Detoxing or Losing Weight with a Juice Cleanse Doesn’t Work

Myth: Detoxing is Great for Your Health and Promotes Weight Loss

Detoxing for Weight Loss or Health?

Let’s give our body a nice cleanse from all those “stored toxins,” shall we? Time for a detox cleanse! For a while, this was one of the biggest trends in the world of weight loss and health. And to be fair—because we all make mistakes—about ten years ago, I, too, was a big fan of vegetable juices (no commissions involved!). Back then, I thought it was a great way to boost health, though not for “detoxing,” because I’ve always considered that pure fiction. The idea was simply to get more veggies and fewer “bad” foods into the body for a few weeks.

But oh, how I wish I knew then what I know now. A detox based on water, veggie juices, or magic herb drinks doesn’t remove toxins from your body. In fact, it doesn’t do much good for your health either. Worse still, in the United States, several manufacturers have faced legal consequences for making false claims about their detox products or programs.

What Is Detoxing and How Does It Work?

Your body comes with its own built-in detox dream team: your liver and two kidneys. These superstars filter your blood and get rid of anything that doesn’t belong there. If they stop working properly, you’ll get seriously ill very quickly. So, take a moment to thank these hardworking organs—they’re the real heroes.

Now, think about this: how exactly does water, which you already drink daily, or a veggie juice, magically seek out and eliminate toxins in your body? Why wouldn’t they work the same way when you’re just eating your regular meals? The claims behind these detox products and cleanses are often based on small-scale animal studies. There’s no solid scientific evidence in humans to prove that a detox cleanse can purify your body or deliver on the other promises these products make.

Do Detoxes Do Absolutely Nothing?

Do detoxes really do nothing? Well, not quite. If you go several days consuming almost no calories, you’re bound to lose some weight. But as you’ve probably guessed, most of that is just water weight.

For your health, though, there are much smarter and safer choices you can make. If possible, aim to eat at least 30 different types of plant-based foods every week—everything from nuts to lettuce, bread to broccoli. These fibers (which you’ll hardly find in veggie juices) and other nutrients are an absolute blessing for your gut health and overall well-being.

Enjoy a real boost to your health with nourishing, sustainable habits instead of chasing detox myths!