Herald Living: Avoid detox diet pitfalls

Certain words crop up a lot during the early part of the year, and 'detox' is certainly one of them - those diet plans/smoothies/juices/or even dodgy-looking pills promising to cleanse our clogged-up systems and leave us lighter, brighter and healthier.

But experts (the ones with bona fide scientific knowledge and qualifications) are often warning that these wonder remedies should be approached with caution; in fact, is 'detoxing' even really real? After all, our bodies are designed to self-cleanse anyway, that's what livers are for.

A FRESH HEALTHY START

However, there's no denying that going on a bit of a health-kick, and perhaps cutting out all 'treats', caffeine and booze for a few days can help get you started on a healthy eating regime, or simply shift that sluggish, bloated feeling if you've been overindulging a bit too much.

"Absolutely," says Rob Hobson, head of nutrition for Healthspan. "I think to take a long weekend or week and fill your cupboards and fridge with really healthy, unprocessed foods is a great idea. Not only good for your body, but mentally it feels like you're doing something positive for your health."

KNOW WHAT YOU'RE EATING

Incorporating detox-inspired elements into your health-kick - for instance, you might want to ditch processed foods and caffeine and go all-out on the veg and fruit for a couple of days - might feel beneficial. But, notes Hobson, don't assume that everything with the word 'detox' on the label is going to be good for you: "The term is thrown about quite a bit, and especially by people trying to market strange potions and pills.

"Also, be wary about detox preparations, as you never quite know what they contain. People who do them seem obsessed with purging the body, like it is somehow going to be a good thing to take a tablet that gives you a sudden bout of diarrhoea!"

BEWARE QUICK-FIX TRAPS

Let's face it - many detox plans, particularly the celeb-endorsed ones, are tempting because they offer fast weight loss, but this can be counterproductive. Firstly, fast weight loss rarely leads to long-term weight loss (in fact it often results in yo-yoing and even greater weight gain), and fixating on the quick-fix and restricting calories can put you at risk of missing out on important nutrients, potentially damaging your health - not to mention the fact that it's, well, not much fun!

"I have never been a big fan of the 'quick-fix', and many of these diets involve eating very few calories or avoiding solid food altogether, which of course is going to get you to lose weight, but unfortunately in the short-term, this is just likely to be water and muscle loss from the lack of protein," says Hobson. "I'm yet to meet anyone who has lost weight very quickly and keep that weight off in the long-term, as you're not developing any new positive habits, simply starving yourself for a few weeks."

FAST NOW, FEAST LATER?

While fasting has its advocates, there is "no evidence to suggest starving is going to improve organ function", adds Hobson. "While crash diets and cleanses are not going to do you much harm in the short-term, over longer periods they may negatively impact on your health and the way you view food."

The same can apply when it comes to cutting out food groups. If certain foods don't agree with you, or you can't eat them for medical reasons, eliminating them from your diet might be beneficial and necessary - but always ensure you're doing it for the right reasons (not just so you can starve!), and replacing lost nutrients with alternative sources. "Anything that involves cutting out large food groups is going to put you at risk of deficiency in the longer term. Juicing in particular involves avoiding solid food altogether, which means no protein, fibre or essential vitamins such as B12, and iron," says Hobson. "If you have to team your juice diet with artificially manufactured supplements and protein powders, then you have to ask yourself how natural and good this is for you really?"

HEALTHY HABITS FOR LIFE

If you do fancy giving those green juices and smoothies a go, or want to overhaul your diet and jazz up meals with antioxidant-packed spices and trendy Chia seeds and the like - great. But don't fixate on one 'healthy' habit, because, as we're repeatedly reminded, unless you have a balanced diet, then it's probably not that healthy at all. And a few days just eating fruit isn't going to make much of an impact if you're overdoing it on the booze and junk food the rest of the time.

So try to use your health-kick to establish sensible, healthy habits that you can stick to for life: "Such as increasing your fruit and vegetable intake, cooking mostly from fresh or reducing your sugar intake," suggests Hobson.

