Mythbuster: Do Juices Help Me “Detox?”
Mythbuster: Do Juices Help Me “Detox?”
When the New Year hits, our news and social media feeds are bombarded by the latest diets, cleanses and programs, all claiming to help us achieve our health goals. Juice cleanses and fasts are promoted as a way to detox, improving overall health by removing toxins from the body. But do they work?
As part of daily life, we are exposed to a variety of toxins. Environmental toxins include pollution, smoke, pesticides and more. Toxins are also found throughout our home environment in personal care and cleaning products.
Detoxification through a juice cleanse sounds intuitive; to rid the body of toxins, consume vitamins and minerals in the form of concentrated fruit and/or vegetables. However, we do not need to drink juices to detoxify. Our kidneys, in addition to other organs, filter toxins, waste and excess fluid, effectively performing detoxification without us even knowing it. Also, we do not need to drink juices to get the health benefits of fruit and vegetables. In fact, consuming the whole fruit or vegetable provides more nutrients due to its fiber content.
Juices can be part of a healthy eating pattern, but they shouldn’t be relied on to detox. To support overall health, choose whole foods (mostly plants) and practice other healthy lifestyle behaviors. If you are looking for an alternative approach to a diet or cleanse, check out 5 Steps to Writing a Health Goal and 5 Steps for Setting a New Year’s Resolution.
