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Health & Wellness

Evidence Based

What Does Detox Tea Do? 7 Things You Need To Know (For Best Results)

Written by Liz Brown

Ever wonder if detox tea is right for you? We’re uncovering the truth about detox tea, the benefits, and how to use it to help you reach your goals safely & effectively.

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If you've ever had questions about detox tea before, this article will answer every question or concern you've ever had including what does detox tea do, how it works, detox tea benefits, side effects of detox tea, safety concerns, and more!

If you’ve ever heard of detox tea for weight loss or wondered ‘what does detox tea do?’, well, you’re not alone. Detox tea has become wildly popular in recent years not just for aiding in weight loss, but for increasing energy levels, releasing harmful toxins, reducing bloating, and boosting immune function. As detox tea continues to become more and more popular it begs the question—does detox tea work? Well, the short answer is yes, it works… BUT…

Not all detox teas are created equally.

If you’ve ever been skeptical about detox tea before, this is probably one of the most important things you need to understand. So, I’ll say it again… not all detox teas are created equally so it’s important to do your research and recognize the differences! In this article, I will address all the questions and concerns you might have about detox tea, what makes some detox teas different than others, and the 7 things you need to know about detox tea for the best results, including:

detox tea benefits

What Is Detox Tea?

A common misconception with detox tea is that it’s an end-all-be-all solution for weight loss—and while there are many companies that make this claim, detox tea is not intended to be seen or treated as a miracle solution or “magic pill”. I’ll get into this more in detail later, but first, I need to address some important questions like, what is detox tea, what is detoxing, and how and why it’s used more in our society today than ever before.

History of detox tea

In recent years, our society has adopted a more holistic approach to healing common ailments, yet some people choose to see this as a trend rather than a shift in our cultural perspective. We are programmed to believe that any “trend” that reveals itself in the health and wellness industry is actually just a “scam”, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, many consumers that seek natural remedies for detoxification purposes are told by “experts” that their efforts are pointless because our bodies should be able to detox naturally [1]. And while this does hold some merit, detox tea is simply a way to accelerate the detoxification process.

If you look at the history of medical intervention (in either eastern or western practices), we have always searched for ways to accelerate the things our bodies can accomplish naturally. For example, our bodies are designed to heal itself after getting a sunburn, yet we turn to aloe vera (a naturally occurring substance) to ease the pain and accelerate the healing process. The same concept applies to consuming ginger to ease a stomach ache and aromatherapy to relieve headaches, stress, and anxiety.

what does detox do history of detox tea

So when you think about it, there are three pretty significant reasons why we should consider detox tea to be a reliable method for detoxification:

  1. Detoxing has been around since the beginning of medicine and healing—from Ayurveda, an ancient healing practice from India (and one of the oldest forms of medicine in the world), to Traditional Chinese Medicine and Native American healing. [2]
  2. Detoxing is still relevant today—despite the fact that our toxin exposure and methods of detoxing have evolved over the last few centuries (due to industrialization and technology) the underlying need for detoxing hasn’t changed at all. If anything, the need for detoxing is even more important now than ever before.
  3. Detoxing will be around for years to come—this alone should remind us that toxins have been a recognized problem from the very beginning of medicine, and detoxing (or detox teas for that matter) should be seen as more than just a trendy fad diet.

So, to answer your question… what is detox tea? It’s simply a natural and holistic solution to accelerate the detoxification process after toxins build up in our bodies.

Causes & Effects Of Toxin Buildup

If you’ve ever thought about detoxing before, it’s hard not to think about a bunch of murky gunk building up and sticking to all of your precious organs, right? 🤢Just hearing the phrase “toxin buildup” can make anyone feel a little icky. And if there was a way to prevent toxin buildup from happening in the first place, who wouldn’t jump on the opportunity? But in order to prevent it, we have to understand it, what causes it, and how it affects us.

What is toxin accumulation (toxin buildup)?

Toxin accumulation is when your body absorbs harmful substances or chemicals at a rate faster than your body can get rid of them—causing an accumulation of the toxins and negative or potentially harmful effects on the body. These types of toxins can include:

  • Cigarette residue
  • Chemicals
  • Heavy metals
  • Environmental elements
  • Fecal matter
  • Parasites
  • Fungi
  • Potentially aggravating foods like dairy, eggs, soy, refined sugar, caffeine, and alcohol

toxin buildup causes and effects

Causes of toxin buildup

There are two ways that your body can accumulate toxin buildup. The first, as mentioned above, is when there are more toxins entering the body faster than you can get rid of them—causing an accumulation of the substance. The other way toxin accumulation can occur is when your body is unable to break down or excrete the toxin one way or another. It’s typically the latter circumstance that toxin buildup can become harmful, and sometimes deadly.