TRIED AND TESTED

We put three 'detox' plans through their paces

FRUVEJU ORGANIC JUICE CLEANSE

With the likes of Miranda Kerr and Ellie Goulding snapped sipping their concoctions, Fruveju's popular with celebs. The plan consists of six 500ml juices and nut milk smoothies, made entirely from cold-pressed fresh, organic ingredients with no added nasties, delivered to your door and consumed at set times throughout the day, starting at 8am and finishing at 7pm. You can also drink all the water and herbal tea you like. There are three plan options; 'Explore' for first-time cleansers, 'Extend' for those who've done it before, and 'Evolve' for hardcore detox devotees, which you can follow from one to five days. There are also recommended pre and post-cleanse diet tips for maximum results.

What's it like?

I opt for a three-day 'Extend' cleanse. The colourful juices certainly look appealing, with flavours like Pure Greens (kale, lemon, ginger, celery, spinach, cucumber, apple and spring greens) and Spicy Lemonade (lemon, cayenne pepper and coconut nectar). The 500ml bottles are very generous, so on day one, I don't actually miss eating at all and don't feel hungry. They taste great too - apart from the final bottle of the day, the Cashew Milk, which really doesn't agree with me. Towards the end of day two, caffeine withdrawals have brought on a banging headache and I'm cranky - but, the drinks are still keeping me feeling full, and I'm enjoying the mix of flavours. On day three, struggling to concentrate at work, I cave and wolf down some oatcakes. However, post-cleanse, I'm less bloated, have lost 2lbs, my skin looks brighter and that New Year sluggishness has gone.

:: Fruveju starts from £70 per day (www.fruveju.com)

(Review by Abi Jackson)

HERBALIFE FORMULA 1 SHAKE

Meal-replacement shake brand Herbalife have teamed up with nutritional therapist Miguel Toribio-Mateas to create five recipes using their protein-rich Formula 1 powder, which is designed to help people manage their weight. I plump for the Detox shake recipe, which involves adding berries, omega-3 and fibre-rich Chia seeds and cinnamon to the strawberry-flavoured shake mix, and having this for breakfast for three days (full recipe details can be found on their website). The Chia seeds are cleansing, while the added berries are full of antioxidants. To get the full benefits, I also give up caffeine and alcohol.

What's it like?

The shake is really filling - I drink half a pint for brekkie instead of my usual porridge before work and I'm full right through 'til lunchtime, which stops me snacking on the usual sugary treats for elevenses. I don't lose any weight, but by the end of the detox, I'm feeling clearer headed and full of energy, which is brilliant. But the side-effect of giving up caffeine is a withdrawal headache on the first day, not so brilliant! The other downside is; I'm not a huge fan of the strawberry flavouring of the shake combined with milk, so I'd try it with soya as an alternative next time.

Herbalife Formula 1, £27.60 for 550g (www.herbalife.co.uk)

(Review by Kate Whiting)

HONESTLY HEALTHY SOUP AND SMOOTHIE CLEANSE

Honestly Healthy's an alkaline lifestyle brand founded by gourmet veggie chef Natasha Corrett. Her new book, Honestly Healthy Cleanse, features 100 recipes set into four easy meal plans promising to help people look and feel fabulous. They also do a fridge fill service, delivering all your food fresh to your home so you can try any of the plans without having to shop.

What's it like?

I try the three-day soup and smoothie cleanse plan, devised to give the digestive system a break; ideal if you've been overindulging and started the year feeling knackered and bloated like me. My food arrives nice and fresh as promised, along with a menu card outlining my five daily meals; smoothies for breakfast, morning and afternoon snacks, and soup for lunch and dinner. It's daunting, but I'm surprised how filling the drinks and soups actually are. I usually find smoothies can be quite acidic, but these alkaline drinks (with flavours like Lime, Apple, Cucumber and Broccoli; Green Mango and Carrot and Ginger and Apple) are satisfying and tasty, and I love the thick, delicious soups. I also cut out caffeine and soft drinks and, after three days, I've lost 3lbs, am sleeping better and feel energised and inspired to keep eating more healthily.

3-day Soup and Smoothie Fridge Fill, from £199 (honestlyhealthyfood.com)

(Review by Laura Wurzal)