Detox tea: the internet is full of it. They also occasionally speak of teatoxing, because that is the new detoxing. If you're scrolling through social media, you've probably seen pictures of detox teas.
Detoxing also takes other forms. Just think of the juice cures, rinses or lemon waters. You will then see a 'before' and 'after' photo in which that person proudly shows the effect of detox tea.
But is it really effective? Are there only benefits associated with detoxing, or are there also negative effects that no one talks about? Curious? Then read on quickly!
Toxins
Before I talk about the usefulness of detox, you should know that there are different toxins in our body. Most bad substances reach our body from the outside, through the air, food and even beauty products. Think of exhaust fumes from cars, additives in food and parabens in personal care products.
The holidays are upon us again. Then people start detoxing en masse. Because that Christmas period is filled with lots of delicious food and drinks. All those toxins go to the liver, where the dangerous substances are filtered. And through detox tea, many people hope to be able to filter their bodies. But is this so?
What is detoxing?
Detoxen comes from the English word detoxification, which means to detoxify. The most well-known forms of detox are detox teas or juice cures. People only take juices for a certain period of time. With the detox tea, people often eat normally. It's a real hype right now. Through this way we think we can detoxify our body and remove all toxins.
Science
The idea that you can just flush out bad substances and clean your organs is scientifically nonsense. There has also not been much research into detox cures, so it cannot be substantiated.
According to professor Sander Kersten, detoxing has nothing to do with detoxification. It's fine if it makes people feel good, but it doesn't remove toxins. Several scientists agree that our body already has a built-in detox mechanism. Our liver, for example, filters the bad substances. Then why would we need another detox? Further research is needed to determine whether it is really effective.
Types of detox
There are actually two types of detox: medical treatment and detox such as juice cures and detox teas. The medical treatment is used, for example, in the case of poisoning in the hospital. This is a treatment that really works.
In addition, you also have the kind of detox that everyone talks about. This is the type of detox where you adjust your diet to remove harmful substances. Just think of the different detox teas available.
So what does detox tea do?
According to many scientists, detoxing is not really detoxing, but then you can ask yourself: what does this do? Drinking detox tea can have several benefits and I will list the most important ones for you.
1. It is a good addition to a healthy lifestyle
Detox tea can contribute to your healthy lifestyle. It can also help you avoid unhealthy soft drinks and keep your energy up.
2. Lose weight
Many people start a detox treatment because they want to lose weight. But you have to remain realistic. The loss mainly consists of moisture and if you then pick up your old lifestyle again, the kilos will quickly be added. So it is not made for permanent weight loss, but it can be a good start! It can motivate people to eat healthier.
3. It can lead to more energy
The adapted drink may give you more energy. Of course you also have to eat healthy if you really want to see results. You feel better about yourself because you just take in healthy substances. BUT: the amount of energy depends on the type of treatment you follow. There are so many different cures, inquire well before you choose.
Side effects
Following a detox course can have various side effects and disadvantages.
1. Not getting enough nutrients
Here I would first like to make a difference between the juice cures and detox teas. With a juice cleanse you usually only live on juices for a period of time. You probably don't get enough nutrients anymore and your body can react to it. The body needs calories. If you don't get enough calories or certain nutrients, this can lead to a lower resistance.
With many detox teas you just eat normal food so this is not so much of a problem.
2. Some herbal blends have side effects
Detox tea often contains the Senna plant, which can have a laxative effect. After drinking tea you can get cramps, diarrhea, nausea and bloating. You can also have a potassium deficiency due to an excess of Senne, which in turn could lead to cardiac arrhythmias. So pay close attention to the side effects of certain herbs! Because detox tea has a laxative effect, your stomach will also appear flatter.
3. Can affect your sleeping pattern
Because detox tea often contains caffeine, it can suppress your hunger but also has a laxative effect. In addition, too much caffeine can also lead to a high heart rate and can disrupt your sleep.
Conclusion
To date, there is no evidence that all those detox cures do help. But if you feel good with such a cure, you just have to do it. You have more extreme forms of detoxing, but the detox teas are generally safe.
To keep your body healthy, it is best to just choose a healthy lifestyle. It's important to know what you're putting in your mouth. Choose healthy food, enough exercise and enough sleep. That way you will feel healthy. Do you still feel tired after all these tips? Then consult your doctor.
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Looking for a healthier lifestyle? On the blog you will find a lot of reading material and this will get you started. For example, discover these three surprising recipes with matcha for a delicious shot of energy. Or are you still looking for a delicious recipe for healthy vegan matcha pancakes or tasty matcha cake ?