Now, this isn’t to say that your body is a toxic biohazard in human form, it simply means that your organs are unable to function optimally due to the high level of toxin accumulation, and for that, you can experience unwanted and potentially harmful side effects.

Effects of toxin buildup

If you are suffering from toxin buildup, chances are that your body is giving you some clear cut signs you need to detox. For starters you might experience symptoms that can easily be mistaken for PMS symptoms, like:

  • Mood swings
  • Skin breakouts
  • Anxiety or depression
  • Chronic fatigue
  • Mental Fog

Other symptoms of toxin buildup can include:

  • Headaches
  • Joint pain
  • Muscle aches
  • Food sensitivities
  • High blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • Abdominal pain and bloating
  • Itchy skin
  • Constipation
  • Bad breath or a white/yellowish coating on your tongue.

If you have experienced 4 or more of these symptoms over the past 3 months it’s possible that you might have a congested liver due to toxin accumulation and you would highly benefit from a detox.

What Does Detox Tea Do?

But what does detox tea do exactly? You can expect to see a variety of benefits while detoxing with detox tea—some you may notice fairly soon after beginning your detox tea regime, and others will take slightly longer to see the effects. However, the type, quality, and quantity of the ingredients used in the detox can make a big difference in your results—which is why there are some detox teas on the market that are more superior and more effective than others. More about that soon, but first, these are the most common detox tea benefits you can expect over the short and long term.

Short term detox tea benefits

If you take detox tea consistently, these are the detox tea benefits you can expect to see within the first few weeks of your detox.

  • Removes toxins
  • Boosts energy levels
  • Reduces bloating
  • Increases metabolism
  • Suppresses appetite/reduces cravings
  • Improves complexion
  • Boosts Immunity

Long term detox tea benefits

The long term benefits of detox tea tend to attract a lot of attention from detox users, and for good reason. These are the detox tea benefits you can expect to see over a longer period of time (typically anywhere from 30-90 days of consistent use).

  • Regulates digestive system
  • Accelerates weight loss—Yes, it’s true that you can actually lose weight with detox tea. In fact, it’s one of the best teas for losing weight!

Regardless of the benefits you hope to achieve with detox tea, there is one fundamental and crucial element to seeing optimal results—and that is to ensure that the toxins are not just leaving your body, but you are simultaneously preventing new ones from entering. Continue reading to learn exactly how detox tea works and what you need to do in order to see the results you’re looking for.

whats in detox tea

How Does Detox Tea Work?

I’m sure by now you’re wondering how does detox tea work? As mentioned above, in order for the detox tea to flush out the toxin buildup you have to do your part to help prevent any new toxins from entering your body. This is why most detox teas suggest you pair your detox regime with a healthy diet, exercise routine, and lots of water. Let me explain…

What type of toxins leave your body?

From day one of using detox tea, you should be making improvements in your diet. I know it’s probably easier said than done but you’d be surprised to the number of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis, especially from the foods we eat and the products we use! For starters, the most common types of toxins we encounter (sometimes on a daily basis) include:

  • BPA, or Bisphenol-A— a chemical found in the plastic containers from our beverages and foods that can
  • Mercury— a neurotoxin most commonly found in fish and seafood. Too much of it can damage your brain and nervous system.
  • Toxins from your beauty products— your skin is the largest organ in your body and the most susceptible for absorbing harmful toxins. Many beauty products use ingredients that can have adverse effects on your health, like parabens, sulfates, artificial fragrances, synthetic materials, formaldehyde, phthalates, and more.
  • Pesticides— a substance commonly used in agricultural food production to control pests such as insects, rodents, weeds, bacteria, mold, and fungus.
  • Asbestos— a collection of silicate minerals that are commonly found around the home (floor tiles, insulation, pipes, fireplaces, sheeting, etc.) and is extremely harmful to your lungs and can cause chronic respiratory disease.
  • MSG and Aspartame—these common flavor enhancers found in foods are neurotoxins and can affect the signals your brain sends to your body.
  • Other types of harmful toxins include Teflon from your non-stick cooking pans, lead used to seal water pipes that contaminate your drinking water, heavy metals in combination with phenylenediamine and ammonia found in hair dyes, smog and pollution, cigarette residue, and more.

