Detox diets generally involve restricting oneself from consuming foods that are believed to contain toxins such as sugar, meats, dairy products, caffeine, alcohol and some types of grains. There are many types of detox diets circulating the world as of the moment. These diets vary depending on the foods and drinks that are included in or excluded from the diet. Some even require the consumption of cleansing mixtures such as lemon juice and ginger teas.
Types of Detox Diets
- The Raw Food Diet. In this diet 75% of the food you eat should be plant-based and raw. The practitioners of this diet believe that the enzymes contained in raw food can be destroyed or removed when it is cooked. The diet generally consists of fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds.
- The Diuretic Diet. This is done in order to release body fluid and is recommended for people with heart disease and kidney or liver disorders. Asparagus, parsley, artichoke, melon and other foods that are known to stimulate the release of fluids are part of this diet. Some even include coffee, tea and coke in the diet.
- Liquid Diet and Juice Fasting. In this diet, fruit and vegetable juices replace each meal. Practitioners believe that this type of diet can result in fast weight loss. Others, however, debunk this by saying that the shed pounds are due to the fluids released by the body.
The Cons of Detox Diets
Doctors believe that the detox diet is not as healthy as it sounds because it can lead to health problems that result from nutrition deficiencies. The liquid diet, for example, can cause the loss of muscle mass since the body is forced to take its source of energy from the fats and proteins in the body. Worse, since the majority of the protein sources are restricted from this diet, the lack of amino acids can inhibit the repair and build up of muscle tissues. At the same time, one should consider that starving oneself can lead to a decline in metabolism as the body would want to conserve its energy. You can compare this to your phone's Power Save Mode or Energy Saving Mode. When this happens, the tendency of the body to store fat is higher. Another consideration is that depriving oneself for a period of time can cause an individual to eat more than he should afterward.
The Pros of Detox Diets
Since the detox diet encourages the consumption of raw foods, you would be able to skip the simple sugars and harmful fats that are combined with the food when it is processed. At the same time, you get to take in the anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals needed by your body. Of course, the advantages of the detox diet may vary depending on which type of diet you would choose to follow.
Whatever diet plan you follow, always make sure that the pros weigh more than the cons. It's better to lose weight slowly than to lose it drastically and incur negative side effects. Since the detox diet can be quite a drastic measure, you should consult your doctor before following it.
Maryrose Roque - Maryrose Roque, a budding writer in the Health and Wellness section, joined Suite101 on April 23, 2009. Being a TESOL-certified English ...
