NOTE: As a Registered Dietitian, I work with individuals to find a healthy balance between food, exercise, emotions, and life. I do not condone "diets," but often get asked about them. This post is not intended to encourage a particular eating pattern, but simply to inform. Please share your thoughts/questions in the comments section.
Detoxification diets are
growing in popularity. The theory behind them is that the human body becomes
overloaded with “toxins” from the foods people eat, including additives,
preservatives, caffeine, and alcohol. Advocates argue that these toxins linger
and cause problems such as weight gain, belly bloat, cellulite, dull skin,
allergies, and fatigue. On the subject of detox,
Frances M. Berg, MS, of Quackwatch.com, comments, “It’s an irrational concept,
yet intriguing idea, that modern life so fills us with poisons from polluted
air and food additives that we need to be periodically ‘cleaned out’
(‘detoxified’).” Everydiet.org lists at
least 27 different detox weight-loss diets! Below I have described two of these diets, their pros/cons, and the bottom line.
21 Pounds in 21 Days:
The Martha’s Vineyard Detox Diet
This diet claims to
cleanse the digestive system, boost immunity, reduce cellulite, and enhance
mental clarity. It centers on consuming various “detox” liquids, such as fresh vegetable juices, berry
drinks, herbal teas, and puréed vegetable soups. In addition, it lists
vitamins, digestive enzymes, and aloe vera juice as required dietary
supplements. The plan provides a daily intake of approximately 1,000 kcal, which is far fewer than most of us need.
Colonics, coffee enemas, saunas, and lymphatic massage are recommended by this diet to help with eliminating toxins. Dieters are advised to walk 1 mile per day
in a quiet, relaxed setting or to bounce on a mini trampoline for 20 minutes to help stimulate the
lymphatic system. There is no research to back these recommendations.
After 21 days, dieters
are encouraged to ease off the detox diet by adding protein powder, soy milk,
yogurt, and salmon, followed by gradually adding other foods.
Pros: The diet may be beneficial
for people who are beginning a lifestyle change, as the dramatic alteration in
routine may help them break unhealthy habits and increase their awareness of
food quality. Rapid weight loss can also be a psychological incentive for many
dieters to continue with a weight-loss program. Also, the diet encourages high
fruit and vegetable intake, with an average of 22 servings daily.
Cons:
- this diet is low in total calories, protein, and essential fats;
- can lead to withdrawal
symptoms (headaches, fatigue) from sudden elimination of coffee, sugar, and alcohol; and
- requires followers to
purchase nutritional supplements and a juicer, making this an expensive program
compared with other diets.
The Master Cleanse Diet
This diet gained
popularity when actress and recording artist Beyoncé Knowles attributed
her nearly 20-lb weight loss for the purposes of a movie to this detox diet. The Master Cleanse is
also known as the Lemonade Cleanse or the Maple Syrup Diet.
First developed by
Stanley Burroughs and appearing in his book The Master Cleanser,
this diet has existed since the 1970s. Followers can make the
Master Cleanse tonic at home or purchase a kit. The drink contains four
ingredients: water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup. Master
Cleansers consume this concoction throughout the day, with no other food or
beverages permitted. They follow this restrictive fast for a minimum of 10 and
maximum of 45 days.
Themastercleanse.org
instructs followers to drink a minimum of six to 12 glasses throughout the day,
whenever they are hungry, and either to take a laxative twice per day or use a
“salt water flush.” One disturbing comment on the Web site reads: “Every day of The
Master Cleanse that you overcome the psychological need to eat, you feel a
growing sense of control that motivates you to complete the process.” The fact that this follower feels that the need to eat is "psychological" reveals to me that this diet had led to him/her to disordered eating thoughts/behaviors. The Master Cleanse Web
site lists side effects such as cravings, fatigue, irritability, hot bowel
movements, and headaches and identifies these as symptoms of the body’s
detoxification process.
Pros: None
Cons:
- this diet lacks scientific
evidence regarding safety and efficacy;
- is a short–term
solution to weight loss;
- may adversely affect
digestion and metabolism;
- has multiple potential
side effects;
- disallows food intake,
making it an extremely low-calorie diet; and
- may lead to mood
swings and fatigue during its detoxifying stage.
Bottom Line: Although dieters are
almost guaranteed to lose large amounts of weight on detox diet programs, they
will likely lose mostly muscle, not fat. In effect, this sets dieters up to
regain weight when they resume a normal diet. In addition, there is no need to
“detoxify” with food restriction, tonics, or supplementation—the liver is the
body’s own detoxifier. Instead, people should eat fiber-rich foods and drink
plenty of water to “cleanse” the body.
