From vegetable juices to saunas to special herbal teas, tips and tricks for detoxification are seemingly endless, but it remains unclear whether these methods are effective.

‘Detox teas’ are popular tiktokOne of the videos that did well with approximately 250 thousand likes is Ani B’s Glowy Girl Tea recipe on @anibaaby channel.

“As a girl with hormonal imbalance, specifically PCOS, I have to focus on detoxing my hormones every day or else I get crazy hormonal breakouts, extreme bloating, and bloating,” Ani says in the video.

Her brew included organic peppermint tea leaves, dandelion, and soursop leaves to help “get all those toxins out of your body.”

Another example (a video by @tiffanyroseknows dated October 14 with 4 million views) claims that green tea with lemon and natural honey will help “reduce inflammation and bloating in your body and lose 10 pounds.”

And with 664 thousand views, dandelion tea from @purelyayurveda is recommended “to detoxify your liver” and helps women during perimenopause and menopause.

news week I spoke to a nutritionist and an herbalist to find out if detox teas are effective.

Layla Gordon of Layla Gordon Nutrition said: news week: “Detox teas are often marketed as natural remedies for weight loss, improved digestion, and overall health. However, their effectiveness in achieving these goals may be minimal.”

He explained that detoxification is the body’s natural process of eliminating toxins and waste products.

“The liver and kidneys are the primary organs involved in detoxification; for example, the liver filters blood, breaking down harmful substances into less toxic compounds that can be excreted through the kidneys or intestines,” he said. “Skin is also an important source of absorption and detoxification.”

Stating that it is important to support these processes with diet and lifestyle as much as possible, Gordon recommended staying hydrated and consuming healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables. exercising regularlygetting enough sleep and limiting our exposure to harmful toxins.

And he said: Foods and supplements that support the liver It may be helpful to give leafy greens, beets, and thistles as examples.

He said some teas may contain ingredients with potential health benefits, such as green tea, which is known to contain antioxidants, or peppermint tea, which is known to support digestion.

Gordon added: “When we drink herbal teas, we are better hydrated and consume other healthy ingredients such as ginger, nettle and chamomile, which are more beneficial than other beverage options such as fruit juice and soft drinks.”

So while Gordon doesn’t recommend detox teas as “an essential component of my health protocols,” she said they can be used “as part of an overall strategy for better health.”

Hannah Charman, medicinal herbalist at Physic Health, said: news week: “In addition to the toxins we create during our own metabolic processes, we are also exposed to thousands of environmental toxins today that our bodies are never designed to handle.

“Over time, this can affect our body’s ability to function optimally and increase our risk of chronic disease.”

Drinking detox teas regularly, as well as trying to limit exposure to sources of toxins (for example, by eating organic foods or using natural beauty products), can have a detoxifying effect, Charman said. helps support our body’s detoxification processes.

“The prime example of a plant is milk thistle, which contains silymarin and silybin,” Charman said. “Both have been shown to increase glutathione in liver cells, which helps protect them from free radical damage during detoxification.”

Charman said detox teas are “safe and beneficial” for most people, but she recommends not taking them while pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive a baby.

She added that if she’s feeling unwell, tired or undergoing cancer treatment, it would be best to seek advice from a medical herbalist “before starting any detox regimen.”

Do you have a tip for a food story? news week Should it be covered? Is there a nutritional issue that worries you? Let us know via [email protected]. We may ask for expert advice and your story may be featured on: news week.