Is Limitation The Answer? Everything You Need To Know About Fruit Detoxes 

If you’re thinking about detoxing to lose weight, increase your energy, or reduce mental fatigue, you’re not alone. Many turn to their diets to improve their quality of life. But do fruit detoxes give you the results you’re looking for? Here’s everything you need to know about fruit detoxes. 

As people search for ways to improve their health, the topic of detoxes and fruit detoxes can come up. Rachael Hartley, a dietitian and nutrition therapist, shared with theWashington Post, “Detoxes appeal to our natural desire for a fresh, clean start, and the desire to ‘undo’ perceived transgressions. Normal eating means sometimes eating in a less-than-balanced way, and there’s nothing you need to do to ‘undo’ that.”

So if we don’t have to try to correct our “less-than-balanced” eating, then what about the concept of detoxifying our body from harmful toxins? Melissa Majumdar, a Georgia-based dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, told the Post, “Luckily, we don’t need to choose supplements or do anything drastic to remove toxins, and instead can rely on organs like the liver and kidneys.”

The National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health (NCCHI) reaffirms this by indicating that a 2015 review “concluded that there was no compelling research to support the use of ‘detox’ diets for weight management or eliminating toxins from the body.”

The NCCHI also notes several safety concerns, including various side effects, electrolyte imbalances, kidney problems, and the introduction of harmful bacteria. It also indicates that some companies don’t have backing from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) when selling detox or cleaning products “because they contained illegal, potentially harmful ingredients,” market using “false claims that they could treat serious diseases,” or “in the case of medical devices used for colon cleansing, were marketed for unapproved uses.”

“I tell my students that a true detox comes with learning to cook a diet that’s rich in whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and lentils, seafood and oils, accompanied by daily exercise and a good night’s sleep,” Thomas Sherman, a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Physiology at Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, told the Post.

Given that this is everything you need to know about fruit detoxes, perhaps what’s needed is to rethink how we approach food. Instead of believing that restriction will create the changes we’re looking for, alternatively providing ourselves with a range of healthy options can bring about long-lasting, desired change.

The author’s content and opinions have not been pre-reviewed, approved or endorsed by Discover.