Are Skinny Teas Safe? What You Need to Know Before Starting a Teatox Detox Diet Plan

The teatox diet is among the latest trend to hit the health market and its popularity has raised the questions, are skinny teas safe? Thanks to the viral nature of social media, celebrity and pretty women endorsements, they’ve taken off like wild fire. The idea behind the skinny teatox diet is the same as the plethora diet plans out there and that is to promote rapid weight loss. Unfortunately, between marketing hype, and unscrupulous companies that jump on the bandwagon hoping to make a quick buck, it’s not always easy to tell when following these plans may put someone’s health– or even life– in jeopardy. So, what are teatox detox plans, how safe are they and what are the long term potential risks?

What is skinny tea?

A majority of skinny teas market themselves as a way to boost metabolism, cleanse and detox, lose weight, and reduce bloating. They generally contain a combination of ingredients including green tea, senna leaf, and yerba mate, and are intended to be steeped and drunk in the form of a tea. As a rule, they are not for long-term use; most plans recommend following them for about two weeks at a time before giving the body some time off.

How skinny tea works

Many of the ingredients in skinny teas are ones most users will already be familiar with. Green tea and goji berries are known for being antioxidant-rich superfoods. Yerba mate boosts metabolism with its caffeine content. Senna, a pretty potent laxative, can help cleanse the colon and reduce bloating. The leaves of stinging nettle plants are found in many different detox teas and can help mitigate the side-effects of senna. Green tea and yerba mate also act as a diuretic, further helping to reduce bloating by eliminating water weight. Ashwagandha root can help boost energy levels while reducing anxiety. The combination of these ingredients are generally supposed to produce a laxative effect in the body while promoting energy levels and helping the body fight toxins. The laxative effect in the skinny teas are what essentially promotes weight loss, most of it being water weight. A few of the skinny teas also contain ingredients that help to curb the appetite thereby promoting weight loss.

Avoid marketing hype

With the way detox plans are so heavily marketed, it’s possible for users to develop unrealistic expectations because of their hype. While these teas may work for many people, they aren’t a guaranteed cure-all for every user looking to feel better and shed some excess weight in the process. Since the teas themselves are only intended for short-term use, followers of teatox detox plans can experience bloating and weight gain once they’ve completed their round of tea. This is especially true if they don’t make other lifestyle changes. These teas can be helpful, but only as a jumping-off point– a good diet and regular exercise help maintain results.

Are skinny teas safe or dangerous?

Most people will find skinny teas safe for short-term use. Like anything else, it’s best to avoid skinny teas if you’re allergic to any of their ingredients. People with heart problems or hypertension will probably want to steer clear of them, too– Yerba mate contains nearly as much caffeine as coffee. One of the most commonly used ingredients in these teas, senna leaves, can cause abdominal cramping, bloating, and loose or watery stools. In 2013, an Australian company that marketed a skinny tea had their Instagram account shut down when several users experienced severe side-effects from the laxatives in their product due to inappropriate use. So ultimately are skinny teas safe? Yes, they can be if used correctly. Use only for a short period of time and intermittently. Personally, I am not a fan of using anything daily for an extended period of time. Not only do you risk your body becoming dependent on the item or worse introducing an excessive amount of a particular ingredient to your system which can be toxic, but you might also build a tolerance to the product which means it loses effectiveness overtime.

Skinny tea and women’s health

With the popularity of skinny teatox detox teas, there are a wide variety of brands in the marketplace and every product offers something different. It’s important to pick a trustworthy brand and also become familiar with the ingredients and any potential allergies. Since skinny teas work like herbal laxative, problems might arise with long term daily use as it might lead to dehydration, nutrient deficiencies or worse hurt your hormones and fertility. The best days to do a detox regimen in a woman’s cycle is during the first and second week when hormone levels are high. This may help the body with moving out left over blood from cycle or old hormones. In the article Female Hormone Diaries, Get in Sync with Your Cycle, we breakdown the changes in hormone levels that occur during the menstrual cycle and the best days to detox the body.

Drinking skinny teas safely

Though most people find teatox detox safe when used as directed, there are some precautions to take. Considering the laxative and diuretic action of some ingredients in skinny teas, staying hydrated is very important. Fruits, vegetables, and lean meats are excellent sources of potassium and other electrolytes that may be depleted by these teas, and should be part of a healthy diet. If side-effects like high blood pressure, rapid heartbeat, abdominal pain, watery stools, muscle cramps, or tingling in the hands and feet occur, it’s a good idea to stop using these teas and consult a doctor to avoid the long-term health risk of skinny tea.

The best way to buy high quality skinny teas

Skinny teas are supplements, and potential buyers need to be on the lookout for quality assurances that come from third-party sources to help filter out quality producets. Look for teas that are certified according to Good Manufacturing Practice Regulations, or certified organic. Fair trade teas come from farms where workers receive a fair wage for their labor, so they’re good options for socially-conscious consumers. Can skinny tea or a teatox detox plan help jump-start a diet plan? Sure, but it needs some help in order to produce lasting results. Diet, exercise, and a healthy lifestyle all have to come together to help maintain the weight loss and detoxifying effect produced by teatox detox plans. By buying the best quality teas available, eating right, and exercising regularly, it’s possible to have a leaner, healthier physique and a better outlook on life. Sources: “Green Tea.” University of Maryland Medical Center. Ed. Steven Ehrlich. 23 Sept. 2013. Web. 19 Jan. 2016. “ASHWAGANDHA: Uses, Side Effects, Interactions and Warnings – WebMD.” WebMD. WebMD, 18 Jan. 2016. Web. 19 Jan. 2016.