Do Juice Cleanses Work? The Truth About the “Detox” Cleanse
Juice cleanses aren’t the best strategy for whole-body detox.
Juice cleanses are all the rage, with people following them to either lose weight fast or detoxify. And while they’re undoubtedly effective at quickly (although not permanently) shedding the pounds, the ability of a juice cleanse for detox is another story. Read on to find out more about the myth of a juice cleanse detox.
What Is a Juice Cleanse?
During a juice cleanse, you cut out all food and drink except for water and juices. While you can do your own juice cleanse by juicing fruits and vegetables at home, most people opt for a 3-day or 7-day cleanse from a local juice place.
Can a Juice Clean Detox Detoxify My Body?
Lots of popular juice cleanse brands use the word “detox” everywhere in advertising—begging the question, can drinking juice rid your body of toxins and mitigate damage?
Understanding What Detox Means
Let’s start by exploring what detoxification is and how it works. Every day you’re exposed to harmful chemicals, including indoor and outdoor air pollution, processed foods, synthetic fragrances, and more. These toxic compounds harm our cells via a process known as oxidative damage, leading to health concerns like memory problems, autoimmune conditions, and cancer. (1)
Not sure if you have memory problems? Take our Memory and Cognitive Function Test to find out.
Our bodies naturally mitigate toxin-induced damage. Our livers and kidneys filter out toxins, while healthy compounds called antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, and other whole foods directly destroy them. (2) The trouble is, we’re exposed to higher levels of toxins than our ancestors were, all while typically living longer. And our lack of a healthy diet doesn’t help. The result is that our cells become damaged faster than we can repair them.
Juice Cleanses and Detoxification
When you follow a juice cleanse, you consume a breadth of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that can combat toxin-induced damage. The trouble is that there’s a lot of sugar in juice and very little fiber. The resulting high blood sugar can cause damage of its own, making a juice cleanse a mediocre detox solution.
How to Support Your Body’s Natural Detoxification Systems
If you want to protect your body from dangerous compounds, there are a few things you should do—each of which is a better long-term solution to toxins than a juice cleanse.
1. Avoid Exposure
Most things that are bad for you—like car exhaust, fast food, alcohol, and cigarettes—are dangerous because they’re full of toxic chemicals. The best bet to protect yourself is to reduce your exposure. You can do this by eating fewer unhealthy foods, using an indoor air filter, and avoiding the outdoors on days with ozone warnings. You may also choose to filter your water as tap water can contain more toxins than you might expect. (3)
2. Eat Whole Foods
The foods that come directly from nature work seamlessly in our bodies to keep them safe from toxic compounds. Eat more whole foods—particularly plant-based foods like fruits and veggies—and fewer processed foods. Prepackaged foods and fast foods contain synthetic compounds and added sugars, two common toxins.
3. Use Detoxifying Supplements
There are countless all-natural herbal supplements that help with our body’s natural detoxification abilities. They do so by supporting liver or kidney health or directly supplying the body with nutrients that minimize damage by protecting our cells.
One of our favorites is curcumin, the active compound that gives turmeric its impressive array of health benefits. Studies show that curcumin supports liver health while actively reducing toxin-induced inflammation and oxidative damage. (4,5)
When shopping for a curcumin supplement, be sure to consider its bioavailability. Our bodies cannot absorb curcumin well in its natural form, which is why supplements like Interceutical’s Better Curcumin contain TheracurminⓇ Curcumin—a formulation that our bodies can absorb and use.* (6)
To learn more about Theracurmin, read What Makes Theracurmin Curcumin Different Than Other Curcumin?
Read Related Articles: Curcumin, Turmeric, Healthy Aging