Busting Buzzwords: Go Cold Turkey on Detox
By Emily Lutz, Guest Blogger
“I really indulged last weekend, and I am feeling it today… it’s time for a detox.”
Ever heard someone say something like this? Or maybe you’ve found yourself in this position. People feel like they need to “detox” for many different reasons—they had a little too much fun the night before, they just went on vacation, or they’ve been trying to lose a few pounds. Whatever the reason, the idea that detoxing will fix the problem is just not true.
Before detoxing became some sort of magical cure-all, it was really only used in a medical setting to describe a procedure that rids the body of toxic substances, like alcohol and drugs. But now it has checked out of the hospital and is out on the street! Special teas, lemon water with cayenne pepper, supplements and more have been marketed to clear the body of toxins, increase energy, or even lose weight.
The reality of detoxing is that it is unlikely that food is going to cause enough toxins to build up that you need to “cleanse” it. Toxins exist, no doubt about that, but even if you do somehow manage to consume enough through everyday foods, it’s not going to be fixed by anything promising to detox. Your own body is great at detoxing itself actually, specifically your liver, kidneys, and immune system play a role.
Ok so what are most of these detox products anyway? Well, in short most of them are laxatives and diuretics. These things encourage you to go to the bathroom more often than normal, and you might notice a difference on the scale but that lost weight is just water—not fat. But what about the whole foods you’ve seen being used as a detox tool, like a soup made with lots of leafy greens or beans? Most of them contain high amounts of fiber, and fiber also helps us move things along. So detoxing and the products to “help” you do it, are just fancy ways to promote more regularity. This doesn’t sound too harmful, right? Well too much detoxing, specifically with special products, can lead to dehydration and even kidney damage.
Teas, pills, and foods sold for detoxing aren’t going anywhere soon. We have collectively created this multi-billion dollar industry that is essentially fooling you into paying for something your body already does. The best thing you can do is simply not buy into it. If you happen to indulge a little more than you meant to, nothing out there is going to reverse it or bring your body back to a “clean, normal” state. Try adopting the idea of balance, you are allowed to treat yourself! A good place to start is to have more whole foods than treat foods. Also remember that your own body knows how to detox itself—no extra substances needed.
Hello! I’m Emily, a current student at Oregon State University studying nutrition and dietetics. As a senior I am so close to graduating and moving on to the next step of my path to becoming a registered dietitian! I love learning about how food affects our bodies and nourishes our souls. I believe that food is fuel, but also should be fun! Some of my favorite foods include Mexican and Chinese dishes, but my hands down favorite food is chickpeas—they are just so versatile!
