Detox Water for Weight Loss: Can It Really ‘Flush out Fat’?

by | Aug 25, 2015 | 20 comments

Do a quick online search for “detox water” and you’ll come up with thousands of videos, recipes and even water bottles that claim to flush fat from your body and rid your body of toxins.

So can this be? Is there really a special “detox water” that can do this?

Many of these detox waters include natural, mild diuretics like cucumbers or lemon, which may make you feel like you are flushing out fat but the reality is you are only losing a bit of excess water weight that isn’t permanent.

The truth is no water (no matter what kind of magical fruit peel it has in it) can flush out fat or detoxify your system. That is what your kidneys, liver, skin and even your lungs do- they are constantly working to ‘detoxify’ your body.

Here are a few quotes from a great article, “You can’t detox your body. It’s a myth,” published in the December 2014 issue of the Guardian that addressed this very topic (well worth a read if you are interested in learning more):

“Let’s be clear,” says Edzard Ernst, emeritus professor of complementary medicine at Exeter University, “there are two types of detox: one is respectable and the other isn’t.” The respectable one, he says, is the medical treatment of people with life-threatening drug addictions. “The other is the word being hijacked by entrepreneurs, quacks, and charlatans to sell a bogus treatment that allegedly detoxifies your body of toxins you’re supposed to have accumulated.”

The article goes on to say:

“If toxins did build up in a way your body couldn’t excrete, he says, you’d likely be dead or in need of serious medical intervention. “The healthy body has kidneys, a liver, skin, even lungs that are detoxifying as we speak,” Ernst says. “There is no known way – certainly not through detox treatments – to make something that works perfectly well in a healthy body work better.”

“Detoxing – the idea that you can flush your system of impurities and leave your organs squeaky clean and raring to go – is a scam. It’s a pseudo-medical concept designed to sell you things.”

Now don’t get us wrong, we do want you to drink plenty of water — staying hydrated offers many health benefits such as improved energy, brain function and it even helps your bowels run smoothly.

In fact, there is some evidence that it could aid in weight loss — not by flushing out fat, but by helping you eat less. One significant study found that subjects who drank 2 cups of water before a meal ate fewer calories than those who didn’t. We also know that eating water-rich, high volume foods like broth-based soups, salads, fruits, and even oatmeal can help with the fullness factor and may also assist you in eating fewer calories overall.

And if adding lemon or cucumber slices to your water helps you enjoy it, drink more and even temporarily release a little excess bloat, go for it! Just don’t expect to magically flush out fat or detoxify your body because of some special recipe or water bottle.

The bottom line?The best way to stay healthy is to eat and sleep well, exercise regularly, and of course, drink enough water (don’t forget that you also get hydration from water-rich foods, so you don’t necessarily have to chug an excess amount of water to do this either).

Check out the full Guardian article and let me know what you think in the comments below!

 

Detox Water for Weight Loss Fat Flush

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20 Comments

  1. Amrita Motwani

    hi jessica, i am apple shaped body, what should i eat or not to. please give the instuctions or a diet plan.

    Reply
  2. Marisa

    Addicted to these workouts. I was so bored with my old dvd’s and Jessica keeps me moving. Lots of side to side motion. Jessica, I’m wondering what are your favorite cross trainer shoes for lateral movements? Thanks.

    Reply
  3. Andrea Segeda

    I have started going to work early and doing your walk and talks. They really help to center me for the day. Do you have any more walk and talks in the works?

    Reply
  4. Pola

    I love your dance mix video…. Do you have more?
    And thanks also for walking videos. I feel different since I start exercising with you

    Reply
  5. Ayesha Umair

    I m new to ur web.i have started with Fat burning 10,10,10 formula. Jessica can u guide me what else excise i can add to this program to reduce weight quickly.

    Reply
  6. Andy

    Hi Jessica! Thank you for posting this. I see a lot of health and fitness “gurus” swear by juice cleanses and all that stuff. Out of curiosity, I did a three-day juice cleanse to see what it would bring to me. No doubt I felt lighter after those three days – you just have to since you don’t eat anything at all during those three days. But I didn’t feel much anything else. Not healthier, or stronger, or better. To be fair, I didn’t feel bad either. Just a neutral kind of light feeling, which could be a good or bad thing. Either way, I’m not taking that route again.

    To be honest, the best I’ve felt was during and after finishing two months of exercising six days a week and upping my protein intake. I’ve felt stronger, healthier, and sexier, and you can be sure I’m sticking to that. No cleanses or anything like that for me from now on.

    Reply
  7. Emma

    Thank you Jessica
    I’ve just started your workouts and I’m addicted!!
    I just cane off a juice “cleanse” and it was the worst thing I ever put my body through!
    Healthy diet and exercise all the way!! ????????????????

    Reply
  8. Diane Desch

    I am new to your site and “Thank you” for enlightening me about water….I have been looking for help…I have joined a low impact step class…and I am “contract dancing”…Enjoy your day:)) Sincerely, Diane from Richmond Va.

    Reply
  9. Kristen

    Thank you for this! As a very long fan and subscriber to your workouts, I have really enjoyed your no-fuss approach to both fitness and health. I showed this article to my 17 year old daughter who has been hoarding all of the lemons in the house for her water. There is so much false advertising about quick fixes that I direct everyone I can to your wonderful site. Thank you much for making this available to us!

    Reply
  10. Cheryl

    My husband and I have been doing your workouts on xbox fitness and we think you are the BEST fitness instructor. We would both like to see more of your programs. Thank you for being so good at what you do and totally motivating us to keep going.

    Reply
    • Jessica Smith

      Thanks so much for moving with us! Have you checked out our Walk STRONG program yet? We’d love to have you both join us for this 6 week system! 🙂

      Reply
  11. Loshna

    Hi Jessica, greetings from Malaysia, just wanted so much to say i enjoy everyone of ur workouts its simple n am able to complete it thats the beauty if ur workouts. Thank you so much

    Reply
  12. Prachi

    Thanku mam ….. u are my fitness guru (teacher) an angel of my life ????….ur workouts are awesome .

    Reply
  13. Kathie Davis

    YES! Thank you Jessica for being a voice of reason. The body is an amazing instrument and is designed to deal with toxins.

    Reply
    • Jessica Smith

      Thanks for tuning in Kathie! 🙂

      Reply
  14. Mary

    Thanks for posting this. I have friends that swear by different cleanses and I always thought the idea was bogus. If only it were that easy.

    Reply
  15. Lisa Arace

    Thank You Jessica for this information. You are the best.

    Reply
    • Jessica Smith

      Thanks for checking it out Lisa! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Cheri

    this is why I truly love you, Jessica. You are honest and so helpful. Thanks.

    Reply
  17. Angela

    Thank you so much for helping to sort out truth from fiction. It can be difficult sometimes to know what really works when people write and say things that seem to make sense but it isn’t scientifically based in fact. I am so glad I can trust what you write and video blog about!

    Reply

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