Thanks to the likes of Kylie Jenner and other celebrities, detox teas ("teatoxes," if you will) are all the rage in the health-cleanse world.
The only thing is, they're not "cleansing" in the way you may think they are — nor are they all that healthy. But they will make you lose weight, and here's why: Many of them contain ingredients that are known for their laxative properties.
First off, "the idea of 'detoxifying' is a bit misleading," said Lara Felton, registered dietitian and head of nutrition for grocery-shopping app ShopWell.
"The body is amazing at keeping the nutrients it needs and getting rid of the junk. The liver naturally rids the body of toxins," so you really don't need a tea to do that for you.
So what's in a lot of these teas?
I looked up 17 different popular teatoxes, and found some ingredients that many of them had in common: Senna. Milk thistle. Aloe. Fennel. Burdock. Dandelion.
(Kylie Jenner is a FitTea advocate.)
"Some teas promote laxative or diuretic effects, which supposedly can help you shed pounds (likely just some water weight in reality, and less bloat)," said Felton. "The more common ingredients in these types of tea are milk thistle and senna leaf, although you may also find ingredients such as magnesium hydroxide, rhubarb, and cascara tucked in there."
Of the 17 teas I examined, nine had either milk thistle or senna leaf, or both.
Thirteen of the teas had some sort of laxative ingredient in general, and of the four remaining without the above-mentioned ingredients, three of those still had dandelion and/or burdock root, "both of which are thought to have a mild diuretic effect."
I.e., they'll make you pee. There goes more water weight.
(Screenshot of a user's question on Hint Wellness 14-day detox tea with the answer, "This contains senna, a stimulant laxative. You should not consume senna (or any laxative) daily or for a long period of time.")
Felton notes that some other ingredients, like milk thistle, are often advertised as "liver boosters."
"But your liver doesn’t really need boosting," she said. "There is some research that shows milk thistle may help protect the liver from certain harmful chemicals," like acetaminophen or other over-the-counter pain meds, but you still don't want to be ingesting it for an extended period of time.
"Plus, drinking a laxative tea for weight loss is not a healthy or sustainable way to achieve a desired weight," she warned. "In some cases, your body may become reliant on the laxative to function. Diuretics or products with a laxative effect can also cause your body to become dehydrated and lose electrolytes, which can lead to serious health issues over time."
Laxative abuse can also lead to colon damage or irritable bowel syndrome.
Teatoxes may seem like a magic aid to weight loss, but it's neither a sustainable one nor a permanent one, especially if you're not taking care of yourself (that is, eating healthy meals and getting a moderate amount of exercise).
"Tea can definitely be part of a healthy diet and lifestyle," Felton said, but it doesn't have to be a detox tea. "Sip some peppermint tea after a meal or change up your coffee habit and get a little caffeine jolt from green tea or black tea instead."
