Every time the New Year rolls around, we see an influx of people talking about losing weight, detoxing from the holidays, cleansing their body, and a whole lot of other “health” related resolutions. And of course, companies jump on the trend and push their weight loss and detox products. Tea companies are not exempt from this marketing tactic, with almost every brand having their own detox tea. Not to mention all the companies solely dedicated to weight loss and detox teas. To put it bluntly, these teas are mostly BS. Let’s dive into why.

You Don’t Need a Detox

Let me say that again. You don’t need a detox. Your digestive system, liver, and kidneys naturally detox your body every single day. Your small intestine and colon (large intestine) absorb the nutrients your body needs and lets the rest pass through. Your liver filters out actual toxins like alcohol and drugs—hence why alcoholics often get liver disease and liver failure. And your kidneys filter out excess nutrients through your urine.

So what do these detox teas actually do then? Usually, they’re a mild laxative or diuretic that will have you going to the bathroom more frequently. If you’re not drinking enough water in addition to the tea, you will become dehydrated—which can make your body feel worse than before you started cleansing, rather than better and “refreshed.” You may find that you lose weight after drinking these teas, but it is just water weight and not a sustainable form of weight loss.

Instagram picture from @ashleyteaandthings of mug with tea bag and jar of kombucha with paper towel on top and rubber band around it. Caption reads “Happy Thanksgiving! I spent this morning watching the parade (my favorite tradition) and finally sta…

Overall, there is no scientific evidence of detoxing or cleansing the body (including through juices and fasting). Normally, I would say that research is not all encompassing and as long as it doesn’t hurt it’s okay (like with possible immune-boosting teas). But detoxes can actually do more harm than good. The colon is full of beneficial microbes called probiotics that protect our bodies from harmful bacteria, among other functions. Cleanses that target the colon remove these probiotics, which can have adverse consequences for the body.

A Look at the Ingredients

Flat Tummy Tea is probably the most popular brand of detox tea, often advertised by celebrities on Instagram. A quick look at their ingredients proves exactly what I explained above. The first ingredient in their Cleanse tea is senna leaf, which is a laxative. Next up is peppermint leaf, which could have a laxitive effect in large doses. Next is Cassia Chamaecrista, an ingredient I had never heard of but is apparently also a laxative. Licorice, caraway seed, and rhubarb all have mild laxative effects. Finally, the tea includes dandelion root. If this ingredient is anything like its leaf counterpart, it is a diuretic and possible laxative. So basically, the Flat Tummy Tea Cleanse tea is just a laxative and possible diuretic.

Their Activate tea is not much better. It also includes peppermint, licorice, dandelion (leaf and root), and caraway seeds. Meanwhile, cleavers leaf is a diuretic, the caffeine in green tea may help suppress appetite, and cardamom is another ingredient with a laxative effect.

Finally, another buzz word this time of year is metabolism-boosting, and Flat Tummy Tea also has a product for that. It includes Green Tea and peppermint, plus ginger (which can have a laxative and possibly diuretic effect).

Fit Tea is another popular weight loss tea seen on Instagram, with similar ingredients to Flat Tummy Tea’s metabolism tea, as well as some additional ones. Like green tea, Oolong Wu Yi and guarana contain caffeine, which may be an appetite suppressant, as well as a diuretic. Garcinia Cambodia Extract has been called a “fat-burner,” but there is no significant evidence to support this. And of course, matcha green tea is a more concentrated form of green tea with likely the same effects.

What about detox teas from regular, and otherwise respected, tea companies? DavidsTea, for example, has a few detox teas. Organic David’s Detox contains green tea, ginger, and dandelion root. It also has lemongrass, juniper berries, nettle leaves, and burdock root—all diuretics. It also contains ginkgo biloba, which is not explicitly described as a laxative but has a possible side effect of diarrhea. DavidsTea Morning Detox tea includes many of the same ingredients, including green tea, ginger, lemongrass, and peppermint, as well as green mate, which is also high in caffeine and likely has many of the same effects as green tea. There are a variety of other ingredients in this blend that I could look up, but I think we get the point that many of these ingredients are laxatives or diuretics in high doses. For this same reason, I’m not going to go through any detox teas from other brands, which likely have the same or similar ingredients as David’s Tea.

What to Do Instead

So we’ve established that you don’t need to detox and that weight loss teas don’t work long term. Now you might be wondering what to do instead to be healthier. I suggest starting by thinking about why you want to detox or lose weight.

Maybe you drank a lot of alcohol over the holidays. So take a day or two off from drinking to give your liver time to clear it all out. Your liver will do this on its own, you don’t need to drink anything to help support or boost it. Just make sure to stay hydrated and otherwise take care of your body.

Maybe you want to be healthier, or feel better. One of my favorite YouTubers made a video a few years ago about how these detox teas convince you that they’re going to help you with that. But the truth is, being healthy is much simpler, and yet takes more time and commitment. It means eating a well balanced diet, staying hydrated, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and taking care of your mental health as well. Now, I know that might sound overwhelming, but you don’t have to do it all at once.

Calendar with Title “Detox-Free Healthy Tea Challenge” Challenges are:1 Share your resolutions! 2 Drink an immune-boosting tea 3 Featured article 4 Drink a hydrating tea 5 Drink tea without sweetener 6 Drink an herbal tea 7 Drink an iced tea 8 Make …

In fact, this month on Instagram, I am hosting the Detox-Free Healthy Tea Challenge. Every day, there is a different tea. Each day has a tea-related challenge that will help your health in some way. If you like the task, I encourage to keep doing it until it develops into a sustainable habit. And if you don’t like the task one day, that’s okay too! Like I said, you don’t have to do it all. That is why I created a full month of challenges, so you can try out different things and only continue what you like. If you join in on Instagram, be sure to tag me @ashleyteaandthings and use the hashtag #detoxfreehealthytea. I will share your posts and provide some encouragement to keep going on your health journey, no detox necessary.

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NOTE:

I am not yet a Registered Dietitian and am therefore not certified to give nutrition counseling. Please consult your doctor or other healthcare provider before following the advice in this article.