Tea Detoxes: Yes or No?

Who doesn’t love a quick fix?

And when you see the “detox teas” and “skinny teas” being advertised to tone your tummy and make your figure more svelte, it’s definitely tempting to try.

However, this quick fix may not be the answer…it may not even be a quick fix, for that matter. Here’s the deal on skinny teas:

Skinny Teas or Detox Teas Usually Contain Senna Leaf

The Senna plant has been used for centuries as a laxative and is often an ingredient in concoctions aimed at relieving constipation. Senna leaf tea will not melt fat or shed pounds, it’ll just make you go #2.

There Can Be Side Effects

You place yourself at risk of dehydration, severe cramping, lowered potassium levels, diarrhea, and even liver damage. Check the ingredients on the popular skinny teas, if an ingredient says “Cassia” or “Senna,” then you know it basically has a laxative in it. Also, you’ll notice that the instructions will tell you to not drink the tea for more than 2 weeks. If you have to discontinue use after 2 weeks, then it’s probably not a safe means of weight loss, right?

It Can Negatively Affect Your Weight Loss Journey Mentality

I understand the benefit of supplements and vitamins, but relying on a skinny tea to tone your tummy (which, by the way, should be done via exercise and fat loss through a healthy diet), can negatively impact your mental game in terms of your weight loss journey. Many of us who are on or who were on a journey like this know that a huge part of it is our mentality, our emotional well-being, and how we see ourselves and our accomplishments. Buying into the skinny tea mentality, in my opinion, makes it easier to buy into the myth that there’s an easy quick fix to weight loss. It’s very appealing, to think I can drink the tea for a week or two and lose 5 lbs. or make my tummy more toned, but the truth is that all the tea does is make you go to the bathroom. Remember, you have bodily organs dedicated to detoxing your body (like, your liver), so a detox tea is sort of redundant.

What if you want to use it as a one-time or once-in-a-while thing? I would say to do your research and use at your own discretion, and you might want to plan to not leave the house that day. If you want a detailed breakdown on skinny teas, and which natural (non-senna) teas actually help boost metabolism and interact with your body, check out my quick guide, TEATOX REBEL.