A variety of "detoxification" diets, regimens, and therapies-sometimes called "detoxes" or "cleanses"-have been suggested as ways to remove toxins from your body, lose weight, or promote health. As the global obesity epidemic continues, so does the search for easy and rapid weight loss solutions. In recent years, weight loss cleanses have taken center stage as one of the most popular methods for dropping weight rapidly. But can a cleanse really help you achieve all of that? Here's what you need to know.
What is a Cleanse Diet?
A cleanse diet involves eliminating certain foods, fasting, or taking supplements to help your body shed unwanted toxins. “Toxins,” referring to poisonous substances, is often used as a catchall term. It refers to the pollutants and synthetic chemicals you're exposed to through your environment and diet - although there isn’t substantial evidence that cleanses help get rid of them. Certain claims also suggest that cleanses have health benefits and can help you lose weight.
It’s difficult to differentiate between detox and cleanse diets because neither method has a standard, scientific definition. Plus, there’s significant overlap. The two terms are often used interchangeably when referring to this style of dieting, though some people claim that distinct differences exist. Both diets are intended for short-term use, usually lasting anywhere from one to 30 days.
Types of Cleanse Diets
Most detoxes and cleanses fall into one of three categories:
- Liquid Cleanse: Liquid cleanses limit your diet to juices, smoothies, or soups - often prepackaged or made according to a specific recipe. While there’s no solid food on a liquid cleanse, some may include herbal supplements. The liquids in a cleanse are often primarily made from fruits and vegetables, though soups and smoothies may contain nuts or protein powder.
- Liver Detox: Your liver naturally flushes toxins from your body. Liver cleanses aim to detoxify the liver and help it function better. Liver cleanses typically involve over-the-counter products with specific ingredients, such as green tea, milk thistle, and turmeric.
- Colon Cleanse: A colon cleanse uses laxatives and natural herbs to flush waste buildup. The hope is cleaning the colon will rid the digestive system of toxins and unhealthy bacteria.
Examples of Popular Weight Loss Cleanses
The variety of weight loss cleanses is immense. Here are some examples of popular weight loss cleanses:
Read also: Advantages of a Plant-Based Cleanse
- Whole30: A 30-day diet cleanse that eliminates multiple groups of foods, including sugar, dairy, legumes, grains, and alcohol. During this time, you’re encouraged to consume plenty of fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins.
- Juice Cleanses: Typically lasting 3-7 days, these cleanses eliminate all foods other than juice and water. There’s often a specific series of fruit and vegetable juices to be consumed in a particular order.
- The Master Cleanse: Also called the Lemonade Diet, this cleanse consists of eating only a mixture of lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup for 10 days.
- BeachBody Ultimate Reset: This is a 21-day diet focusing on eliminating dairy, meat, eggs, sugar, and processed foods. Nutritional supplements, probiotics, and herbal laxatives are included throughout the process.
- 10-Day Green Smoothie Cleanse: This cleanse replaces all meals with specific green smoothies that are made from various fruits and vegetables. You’re also allowed to eat unlimited amounts of non-starchy vegetables.
Do Cleanse Diets Work?
No scientific studies have been conducted on specific brands of weight loss cleanses. Thus, their effectiveness has yet to be established. Despite limited research on cleanses, they’re most comparable to short-term, very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs). Most research defines a VLCD as consisting of 450-800 calories per day. This number is comparable to that of some popular weight loss cleanses.
While research suggests that very-low-calorie diets (VLCDs) may be effective for rapid weight loss, many weight loss cleanses exclude vital nutrients. For long-term weight maintenance, a balanced and healthy eating style is critical.
Potential Benefits of Cleanse Diets
Feeling good after a cleanse is common, and you may even lose weight. That response makes sense because you’ve eaten limited calories and avoided processed foods, alcohol and unhealthy chemicals while on the cleanse. Many of those immediate effects may decrease or disappear once you resume your usual diet. But there are positive effects that can come out of a cleanse, including:
- Adding vitamins and minerals to your diet: If the cleanse involves a lot of fruits and veggies - and you don’t typically eat much produce - you’ll benefit from the boost of vitamins and minerals.
- Breaking the habit of eating sugar and processed foods: Even a few days away from unhealthy food and sugar can help you instill better eating habits.
- Identifying food sensitivities: Eliminating certain foods from your diet can make you feel better if you have food sensitivities. After the cleanse, add foods back in one at a time to identify any possible sensitivities.
Risks and Side Effects
Commercial detox diets and cleanses are not FDA-approved and may contain harmful ingredients. There are reports of side effects and complications, as well as costs to consider. Product costs are not covered by most health insurance.
Weight loss cleanses are an extreme approach and come with potentially detrimental health effects. Because there are so many different kinds of cleanses, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly which risks are greatest for each type of cleanse. Rapid weight loss, such as that promoted by most weight loss cleanses, is associated with adverse health reactions, including dehydration and the development of gallstones. Due to the restrictive nature of many weight loss cleanses, they may have a negative psychosocial impact on people prone to eating disorders.
Read also: Healthier alternatives to juice cleanses
The Body's Natural Detoxification System
Experts agree that cleansing isn’t necessary because your body naturally removes toxins through:
- Bowel movements
- Liver function
- Sweat
- Urination
The liver and kidneys remove toxins and waste. Your body actually does a good job of cleansing itself. The digestive tract, liver, kidneys, and lungs work efficiently to keep out harmful toxins. Toxins are chemicals that don’t have a place in our diets. Your body usually gets rid of toxins itself.
Effective and Sustainable Alternatives
Instead of focusing on weight loss or what foods to avoid, we should be focusing on nourishing our bodies with whole, natural foods. Try to choose an eating pattern that you can maintain over time. Even if you lose a few pounds on a 3-day cleanse or fast, these types of diets aren’t sustainable over a long period. Our bodies need fuel, and we need a variety of different nutrients to provide that fuel. Most cleanses and detox diets restrict the consumption of certain nutrients.
Here are some better ways to boost your body’s natural detox power:
- Ditch the Juice: Many people who try juice-only cleanses say they feel better after doing it. But you don’t have to drink like a celebrity to get the same effect. Burke suggests eating a greater variety of whole plant foods like grains, legumes, vegetables (yes, even the starchy ones!), fruits, nuts, and seeds.
- Focus on Real Food: Swapping more "real food" into your diet can help you long-term, too. Fill at least two-thirds of your plate with vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and beans. Try to avoid ultra-processed foods that are high in calories and low in nutrients.
- Avoid Extremes: Avoiding a high-calorie diet is OK, and eating fewer fried foods and less sugar is all good. But you shouldn’t severely limit your protein or calorie intake for long periods of time.
- Limit Toxin Exposure: If you really want to fast, though, the most important toxins to avoid are drugs, cigarettes, and alcohol. Drinking is a major toxin for the liver.
- Reboot with Sleep and Exercise: Exercise and sleep can trump benefits offered by dietary supplements, especially when it comes to digestive health and greater energy levels. Exercise plays a key part in maintaining a healthy weight and reducing your cancer risk.
Consulting a Healthcare Professional
It’s important to make sure you get adequate nutrition if you’re undergoing cancer treatment, so that your body can sustain itself during treatment. Many cancer patients become immunocompromised during cancer treatment, so staying well-nourished supports your immune system. The guidelines for some cleanses and detoxes may require you to consume foods that could potentially interact with certain medicines and treatments.
Read also: Lemonade Diet Instructions
Consider connecting with a registered dietitian or healthcare professional to help achieve your health and weight-loss goals. Talk with your health care provider if you’re planning on starting a detox diet or cleanse to make sure it’s safe.