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Detox Diet
By
Jimmy Sturo
The phrase “detox diets” specifically refers
to a class of diets that help in discharging
toxins accumulated in the body. One of the
major reasons for a detox diet is overeating
during special occasions.
The human body is exposed to
toxins of undefined nature either from the
food they eat, the environment, and its own
waste. As these toxins increase, the human
body is exposed to a number of illnesses
like weight gain, cellulite, headaches, dull
skin, fatigue, aches and pains, and a
lowered immunity.
Detox diets are said to be
very helpful in purging the toxins from the
body. In a detox diet, people consume only
fruits, vegetables and unprocessed natural
food. Fresh homemade vegetables are also
used along with a detox diet. Detox diets
are said to destroy the environmental toxins
contained in water, food, and the air that
are found in the human body.
The ingredients of almost all
detox diets can be described as liver tonics
(milk thistle, barberry, dandelion),
digestive aids (ginger, globe artichoke,
peppermint) and laxatives (fennel, Psyillum)
and diuretics (birch, dandelion). Some Detox
diets consist of lemon in warm water,
flaxseeds, and bentonite clay for breakfast.
Lunch consists of salads of tomato, lettuce,
cucumber, peppers, corn, kidney beans, low
fat cheese, and peas. For dinner, the detox
diet recommends apples, low fat free yogurt
and fruits like apple, oranges, nectarines,
and peaches.
A detox diet contains
approximately 600-750 Kcals per day. It
strictly forbids meat, fish, alcohol, and
stimulants like coffee. Detox diets are
known to make a person feel better, even
lighter, but there is little scientific
evidence of any good coming out of it.
The basic flaw with detox
diets is their concept that meat has a
higher level of toxins than fruits and
vegetables. In reality, some fruits like
cabbage and onions have high toxic levels,
while fish and meat have fewer toxins. The
liver can effectively break down and
eliminate toxins under a protein high diet.
A healthy daily diet contains
fruits, vegetables, and meat in equal
portions. It should contain meat, dairy
products, carbohydrates, and portions of
fruits and vegetables.
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