The Bremen Consumer Center explains why this is not always safe and what is more suitable. Purify, dehydrate or lose weight – tea packaging advertises a variety of promises.
"Advertising with the term 'Detox' is not permitted, but manufacturers use similar terms such as 'd-tox' or 'freetox', which can raise the same expectations among consumers," says Annabel Dierks, nutrition expert at the Bremen Consumer Center.
Healing clay or herbs such as nettle and mint are intended to keep these promises. And superfoods like goji berries or acai berries and fruit and vegetable extracts also supposedly work wonders.
“However, the statements about detoxification are not scientifically tenable. An accumulation of toxins or 'waste' cannot be detected in the bodies of healthy people," explains Annabel Dierks.
Such problems are only possible in a few diseases. With a conscious and varied diet, the intake of harmful substances and toxins is rather low and therefore there is no risk to health.
“Detoxifying” – not always harmless
The body is able to eliminate most toxins and does so very reliably. Toxins absorbed are released primarily through the liver and kidneys. Teas for supposed detoxification often do one thing in particular: dehydrate you.
“This can even be problematic because the body excretes more minerals along with all the fluid, which can lead to disruptions in the electrolyte balance over a longer period of time,” explains Annabel Dierks.
In addition, the effects of medications can be weakened or strengthened by plant extracts.
5 tips to absorb fewer toxins
In order to relieve the body, it makes more sense not to absorb so many toxins in the first place. Five tips for everyday life are:
- Avoid nicotine and alcohol
- Buy vegetables and fruit seasonally and regionally and wash or peel them thoroughly, this reduces the residues of pesticides
- Consume less offal and predatory fish such as tuna and swordfish, as they can contain nitrite, nitrosamines and high levels of heavy metals
- When baking, roasting and toasting, only gild food, do not char it, in order to reduce the acrylamide content
- Be careful with dietary supplements from non-European countries - increased levels of harmful substances are repeatedly detected here
Source: Bremen Consumer Center
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