As you can see, the risk of toxin accumulation just from your day-to-day life is hard to avoid—which is why a healthy diet is crucial to preventing new toxins from entering the body. Additionally, providing your body with proper nutrition and hydration helps your organs to function optimally, allowing the detox tea to do its job.

how does detox tea work

How do toxins leave your body?

You see, detoxification means to cleanse the body and blood of impurities. The process of detoxification is done a few ways—through the liver (where toxins are processed for elimination), kidneys, lungs, lymphatic system, and skin. However, when these processes are compromised and the impurities are unable to be filtered properly, your body is negatively affected—which is why a healthy diet, proper hydration, and regular exercise is crucial.

Toxins leave your body the same way they enter:

  • Sweat—your body releases toxins through your skin in the form of sweat! When you exercise, you increase your body’s thermal energy and temperature which activates your sweat glands to cool your body off. Who knew that you were releasing toxins at the same time?
  • Urine—staying hydrated is crucial for detoxification. In fact, you should be drinking half of your body weight in ounces of water every day, and more if you’re regularly active or live in a warmer climate! For example, if you weigh 150lbs you should be drinking 75 ounces of water every day (at minimum). Drinking water helps flush out the toxin buildup in your kidneys and leaves the body through your urine.
  • Gut and Bowels—our bodies empty a lot of toxins through the digestive system and bowels. However, when the toxins are in your digestive system for too long (like when you’re constipated, for example) the toxins can get reabsorbed into your system making it even harder for you to eliminate the toxins. Maintaining proper gut health is crucial to a healthy digestive system to ensure the toxins leaving your body. Having a diet rich in fiber and taking a gut health supplement can help regulate your digestive system.
  • Your Breath believe it or not, your breath is another way your body rids toxins. Your body is in a constant state of metabolism and your lungs help to process the toxins that accumulate within your airways. Frequent exercise helps to increase your heart rate and your breathing which allows your body to rid toxins in the form of carbon dioxide. To keep your lungs as healthy as possible, you should refrain from smoking, limit your exposure to secondhand smoke, eat foods rich in antioxidants, and improve your indoor air quality with air purifiers and plants.

What’s important to remember is that all of these systems are activated when you exercise and eat healthily!

How does detox tea work with your lifestyle?

We know that in order to get the most out of your detox tea you have to make a few adjustments with your diet and activity level. Of course, it’s unrealistic to completely change your entire lifestyle in the matter of one day—but there are some simple things you can do to push the needle in the right direction to ensure that you are preventing new toxins from accumulating.

For example, you can start by making a few healthy food swaps to your diet every day, buy organic foods made without pesticides and fresh foods that are free of preservatives, and educate yourself on what all the food label claims listed on your food packaging actually means. These small changes in your day-to-day can add up and can make a huge difference in the long run!

Similarly, by incorporating just 20-30 minutes of exercise each day can improve your cardiovascular and muscular system, your bone and joint health, and even your mood! Regular exercise can also reduce your stress levels and promotes an overall better quality of life.

How does detox tea work with your lifestyle

Does Detox Tea Work? What Science Says

Detox tea has raised eyebrows among the science community for a long time, and if you’re like most skeptics, you’re probably asking yourself, does detox tea work? The answer is yes—and there is scientific proof to back it up!

What’s in detox tea?

The ingredients used in detox tea vary from brand to brand and it’s important to do your research beforehand and understand their ingredients, benefits, and side effects. The majority of detox teas contain a variety of different teas and superfoods, however, SkinnyFit Detox, for example, is the only detox tea that contains the nine best teas for losing weight and has the most superfood ingredients in one tea than any other detox tea on the market! It contains 13 superfoods including matcha green tea, sencha green tea, nettle leaf, oolong tea, dandelion leaf, goji berry, yerba mate, lemongrass, milk thistle, guarana, ginseng, stevia leaf, and peach powder.

However, there are a few ingredients that can be found in other detox teas that can raise some red flags—like senna, for example. Senna is a type of laxative commonly found in detox tea and is typically the ingredient responsible for many “lose weight fast” claims. We’ll get into this in more detail in a second, but what’s important to note here is that not all detox teas (like SkinnyFit) contain these types of harmful ingredients and contain safe and effective ingredients that can help accelerate weight loss.

detox tea benefits

Can detox tea help you lose weight?

