If you have been on the diet front lately, you have probably heard of detox diets. Basically, detox diets are the next big player in the fad diet game. Like Atkins, Southbeach, even the cabbage diet, different detox diets are popping up all over the internet and in bookstores. What exactly are detox diets, do they work, and are detox diets safe?
The premise behind detox diets is that your body is full of toxins, many of which come from the foods you eat. A basic detox diet will have you fast for a certain period of time, which means you will not eat at all. You will then only eat specific foods that are believed to be toxin free, completely refraining from other foods, such as sugar, red meat, wheat, and eggs. Most detox diets also call for a cleansing process during which colonics, or enemas, are used or herbal colon cleansers.
It is important to understand that detox diets are not really designed for weight loss; instead they are to cleanse your body of harmful toxins. The goal should not be to lose weight. Secondly, there is a great deal of controversy over these diets and whether they are safe.
For the most part, the diets are meant to be relatively...