Detoxifying your body seems to be all the rage recently, with tea as the most popular method. However, when you take a look at the actual facts—not the ones the plethora of tea companies are fabricating—you may be surprised. Honestly, you might be better off just doing the taco cleanse.
Here are 7 reasons why detox teas are ridiculous, unhealthy, and basically a scam.
1. Your body naturally detoxifies itself.
Photo by Caroline Grew
You don’t need a fancy tea, a waist trainer, or a juice cleanse—your body is naturally designed to get rid of toxins so you can survive, and your body will do so regardless of your health regime. If you want more specific info, this awesome article lays it out really nicely.
2. Many teas have laxatives in them.
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Want to know why you lost 5 pounds in a week? Your tea has a laxative in it. You literally pooped the weight off. Drink too much and you’ll be on the toilet all day (for the same reason as all those people who ate those sugar-free gummy bears).
3. People are paid to advertise them.
Photo courtesy of @teamiblends on instagram.com
All the celebrities, Instagram foodies, and YouTubers you see using these teas? I would bet serious money that they were either given them for free or paid to use them. I run my own popular Instagram account and have been contacted by several of these companies myself. Hint: if the post comes with a discount code, it’s 100% sponsored.
4. There is no scientific evidence that they work.
As this article hilariously puts it, “A search of the medical literature for clinical studies of detox kits provides the following result:”
Photo courtesy of sciencebasedmedicine.org
Researchers have way better things to do with their time than investigate these silly teas, and you should, too.
5. They’re overpriced.
Photo by Tiffany Zau
Sure, green and black teas are good for you and contain healthy antioxidants. But you can also get a box of 20 teabags at your grocery store for about $5, whereas most detox teas can range from $20-$40 for only 15 days worth of tea.
6. You can actually gain weight when using them.
Photo courtesy of empoweredteensandparents.com
Most detox regimens require severe caloric restriction, and while you may lose the weight initially, it’s mostly water weight—as soon as you start eating normally again, you’re going to gain it all back. An unsustainable diet is never a long-term solution.
7. A “detox” will not reverse unhealthy habits.
Photo by Christine Chang
Just like working out for a week will not give you a six pack, a six-day cleanse is not going to dramatically change your life. No one really wants to hear it, but there is no shortcut to feeling your best without treating your body well.
However, those late night drunchies aren’t going to kill you—just remember that balance is key.