One way to fire up nutrition experts is to say the word ‘detox.’ Programs such as cleanses or detoxes often promote consuming juices, teas, other beverages or a small selection of foods, and following a very low-calorie diet for a set time period with a goal of flushing toxins from the body and resetting your overall health. However, most nutrition experts agree this type of arrangement — and any diet that’s too rigid — will only last for a short period of time and, usually, results backfire.
The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also states that there isn’t any convincing evidence detox programs truly remove toxins from the body or improve health.
That said, nutrition doesn’t need to be all or nothing. And some dietitians believe in a post-holiday diet cleanup — one that fits into your schedule, isn’t restrictive, and can help you reset from a season of overindulgence.
Here, the argument on both sides from two RDs:
