Do Cleansing and Detox Diets Work for Weight Loss?
There is no scientific evidence that "detox" (short for detoxification) or "cleanse" diets result in rapid weight loss or have any health benefits, says Heather Mangieri, RDN, LDN, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and founder of Nutrition CheckUp in Pittsburgh.
If you're considering a cleanse diet as a way to lose weight, you could be outsmarting yourself. "Cleanse diets can set you up for failure by slowing your metabolism and making you crave everything you just gave up," says Keri Glassman, RD, CDN, founder and president of A Nutritious Life, a nutrition practice based in New York City. Moreover, cleanse diets don't help you or your body develop healthy eating habits. And what's worse, they could deprive your body of essential nutrients.