The Truth About Detox Teas

These days, you can’t scroll through your Instagram feed without seeing a plethora of celebrities posing for a photo with a box of detoxifying tea bags – BooTea, Skinny Tea, Lyfe Tea and Kardashian favourite – Fit Tea. "Teatox” products are becoming big business, and with celebrity endorsement as one of the biggest promotional tactics being used, do these celebrities really use cleansing teas? Probably not. But do detox teas really work and are they worth the heavy price tag? So, before you start sipping on jasmine and honey tea in the hopes of a skinnier self, here’s a few things you should know.

 

Clean eating and exercise is a must if you want to see the benefits promised by teatox brands. Many of these companies strongly recommend you stick to a balanced diet, with plenty of water and work out between three and five times per week, with some sites even recommending a meal plan. We all know that eating healthier, exercising multiple times a week and consuming more water can lead to weight-loss, so sitting on the couch eating Chinese and having a daily "tummy tea” isn’t going to help shed any pounds or flatten our stomachs after all, as much as we would all like that to be the case. 

So, how does teatoxing help with weight loss? When we think of weight loss, we automatically think fat-loss, but while on a tea detox you’re more likely to be losing water weight and digestive waste than real fat. Why? Because all detox teas contain substantial quantities of caffeine and Senna leaf which can have a laxative effect on the body as well as a diuretic effect, resulting in loss of water and waste from the body, making you feel less heavy even if no fat has been lost. Although some brands have stopped using Senna due to the laxative properties of the plant, excess caffeine still has a similar effect.

Despite some detox tea packages lasting for 24 days, it is not recommended you prolong your intake of the teas, due to the side effects they can have. The high levels of caffeine and another ingredient called guarana- which is often used in energy drinks, these components can lead to irregular heartbeat, anxiety, jitteriness, agitation and nausea. Before you embark on your teatox journey, it’s worth comparing various brands and their ingredients, because even natural ingredients when combined, can still have negative side effects.

 

One of the real benefits from these types of tea is that they are high in EGCG – Gamma-Aminoburic Acid, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Antioxidants and Polyphenols. So, what does that even mean?! Well, EGCG is a potent antioxidant and can help to increase metabolic rate and suppress appetite. Research has shown that ECGC can reduce cholesterol, diabetes and improve your skin and teeth. But, ECGC is very prominent in green and other herbal teas, not just detox/slim tea. So, before you spend £139.95 on a 12-week Skinny Tea detox, have a look at some ordinary herbal teas. But if you want a bit of a digestive reset, there are plenty of safe and trusted herbal teas that have the same benefits, but won’t empty your purse. ThinkTwinning’s for your tummy.