Do Detox Diets Work? What To Do Instead
Don't Detox: What Your Body Actually Needs Instead
Every January – and increasingly after holidays, Christmas, weekends away or simply a few days of eating differently – the same messages appear.
Detox -> Cleanse -> Reset -> Get back on track.
Usually accompanied by a juice, supplement, tea or restrictive eating plan promising to "flush out toxins", cleanse your liver and make you feel healthier again. You might find yourself thinking "do detox diets work?" or whether it's a great way to give you a kick start - Let me tell you what I think...
I have never been a fan of detox diets.
And the more I understand about our relationship with food and the damage that restrictive food rules can cause, the more strongly I feel about them.
Because not only does your body already have a sophisticated detoxification system, but responding to a period of eating more by drastically eating less can reinforce exactly the kind of restrict-overeat-restrict cycle that makes eating well feel so difficult.
So let's make sense of what detoxification actually means – and what your body really needs from you.
Does Your Body Need A Detox?
The word "detox" does have a genuine medical meaning. Medical detoxification may be necessary in circumstances such as poisoning or drug and alcohol dependence.
That's very different from the commercial detoxes we see advertised online.
There's little convincing evidence that detox diets or cleanses remove unspecified "toxins" from otherwise healthy people. Your body is already dealing with potentially harmful substances all day, every day.
- Your liver transforms and processes substances so they can be safely used or eliminated.
- Your kidneys continuously filter your blood and remove waste products through urine.
- Your digestive system helps eliminate waste through your bowel.
- Your lungs and other tissues also play their part.
In other words, you don't need a three-day juice cleanse to switch these processes on.
They're already happening.
Your Liver Doesn't Need "Cleansing"
This is probably one of the detox claims that frustrates me most.
Your liver isn't a dirty filter that gradually fills with toxins and needs flushing out.
It's an incredibly complex organ involved in hundreds of processes, including metabolising nutrients and medicines, regulating blood glucose and cholesterol, processing alcohol and converting substances into forms the body can use or eliminate.
You absolutely can look after your liver.
But that's very different from cleansing it.
And ironically, some supplements and herbal products marketed as liver cleanses can themselves cause liver injury.
Why Juice Cleanses Aren't The Healthy Option They Look To Be
A bottle full of green vegetables and fruit can look incredibly healthy.
But living predominantly on juice for several days isn't the same as eating those foods.
Juicing generally removes much of the fibre contained in the whole fruit and vegetables. Fibre is important for digestive health, the gut microbiome, cholesterol and blood glucose regulation.
A juice-only diet may also provide inadequate protein, fat and overall energy.
And yes, your weight may fall.
But if you're consuming dramatically fewer calories and carbohydrates than usual, some of that initial change will be related to reduced food in the digestive system and changes in glycogen and associated water – not evidence that you've "released toxins".
The Part Of Detoxing That Bothers Me Most!
There's another problem that isn't discussed nearly enough.
The mentality behind it.
You've eaten more than usual......You feel guilty........So now you compensate.
You restrict food, skip meals, cut out carbohydrates or decide you're going to be "really good" for the next week.
That's NOT a particularly healthy relationship with food.
I'm not saying that everyone who does a detox has an eating disorder. They don't.
But detox culture can normalise behaviours and language that overlap with disordered eating: restriction, compensating for food you've eaten, rigid food rules and categorising yourself as "good" or "bad" according to what you've eaten.
And that's something I think we need to be much more careful about.
Eating more doesn't need to be followed by eating dramatically less
Can Nutrition Support Your Natural Detoxification Systems?
Yes – and this is where I think the conversation becomes much more useful.
Your liver and kidneys need nutrients and energy to carry out their normal functions.
Protein provides amino acids used in numerous liver processes. Vitamins and minerals are involved as cofactors in metabolic reactions. Fibre supports normal bowel function, while adequate fluid is important for normal kidney and digestive function.
So rather than asking:
"How can I detox my body?"
I'd much rather we asked:
"Am I giving my body what it needs to do its job properly?"
That's a very different approach to nutrition.
What To Do Instead Of A Detox
You don't need a special January diet or a five-day reset.
Come back to the foundations.
Eat regular, balanced meals rather than compensating by skipping them.
Include plenty of different vegetables and fruit, wholegrains, beans, pulses, nuts and seeds to provide fibre and a wide range of plant nutrients.
Include enough protein.
Drink enough fluid that you're generally well hydrated.
If you've been drinking more alcohol than usual, simply return to your normal intake or have some alcohol-free days. Your liver doesn't need a "detox tea" afterwards.
Move your body regularly and prioritise sleep and recovery.
And perhaps most importantly, don't turn a few days of eating differently into a reason to punish yourself with food.
Making Nutrition Make Sense
This is where I think detox culture gets nutrition completely backwards.
It tells us that after enjoying ourselves, we need to take things away.
Less food.
No carbohydrates.
No sugar.
No alcohol.
No "bad" foods.
But supporting our health is often much more about what we consistently put in.
Enough protein. Enough fibre. Plenty of plants. Healthy fats. Adequate energy. Water. Variety.
Your body is remarkably good at doing what it is designed to do.
You don't need to cleanse it. You need to nourish it.
And that's a much more useful place to start.
If nutrition has become a cycle of being "good", feeling you've messed up and then trying to compensate, you don't need another set of rules.
If you'd like to understand what your body needs and find a way of eating well that actually works in your real life, you're very welcome to book a free, no-obligation call.
We'll have a relaxed conversation about what's been going on, what you'd like to achieve and whether nutritional therapy could be an appropriate part of your support.
Janet x