With a thriving industry dependent on these detoxifying products, this truly is the million dollar question of the moment. The good news is that, yes, some of the most recommended brands are actually effective, given the diuretic, diarrhoeal and other weight loss effects of their ingredients. However, it has also been claimed again and again that detox juices are also good for one's health - according to our research, that's another story.
We’ve tried the detox juices of some of the biggest brands and, considering that the product instructions indicate that they should be meal substitutes, we can already say they’re up to no good. It’s one thing to integrate them into our diet, but it’s another to replace our lunch and dinner with liquid. And we didn’t stop there. We subjected the ingredients to microbiological testing to see whether they met the parameters of hygiene required of fresh products. The results showed a high presence bacteria consistent with badly washed vegetables and fruits, and a high presence of mould consistent with the improper preservation of food. Considering that many people look to these brands for health tips and advice, it is slightly worrying that these companies don’t undergo simple scientific testing before distributing their product.
A squadron of British doctors have dedicated themselves to de-mystifying this detox fad. Their study, published in the British Medical Journal Case Reports, highlights the risks associated with such a diet. As nutrition researcher Andrea Ghiselli explained to the Italian government, “the words ‘toxic’ and, consequently, ‘detox’ live in the collective imagination. We are not ‘toxic’ after eating too much at Christmas nor are we ‘toxic’ if we don’t have what we consider to be the ideal bikini body – that is, unless we specifically define calories and excess sugars or salts as ‘toxic.’ If you really want to do some ‘detoxifying,’ the best thing to do is slip on some sneakers and run, dance, jump and move!”
