Can teatox diets actually help you lose weight?
(Instagram/fittea)
Wouldn’t it be great if we could all lose a few pounds by simply drinking tea?
If you’re skeptical, you only need to look to Instagram to see how popular trend has become.
Kylie Jenner, Hilary Duff and Vanessa Hudgens are just a few celebrities who have posted pictures with various brands of detox tea. All three are well-known, extremely fit and have millions of followers – making them the perfect marketing tool.
(Instagram/lyfe_tea)
The tea company websites are also quite convincing. Fit Tea claims their products are the best for fat loss. Flat Tummy Tea says their blends will cleanse your system by removing toxin build-up.
What these companies refuse to admit is that our don’t actually need any outside help. Andrea Hardy, registered dietitian of www.ignitenutrition.ca, says our bodies are “well-tuned machines” that remove toxins each and every day.
“The words ‘detox,’ ‘purify’ and ‘cleanse’ don’t technically mean anything – it’s just our perception of them as being something good for the body, as promoted so frequently by media.”
ALSO SEE: Could your tea cleanse cause an accidental pregnancy?
While we all wish it to be true, Hardy says tea can’t help us lose weight.
“Tea alone has no impact on weight loss. You may experience a temporary decrease in weight from losing water through the stool – but this is not technically weight loss, it’s fluid loss - and will be quickly regained.”
(Instagram/booteauk)
With these teatox cleanses, you drink a tea blend in the morning and a different one at night. The morning mix contains caffeine, but it’s the evening one that does all the work. The majority of the night blends contain senna leaves which is a plant that is often used as a laxative to help with constipation.
But the problem, Hardy says, is that natural health products are poorly regulated making it difficult to determine how much of the ingredient you’re actually consuming.
“Given that a lot of these herbs and ingredients are known laxatives, they would likely increase the number of bowel movements you had in a day. Depending on your tolerance, it may cause cramping, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort.”
(Instagram/lyfe_tea)
While the teas may make you go to the bathroom more, there are other potentially serious health risks involved with drinking them as well.
“I’ve seen some teatox sites that list the warning about birth control interactions but have failed to mention interactions with other medications, like blood thinners, psychiatric medication, and medications for diabetes. “
Even though they don’t actually do much, it’s not surprising tea detoxes have become so popular. Clever marketing is the key to their success.
“Social media has really sensationalized the results of ‘teatoxes’ online and it has all the making of a popular fad diet: big results, lots of catchy weight-loss words that lack real meaning and making weight loss seem effortless.”
When it comes to losing weight, Hardy recommends re-assessing your true intentions, as there’s no quick fix to losing weight and keeping it off. She rarely advises weight loss as a primary goal in any nutrition intervention.
“Lifestyle change is what is going to lead to long-term changes in weight and body composition. I get my clients to focus on small, practical changes that are sustainable, and ditch dieting entirely.”
Have you ever tried a Teatox? Let us know by tweeting @YahooStyleCA.
