No. There is no scientific proof to support the following health benefit claims of these diets:

• Elimination of harmful waste and toxins from the body.
• Removal of harmful waste and toxins from some organs (e.g., large intestine, liver, gall bladder).
• Deletion of poisonous blockages in the digestive tract, resulting in bett er nutrient absorption.
• Reduced cancer and cardiovascular disease risk.
• Weight loss.
• Allergy reduction.

Actually, these types of diets can be harmful. The possible negative health effects related to detox and cleansing diets include:

• Malnutrition.
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
• Anemia (a decreased ability of the red blood cells to carry oxygen).
• Low blood sugar.
• Diarrhea.
• Headaches.
• Dehydration.
• Electrolyte imbalance (compounds needed for muscle contraction and nerve impulses).
• Irregular heart beat.
• Large intestine perforation (rupture or hole in the large intestine).

These diets, and the herbal remedies needed for these diets, aren’t regulated in Canada. This means the dietary recommendations and nutritional supplements could be unsafe.

Fortunately, you don’t need to go on a special diet to rid the body of toxins. The human body does this naturally. Our bodies are designed to take in the nutrients we need from the foods we eat. Our bodies are also designed to remove the waste that our bodies don’t need. You don’t need to go on a special diet to rid the body of toxins.

Rather than following a special diet to help keep your body healthy, you should eat according to Canada’s Food Guide. It’s designed to help you:

• Meet your needs for vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.
• Reduce your risk of developing a chronic disease (e.g., obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain types of cancer).

There is no such thing as “inherently toxic” foods (e.g., meat, certain grains such as wheat, dairy, sugar, caffeine, alcohol). As you’ll see in Canada’s Food Guide (www.myfoodguide.ca), we should limit our intake of certain types of foods, such as those containing high sugar, high fat, and high sodium. We should also choose vegetables and fruit, whole grains, lean sources of protein, and unsaturated fats more often. Eating a well balanced diet is a great way to keep our bodies healthy.

REMEMBER: though detox and cleansing diets have big health claims,these are not proven. Furthermore, these diets can be dangerous and unsafe.

KEY REFERENCES:

Ayoob, K. T., Duyff, R., & Quagliani D. (2002). Position of the American Dietetic Association: Food and nutrition misinformation. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 102(2), 260-266.