While some detox teas on the market claim to help you lose weight, a detox tea is only as good as the quality of its ingredients. Good quality detox teas can help you reach your weight loss goals safely, effectively, and sustainably while poor quality detox teas that contain laxatives fail in comparison. Laxatives work by pulling water from your body into the intestines, allowing your stool to absorb more water for an easier passage. With laxatives, the only weight you’ll lose is from the water and waste from your stool.

In fact, a study published on the Society of Toxicologic Pathology concluded that detox teas containing these types of laxatives can actually do more harm than good. They weaken the body’s ability to fight infections and inflammation, upsetting blood sugar, potassium, and sodium levels, and resulting in vitamin and mineral deprivation which can cause dehydration, migraines, and headaches. A similar study on the use of laxatives and weight loss concluded that any weight loss results from laxatives are merely temporary and you are unlikely to keep it off.

But that’s not the end of weight loss with detox tea! As I mentioned before, there are some detox teas that don’t contain these types of harmful ingredients but have the right combination of detoxifying superfoods to get the job done.

SkinnyFit Detox is the perfect example of a premium detox tea for bloating, an excellent tea for burning fat, and one of the best teas for weight loss in general! There is even an entire clinical study about it!

In early 2018 the IRSI, or International Research Services, Inc., conducted an eight-week, randomized, controlled clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of SkinnyFit Detox for weight control and body morphology. They concluded that after four and eight weeks under the conditions of the study, significantly more consumers using the test product (SkinnyFit Detox) had a reduction in intracellular water, extracellular water, and total body water and experienced the perception of a reduction in abdominal and facial bloating, an increase in overall energy and an improved overall morphological/appearance of their body than those using the control product (Decaffeinated Chamomile Tea).

Similarly, various studies conducted on the singular ingredients found in SkinnyFit Detox are proven to release the toxins that cause weight gain, boost metabolism, and naturally clean out your digestive system to accelerate fat loss—like yerba mate, oolong tea, and milk thistle, just to name a few.

detox tea for losing weight

Is Detoxing Safe?

Another concern with detox tea is whether it’s safe to use. Detox tea is generally safe for regular use but like most health and wellness products on the market today, there are some circumstances where taking detox tea should be approached with caution.

If you are taking prescription medication, have a pre-existing medical condition (like diabetes for example), or are pregnant or nursing you should consult a health care provider before using any detox products and avoid detox teas that contain laxatives altogether.

Similarly, most detox teas contain plant-based caffeine and can affect those with caffeine sensitivity differently than others (SkinnyFit Detox contains 17.98mg of caffeine per serving). But that doesn’t mean you can’t still detoxify with SkinnyFit— SkinnyFit ZzzTox is a caffeine-free night time detox blend that helps you burn fat while you sleep! It’s a calming blend of powerful superfoods that helps fight stress-induced weight gain, releases toxins, and reduces bloating.

How long should you detox for?

Detoxing, and the results you get from detoxing can vary from person to person. We recommend only using a detox tea without laxatives, like SkinnyFit Detox, because you will be able to use this product safely and continuously without seeing any negative long-term side effects. Detox teas containing laxatives are not safe for long term use which is why SkinnyFit Detox is a great option if you’re looking to lose weight with detox tea.

Similarly, detox tea helps to accelerate the detoxification process by flushing your system and eliminating the toxins through your urine, sweat, bowels, and breath so getting adequate hydration is crucial to the detoxification process.

Here is a simple guide to how long you should detox for based on your goals. Keep in mind the short term and long term benefits of detox tea before choosing which time frame works best for you.

  • Good Results—drink SkinnyFit Detox daily with adequate hydration for a minimum of 28 days.
  • Better Results—drink SkinnyFit Detox daily with adequate hydration in conjunction with a healthy and balanced diet for a minimum of 60 days.
  • Best Results—drink SkinnyFit Detox daily with adequate hydration in conjunction with a healthy and balanced diet and a consistent exercise regime for at least 90 days.

How long should you detox for_

What to avoid while detoxing

These are some things you should avoid in your diet if you want to get the most out of your detox:

  • Alcohol
  • Refined sugars and sweeteners
  • Dairy products and eggs
  • Wheat and gluten foods
  • Fast food
  • Fried foods

The reason for limiting your consumption of these types of foods during a detox is because oftentimes, they contain mild toxins that can accumulate in your body. By avoiding them, you are ensuring that the detox tea can do its job without trying to fight off new toxins from entering the body.

