Detox diet: A myth

Going overboard by following fad diets like detox can only do you harm. Usha S explains why your body needs those fats and carbohydrates, contrary to what the popular diets may claim.

Blame it on the advent of malls, food courts and fast food joints. They offer instant delicacies to satisfy our appetite - deep fried treats, spicy syrups, sweet sodas, you name it!

As we gobble down all this junk, we are told that to undo the harm done, we need to go in for a detox diet. Something that’ll get rid of the unwanted ‘toxins’ that have entered our body through this junk food.

Detoxification is an alternative medical approach, that includes one or more dietary methods like fasting, consuming exclusive foods or avoiding specific foods. According to which, the list of negative items are foods that are rich in carbohydrates and fat; the need of the day is fruits, vegetables, juices, herbs and water.

These ‘cathartic activities’ promise us light bodies, that are fat-free and cellulite-free. These diets claim to broom out all the unwanted materials from our body and make it a fresh clean bowl with great metabolism and good immunity from diseases.

Popular choices

There are various ways of body cleaning that are in vogue. Some involve the use of herbs and supplements that specifically speed up the efficacy of the process of body cleaning. Several natural remedies are also employed. Colon cleansing is another process, which has been in existence since many centuries.

When it comes to detox diets, it is generally assumed that most of the foods we consume are contaminated with many additives like food colour, preservatives, flavouring essence and fatty oils. The Master Cleanser or lemonade diet is one detox diet, which is very popular, based on the maple syrup/lemon syrup.

Another popular one is maintaining a specific diet for a specific period, which is based on vegan food habits combined with a variety of whole food and nutritional supplements. Raw food diet is a generic diet, which advocates consumption of raw, uncooked food. Detox diet also includes drinking of almond milk, aloe vera water, varieties of juices extracted from different types of grass and concentrated chlorophyll shots.

Not nature’s way

However, medical experts and researchers do not hold the same view. They feel the ‘toxins’ in question do not even exist. Our body system has the natural ability of maintaining itself with several organs dedicated to cleanse the blood and gut. Research shows that the body’s own detoxification system is very sophisticated and versatile. They are developed in such a way as the natural environment that we evolved in is
hostile.

The human body’s sophisticated mechanism deals well with toxic wastes. Most external chemicals - like antibiotics or chemical pollutants that are not produced in human body - are called ‘xenobiotics’ and they are broken down by the liver and kidneys and are eliminated naturally through bile and urine.

This is more commonly known as ‘metabolism’. With such an efficient system already in place, detox diets are only effective to promote a false sense of wellbeing rather than facilitating any real change.

However, many people are prepared to take unnecessary risks, going in for unproven detox diets to get rid of toxins. Many a times such attempts may seriously disrupt our fine body system. Detoxification is an artificial attempt to eliminate the accumulated waste through dietary regimen.

The philosophy is based on unlikely pressures that accumulated toxins cause - like sluggish metabolism or undue weight gain. Some toxins do accumulate in our body. Some are carcinogenic and their removal is unlikely by cosmetic treatments and other dietary processes.

Simple strategy

The best way to keep our metabolism in place is a simple process. A balanced diet that involves consuming nutrients like carbohydrates, fats and proteins in the right proportions. And regular physical exercise for about 40 to 45 minutes a day is a healthy regimen.

Nutrition experts feel that the intake of carbohydrates by our body should never be compromised. It is a necessity to perform basic metabolic functions and the shortage of the same in the long run makes us starve for the required energy.

Free radicals or chemically-reactive molecules contain oxygen and are naturally generated as a by-product of the metabolic process. These molecules can potentially damage healthy cells and tissues. This is considered as one of the causes of cancer or inflammatory diseases. The best way of boosting the body’s defence system against free radicals is by eating about 400 grams of fruits and vegetables everyday.

So, have a healthy, balanced diet and go in for simple physical exercises. This is the only way to maintain the balance between one’s energy intake and expenditure. This is also a foolproof way to ensure that our body is functioning at its best.