Going on a detox can sometimes be the best thing for your body and mind. However, taking detoxes to the next level can be dangerous if you are not careful. While the primary goal of a detox is to eliminate harmful substances from your body, detox teas may actually be inviting them in. In celebrity diet news, celebrities like Khloe Kardashian and Cardi B have endorsed detox teas on their Instagrams, while other celebrities like Jameela Jamil and U.S. Paralympic gold medallist Brenna Huckaby`have spoken out against them calling them ‘toxic’. Before you take the detox tea diet to extremes in true celebrity fashion, Cupid has some fitness and food advice on what you should consider.
Here’s some fitness advice on what to keep in mind before trying out the detox tea craze:
Teas are typically one of the healthiest drinks you can consume. They have been known to boost your immune system and protect your bones with the power of its antioxidants. However, detox teas are not always healthy and can sometimes contain a lot more than tea leaves. While some detox teas contain normal tea ingredients, others may contain toxins, drugs or medication. Contrary to drinking normal tea, here are some things you may want to watch out for when drinking detox tea:
1. Water weight loss: Detox teas don’t actually make you lose body fat, but can help you lose water weight. Water weight is all the extra water that your body retains, and losing that water weight can certainly make you feel lighter. Even if you are not necessarily losing actual body fat, you can be tricked into believing you have, as two cups of water weighs approximately one pound.
2. Electrolyte imbalance: Consuming too much detox tea and having to frequently use the bathroom can lead to dehydration and ultimately electrolyte abnormalities. An electrolyte imbalance in your body means you are at risk for muscle spasms and an abnormal heart rhythm.
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3. Unwanted side effects: Detox teas are primarily made up of the senna plant and caffeine, and these two ingredients together very much act as laxatives. This means the tea can be accompanied by diarrhea, abdominal pain, gas, nausea, and much more. The list of side effects for detox teas is rather long and also includes heart attacks, seizures and even death.
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4. Caffeine: While the average tea contains less caffeine than a normal cup of coffee, detox tea may actually contain the highest amounts of caffeine when comparing the two. Of course this means the detoxifier also comes with some of caffeine’s most unpleasant, yet common side effects. Side effects may include restlessness, nervousness, headache and fast heart rate.
5. Sleep problems: With detox teas having such high amounts of caffeine, having sleep problems should come as no surprise on this list of things to consider. You may not only experience problems falling asleep, but may also find yourself having trouble staying asleep. Furthermore, not getting enough sleep has also been studied to be linked to weight gain, which is probably the exact opposite of what individuals aim for when starting the detox tea diet.
Have you ever tried a popular diet? Did it work well for you? Share your comments below!
