Just
as it’s been drilled into us for years, the best
way to stave off extra pounds and feel healthy is eating
your fruits and veggies and exercising regularly. Boring!
In a culture where people can undo anything from marriages
to the signs of ageing, there must be an easier solution
for those of us eager to ignore the old adages and wolf
down that crème brûlée. That’s
where detox regimes come into play. What originally
was a tradition for yogaphiles
now has become a trend for folks feeling a bit crummy
about their bodies, whether it’s a few extra pounds
or that general “blah” resulting from too
many potato chips.
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Spas
offer detox programs and health food stores sell all
sorts of cleansing herbs, but it seems cleansing teas
are the easiest detox method to adopt. We tried three
of these teas claiming to clean out your organs and
leave you feeling healthy: Yogi Tea’s “Peach
DeTox,” Traditional Medicinals’ “EveryDay
Detox” and The Republic of Tea’s “get
clean” tea. But the big question remains: do these
teas really work? A hot mug did make us feel different—some
of us felt thinner, even “cleaner,” while
others complained of stomach upset. Most detox tea brands
suggest drinking one cup each day as part of a cleansing
program, so perhaps the true effect was lost on us.
In general, cleansing teas are add-ons to detox regimens—not
diet aids alone—so if you're drinking the tea
while exercising and following a healthy diet, of course,
you’ll feel better.
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There
may be some truth to what these teas claim, as many
of their main ingredients are known—to folk practices
if not to modern medicine—as aids to our digestive
and filtering organs. Ingredients
include ginger, milk thistle, licorice, rooibos, black
pepper and dandelion. A compound in milk thistle, found
in The Republic of Tea’s detox blend, helps to
protect the liver from harmful substances, preventing
toxins from penetrating the interior of the liver cells.
Dandelion, found in Yogi Tea’s Peach DeTox, supposedly
has value as a diuretic while cinnamon, found in the
same tea, helps alleviate urinary problems and improves
digestion. EveryDay Detox by Traditional Medicinals
contains licorice root, which treats stomach ulcers
and protects the liver.
Our
opinion? If they work for you detox fans and yoga lovers—great.
Make sure to read the standard diet-aid warnings, and
happy sipping. But personally, eating a juicy apple
and going for a brisk walk works just fine. 
Find out more about the teas we tried:
Yogi
Tea
Traditional
Medicinals
The
Republic of Tea
| P122106 |
(Updated:
01/26/07) |
