermint and senna are supposed to aid with digestion and soothe certain gastrointestinal issues.
And while the idea of detoxing with nothing more than a cup of warm tea does sound enticing, the science behind it isn’t adding up.
Using natural herbs and spices in a tea blend makes it sound like a safe and effective solution, but anything consumed in excess will backfire tremendously.
Tea is the be-all-end-all of medicine
From weight loss to being nothing short of a cure for cancer, detox tea manufacturers have tried every trick in the book when it comes to marketing their products.
A couple of years back it was the #1 thing for elderly folk, yet here we are, seeing the same product being promoted to men and women in their late 30s to early 40s.
Sure, green tea and ginseng have been LINKED to burning fat, but no conclusive evidence has shown that those ingredients were doing all the work.
In fact, anything that would add to your metabolism could realistically improve your weight loss journey, and you’re always better off sticking to a regular dietary plan than these detox diets.
By combining severe levels of calorie depletion with a diuretic and laxative as effective as tea, you’re practically asking for trouble, and you’ll find it sooner or later.
Tall tales lead to health risks
Despite the thousands of customer testimonials you may run into when purchasing one of these products, keep in mind that they are packed with harmful ingredients.
In the long run, you could potentially do more damage to your body than you’d actually be cleansing it, and that defeats the whole purpose of a cleansing diet.
The teas promoting gut health can often lead to diarrhea, dehydration, vomiting, and nausea if they’re used for longer periods.
However, if you report any of these symptoms to the brand you’re purchasing the product from, it’s more than likely they’ll tell you that’s just how the detox tea works.
On the other hand, detox diets in general aren’t for everyone, and promoting something as unassuming as tea can mislead people into thinking they can handle it.
More often than not, those who regularly use detox beverages are riddled with nutrient depletion and eventually have to return to their regular diet.
The „better“ approach to staying healthy
Instead of believing the snake oil salesman tactics these detox tea companies are employing, you should focus on cleansing your body the natural way.
Start a balanced diet rather than a restrictive one, and it won’t take long before you realize all you needed was to include another food group in your daily meals.
Staying hydrated should also be imperative when trying to cleanse your body of toxins, and you can drink some regular herbal tea to aid in hydration without undergoing a strict detox diet.
Keeping your nutritional values in check is key, which is something that detox diet supporters won’t tell you.
Finally, you should try to get a workout in on a regular basis, and even if it’s nothing too much, as long as you’re sweating, you’ll be eliminating waste from your organism.
Find what’s right for you
Whether they’re effective or not remains up for speculation, and it’s up to you to decide if you’ll take on a diet as rigorous as drinking nothing but tea for weeks.
Certain blends won’t work for everyone, and you should be informed of any allergens that may be present in the product you’re purchasing.
Ideally, you’ll want to look for reputable brands that are transparent about their production process and product testing.
If weight loss is what you’re after, you should make sure the tea blend you’re going for is intended specifically for that, otherwise you’ll be wasting time and money on a product that realistically won’t help you reach your goals.