What to eat while detoxing

During your detox, you should start incorporating the following things into your diet. For a more detailed list of what to eat while detoxing, click here.

  • Vegetables
  • Fruit
  • Whole grains and complex carbohydrates
  • Beans and legumes
  • Healthy Fats
  • Dairy alternatives

It’s important to start including these types of foods into your diet because they contain important micronutrients that help nourish your body and organs for optimal performance. Meaning, the more nutrients you can provide your body during a detox, like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, the better your chances of preventing new toxins from entering.

What Are The Best Detox Teas?

Regardless of what you’re trying to get out of using detox tea, whether you’re looking for the best teas for losing weight, the best tea for bloating, or even the best tea for burning fat, there is one detox that is far more superior than everything else on the market—and that’s SkinnyFit Detox.

SkinnyFit Detox contains 13 powerful superfoods in every serving and 9 of those are considered to be the best teas for weight loss in general! Similarly, SkinnyFit never uses harmful ingredients (like laxatives) that can have negative side effects and undesirable outcomes. The high-quality ingredients are formulated by seasoned experts and created with the unique metabolic needs of women in mind.

In addition to having the highest quality detox tea on the market, SkinnyFit has over 4,000 reviews with a 4 star average on Google and Amazon and raving testimonials from die-hard social media fans (over 600,000 of them to be exact!)—which says a lot considering many other detox tea companies have less-than-impressive reviews.

Another reason why SkinnyFit is the best detox tea is that we pride ourselves in our spectacular customer service experience and dedication to see our customers succeed. We even have a 90-day money back guarantee on all our products!

How to use detox tea

Incorporating detox tea into your daily routine has never been easier. All you have to do is steep one bag of SkinnyFit Detox in 8 oz. of hot water for 5-7 minutes or do a cold brew by leaving it in the fridge overnight (or a minimum of 8 hours). You can even brew an entire batch at once and have it ready to go any time!

We recommend using a fresh tea bag for every use so you can absorb all of the health benefits of the detox each and every time. Reusing tea bags can dilute the ingredients in the detox blend and will diminish the benefits. Similarly, we recommend using one detox tea bag for every 8 oz. of water. For example, if you want to fill a 16 oz water bottle with Detox, you should use two pyramid bags. Using more than 8 oz of water per bag can also dilute the ingredients and you won’t get the same benefits out of each use.

Mentioned In This Post

SkinnyFit Detox Tea

Slim down, soothe bloating, and boost your energy naturally! Unlike other detoxes, SkinnyFit Detox has NO laxatives and is made with 13 metabolism-boosting superfoods.

Learn More

The Bottom Line

The primary role that detox tea plays in weight loss and body fat reduction is ultimately support. Incorporating detox tea into your daily routine removes harmful toxin buildup that prevents your organs from functioning at their best—which oftentimes results in unwanted weight gain, belly bloat, stress, and a weaker immune system. But a high-quality detox tea made without laxatives, like SkinnyFit Detox, cleans out your digestive system and boosts your metabolism to accelerate fat loss and help you reach your weight loss goals.

Your body is in a constant state of metabolism—it’s always working to inspect, clean, and clear out every cell in your body to keep you in tip-top shape. But expecting our bodies to keep up with the insane amount of toxins we are exposed to on a daily basis (in our food, skin care products, environment, and through our modern technological gadgets) is completely unrealistic. When you factor in our alarming sedentary lifestyles, poor diets, and the steady drip of toxin buildup, even a healthy body can only do so much.

That’s why SkinnyFit Detox is here—to flush your body of toxins and boost your metabolism to accelerate fat loss and help you to finally reach your weight loss goals safely and effectively.

what does detox tea do

About The Author

Liz Brown

Fitness & Nutrition Expert (CPT., FNS.)

Liz is a health & wellness expert, writer, and editor with over a decade of experience in the fitness & nutrition industry. She emphasizes research and simplifies complex topics to help make healthy living simple and sustainable. When she isn't researching and writing, she's sharing delicious recipes, easy DIYs, and home decor tips on her blog and social media.

More from Liz, visit: Personal Blog, TikTok, Instagram

Credentials

  • NASM Certified Personal Trainer(since 2012)
  • NASM Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist (since 2014)
  • Credentialed Coach Practitioner, Coach Training Academy
  • B.A. Liberal Studies (Health & Nutrition Sciences)
  • A.A. Liberal Arts (STEM)

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