New Delhi: No matter how much we try to avoid toxins, they are omnipresent. From the junk food we eat to the air we breathe, the toxins have both short term and long term effect on our health. To eliminate the harmful effect of such impurities and to make the body function properly, many people opt for a detox diet. But is detox diet fruitful? Can an individual cleanse his/her body without a detox diet? Shradha Khanna, Head Nutritionist at The Food Analysts talks about detox diet and natural cleansing.
What is Detoxing?
Detox is a process of cleansing one’s body internally and in turn getting rid of all the impurities. It is a cleansing program where the person is supposed to avoid calories and processed food. An individual opting for a detox diet has to follow a strict diet plan which usually includes juicing on vegetables and fruit juices. Many a times, detoxification leads to weight loss as well.
Detox diets are not only devoid of calories, but also of nutrients unlike nutritionally balanced meals which makes an individual shed some kilos, says Ms Khanna.
Also Read: All You Need To Know About A Detox Diet
Why you should not opt for a detox diet?
Detox diet is devoid of calories and involves blending of vegetables and fruits to make some or the other type of juice. Fresh juices during detox are to be taken raw which means no sugar and salt.
Ever seen a dried peel of almond? Detox diets makes you look that! Cutting sugar and salt randomly can have side effects on the body, says Ms Khanna.
Calorie cut leads to sudden weight loss, but it happens only for few days. As soon as an individual gets back to the normal diet, weight comes back. The calorie cut also impacts an individual’s metabolism by slowing it down.
Large calorie cuts could put your body in survival mode by storing any source of energy as fat and dropping muscle mass- one that gives you those desired curves and cuts. This breaks rhythm of hormones making them work against your body, tells Ms Khanna.
Talking about the nutritional value of a detox diet, Ms Khanna says,
If I compare a detox diet to a regular diet in terms of nutrients, there is a vast difference. Instead of opting for a detox diet one should go for a nutritional diet.
If not a detox diet then what?
There are five food groups – cereals, pulses, vegetables, nuts, and milk products. While pulses are a good source of proteins, milk products are rich in calcium. Together all the five groups provide different nutrients and fibers to the body which are not only essential for a normal functioning of the body, but also help in detoxification process.
Fibers are required for detoxification, but juicing and blending breaks the fiber, says Ms Khanna.
In order to ensure proper functioning of liver, a natural detox machine, two things are imperative- water and balance of nutrients.
Drinking is the key essential for detox. Water helps in filtering out all the impurities from the body. If you don’t drink enough water, your kidneys won’t have enough fluid to function properly. Instead of flushing waste out of the body via bladder, your body holds on to toxins.
If you want your body system to work in your favour then water and nutrition has to go hand in hand. Eating right macro and micro nutrient balanced meals throughout the day ensures proper functioning of body’s natural detox machine – liver to filter out any impurities, suggests Ms Khanna.
In a bid to maintain a balance between all the nutrients, an individual should include food from all the five groups and spread it among different meals of the day.
Remember, cleansing the body is an ongoing process it cannot be accomplished with a seven day detox plan, signs off Ms Khanna.
About the expert:
Shradha Khanna, Head Nutritionist at The Food Analysts