Why Detox Diets and Juice Cleansings Are Pretty Much Useless

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Let me guess. You’ve tried those detox diets or juice cleanses, have you? You’ve probably even tried both, to mixed effect. Or, if we’re being honest, it most likely didn’t work for you.

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If this is true, then you’re not alone.

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For hundreds of thousands of people if not millions, around the world, detox diets and juice cleansing is often advertised as the best way to lose weight and be healthy. Although there’s usually some kind of variety between one kind of detox diet and another, they often involve going through a period of fasting and then following a strict diet composed mostly of fruits, vegetables, and water. Sometimes, fruit and vegetable juices are thrown in, while others advocate the use of herbs and herbal supplements that supposedly help cleanse our colons and empty the intestines.

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The reason why these kinds of diets have gained popularity over the past few years is that there are plenty of people who report feeling a lot better and more energized following their switch. And, come to think of it, the science behind such diets is kind of sound. I mean, shouldn’t you feel better when you have fewer toxins inside your body?

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While that may sound true, there’s actually very little scientific evidence supporting that detox diets actually work for their intended purposes. In fact, the human body is good enough to cleanse itself. Both the kidneys and liver are good enough to help eliminate most of the toxins inside the human body.

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But, if that’s the case, then why do people claim that they feel better? Is it placebo? Or, is there some truth behind it? Well, one possible explanation is the fact that most detox diets require followers to eliminate consumption of highly-processed foods.

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You see, these types of food often contain lot of added sugar and solid fats. Both of these have been proven to be very unhealthy to the human body. They can contribute to a multitude of health complications as well. This includes, but is not limited to, increased risk for heart disease.

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If you’re feeling healthier and a lot more energized after following a detox diet or going on a juice cleanse, then it’s probably because of what you eliminated from your daily food intake, and not exactly what your diet asks you to eat. This is especially true for detox diets that recommend the use of certain and specific supplements.

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To put it simply, you can achieve the same benefits by elimination, or minimizing your consumption of high-calorie and low-nutrition foods.

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To further convince you why you shouldn’t fall to the trappings of detox diets and juice cleansings, here are a couple of reasons why they’re pretty much useless:

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1. Your body can detox itself just fine

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As already mentioned, the kidneys and the liver do good enough of a job cleansing your body that external help is very rarely necessary. Unless, of course, there’s a problem with your kidneys and liver, in which case, you don’t need to do a detox diet — you need to go and see a doctor.

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Remember, the only people whose bodies aren’t able to properly excrete the toxins inside their bodies and prevent dangerous toxic build-up are those who are at risk of dying, or those who are already dead.

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Unless you’re both, then you’re good.

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Again, the primary functions of your kidneys, as well as your liver, is to detoxify your body. Your skin and even your lungs help out in this regard either. These organs have evolved over thousands of years to help make sure that the human body is capable of taking care and detoxifying itself without any external help.

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We’re pretty sure that detox diets, which have only been around for a couple of decades, definitely won’t be able to be of much help if at all.

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2. Superfoods aren’t so super on their own

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You’ve probably heard about superfoods and how they’re so good for you and all, and that’s true. Broccoli, for example, is great for the human body. So is pretty much every other superfood that’s outlined and recommended by every detox diet that you can find out there.

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But, for the human body to function, you’re going to need a lot more than just eating superfoods.

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If we go back to the broccoli example, it’s important to keep in mind that the superfood is not always healthy. Broccoli, as well as vegetables like sprouts and cabbages, are notorious for containing trace amounts of cyanide. Of course, the cyanide levels are safe enough for regular consumption, but, if you were to eat just broccoli (or if majority of your daily diet was composed of broccoli), then you’re going to be putting your body in tremendous risk.

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This isn’t also considering the fact that your body needs to get its daily nutrition from various sources. Superfoods are great, but they’re not enough on their own. You need to eat other “lesser” and “not-so-super” foods as well.

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3. Natural isn’t always good for you

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Fruits and vegetables are always highly regarded when it comes to diets because they’re natural. You plant them, pluck them from their trees, and eat them. You’ll probably clean then first, but still. The point is, because they come from natural sources, fruits and vegetables are good for you.

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But, is this really true?

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Fruits and vegetables, as well smoothies and juices, are great, but you can’t just rely on them on a daily basis. Fruits and fruit smoothies, for example, still contain a form of sugar known as fructose. And, because it doesn’t matter where the sugar comes from, it’s important to keep in mind that too much of a good thing is always going to be bad for you, fruits and smoothies included.

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Yes, you probably won’t be able to consume three mangoes or six oranges in one sitting. Who does, anyway? But, the thing is, a smoothie can contain just as much sugar as all of those fruits mentioned combined if not more. The same holds true for juice drinks. It doesn’t even matter if they’re derived from natural sources, or if you made them by hand.

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This isn’t the worst part. The biggest problem is that smoothies and juice drinks aren’t really filling.

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So, after you gulp down a large Coke worth of sugar in the form of a smoothie or a juice drink, you’re still likely going to want to eat a proper meal to keep yourself feeling full and satisfied.

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All those calories can and will add up, making detox diets and cleansings bad for you in the long run.

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4. Detoxing is an outdated form of dieting

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Just because you only heard about detoxing doesn’t mean it’s new. In fact, detoxing is old — really old.

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Researchers have traced the origins of detoxing to a early as the 20th century. Apparently, it’s based on the autointoxication theory, which suggests that the waste product build-up inside the human body is what’s making us sick and ill.

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This theory has long since been debunked, however. Yet, for some reason, the theory did not die out. If anything, it only grow more popular. As a result, we have all these detox diets today claiming that they’re backed by actual sound science.

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5. No protein is no good

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So, let’s say that your body doesn’t really need all of the vitamins, minerals, and other essential nutrients that you’ll become deficient in once you follow that detox diet that you just heard of, what then?

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Well, your body is going to be short of protein, and that’s not good.

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You see, protein isn’t just for building muscles and getting gains. Your body needs it on a daily basis, even if you spend all day just lying down on your bed. But, if the body isn’t able to get the protein that it needs from the food that you eat, it has to get it from somewhere. Specifically, your body will get it from your organs, muscle tissues, and even your bones.

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The result of this is that your body ends up being far worse than it was before your detox diet journey.

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That’s not all, however. Once you body starts, essentially, eating itself due to the lack of protein, your metabolism will drop by a significant amount. This means that your body will be burning far fewer calories and fats, giving you far less energy and strength as well.

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Detox Diets and Fruit Cleansings No More

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As you can see, detox diets and juice cleansings are quite counterproductive. Sure, these kinds of diets may work. At least, temporarily. They’re great if you’re looking for a quick fix and you don’t care what happens to your body. But, it’s not healthy, and it’s definitely not good for you.

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A healthier alternative would be to eat a healthy and balanced diet, do regular exercise, and avoid excessive amounts of alcohol, and don’t smoke.

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Yes, the secret to being healthy is to, well, be healthy. It may not sound revolutionary or amazing, and it can actually is quite boring come to think of it, but it works, and it has worked for decades if not hundreds of years.

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So, if you really want to be healthy, fit, and active, then just do it.

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You don’t need all those fancy diets, supplements, and equipment to make yourself better and be a healthier individual. You already have everything you would ever need — yourself.

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Besides, a healthy diet isn’t boring. It’s filled with cheese, salads, wholegrains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, meats, and fishes, and all that.

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So, if you really think about it, a healthy diet sounds, looks, and tastes a whole lot better than just drinking whatever your detox diet tells you to puree or turn into a juice.

 

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AUTHOR: DOUG GRANT

http://www.douglasd.com/