A glass of juice to lose weight. Is the Dietkus diet a lie?

Farida Ahmed

Detox diet is a nutritional fashion that has spread rapidly around the world, driven by the reputation that it is a magic diet that relies only on drinks, and enables you to lose weight, renew skin, feel light and cleanse the body, but scientists have found another side of these drinks.

What does Detox mean?
Detox means a diet to remove toxins from the body by removing impurities from the blood in the liver, and removing toxins in the kidneys, intestines, lungs, lymphatic system and skin, and this system relies on resting the organs through fasting from eating, stimulating the liver to flush out toxins from the body, as well as stimulating the intestine, kidneys and skin To get rid of toxins, according to Innerspringwellness.

This diet has gained its reputation as a natural disinfectant for the human body from toxins and accumulated waste inside, but these allegations find it inaccurate, because the human body may contain unhealthy chemicals and substances arising from the metabolism process, but the body is expert in getting rid of toxins regardless of what it eats the person.

And toxins do not accumulate in the liver, kidneys or any other part of the body, according to nutrition expert for the specialized journal WebMed Kathleen Zalman.

Is detox harmful?
Many people around the world follow the Detox diet, which has proven effective in losing weight very quickly, but a study in the "Current Gastroenterology Reports" specialized in diseases of the digestive system, found that following the diet "Detox" to get rid of toxins may help a person lose weight quickly, But only because the diet is low in calories, and when a person returns to eating normal food weight returns.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health in the United States warned that following a detox diet may lead to many problems in the body, because it causes problems in body weight and negatively affects metabolism because of its exclusion of protein and fats from meals.

Detox may also lead to feelings of weakness, headache and fainting, and may cause kidney problems as a result of excessive use of vegetable juices, which contain a high percentage of oxalate found in spinach and beets (beetroot).

Complete or juicy .. Which was useful?
There are two main types of detox drinks, the first is based on fruit or vegetable juice, and the second is the water detox which contains pieces of vegetables and fruits that are allowed to drink without eating the pieces.

Despite the importance of fruits and their benefits to the human body, the consumption of large quantities of squeezed or mixed fruits may cause harm compared to eating them in their original form, as fruit juices contain a high percentage of sugar that leads to diabetes while increasing their intake.

A Harvard School of Public Health study indicates that people who eat fruit grains are less likely to develop type 2 diabetes, while only those who drink juice are more likely to develop the disease.

Drinking juices also depends on more consumption of fruits, that is, consuming more calories compared to eating them, in addition to not feeling full. According to the US Department of Agriculture, fruit contains more fiber than fruit juice, and fiber is an important and beneficial food for digestion, as it contributes to feeling full, reduces the risk of heart disease and lowers cholesterol in the blood.

US Department of State data indicates that it is possible to drink fruit juice in moderation while maintaining low sugar levels, and protein can be included in fruit juice by adding milk.

Oxidation balance
Another harm that detox diet can cause is to disrupt the oxidation balance in the body.

It is true that vegetables and fruits are beneficial and contain important nutrients for the body, including antioxidants, but excessive eating of fruits and vegetables only for days without a balanced, healthy meal containing proteins, for example, may lead to disruption of the oxidation balance in the body, which leads to health problems, Especially since the balance between oxidation and antioxidants is crucial to maintaining a healthy biological system, while exaggeration converts it into molecules that destroy cells in the body, according to a study published in the United States National Library of Medicine.

Despite the harm to that diet, detox may be a healthy drink if it contains fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. The balance when following a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins, fats and fibrous carbohydrates enhances the natural detoxification system in the body and creates a balance in general.

"Drinks" can be beneficial for people who consume few vegetables and fruits, provided they balance and follow an integrated healthy diet, without exaggeration and without scarcity.