Problems With Slimming Herbal Teas

"Slimming teas" are not naturally slimming, nor are they simply tea leaves. Ordinary herbal teas like peppermint, ginger, or chamomile are made from steeping dried herbs in hot water for some minutes. Slimming teas have some ingredient added to fulfill their claims of "eliminating calories and toxins", claims that should be closely analyzed along with their related ingredients. Since teas are calorie free, it is impossible to gain weight while drinking them.

Unsubstantiated Claims

• Claims that teas will provide "cleansing" or "detoxification"are made by the producer, but are backed by no one. In fact, the validity of detox diets is criticized by the nutrition columnist at the Mayo Clinic, since the kidney and liver are independently effective at disposing of toxins. Ingredients that act as diuretics or appetite suppressants may be cleaning out your GI tract, but it means that disposal and not necessarily cleansing is taking place. Some products will even say *These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease," a definite warning sign that any claims for better health have not been approved.

Laxatives

• Laxatives stimulate movement in the large intestine to clean it out, but do not affect the small intestine. Since absorption of calories and of most nutrients happens in the small intestine, no calories are exiting the body when laxatives are used. Instead, some essential nutrients that are normally absorbed in the large intestine along with some waste is expelled. Chronic use of laxatives can cause dehydration, constant diarrhea, fainting, stomach cramps and vomiting but not consistent weight loss. According to the Mayo Clinic, consistently ingesting laxatives can even lead to dependency and decreased bowel function. Laxatives included in slimming teas are listed as castor oil, cascara, aloe, buckthorn, senna and rhubarb root.

Diruetics

• Slimming teas often use diuretics as part of their cleansing mechanism, but the method of diuretics is to rob the body of needed fluids. Since the majority of body composition is water, losing water means temporarily losing weight. Losing water weight is not losing fat weight, so the pounds are easily regained. If diuretics are used excessively, dehydration, electrolyte imbalance and potassium deficiencies can send someone into severe electrolyte imbalance. As discussed from Remedy Health Media, electrolyte balance can lead to problems with muscle coordination, heart function, fluid absorption and excretion, nerve function, and concentration.

Appetite Suppresants

• Some tea leaves which are purported as slimming include supposed appetite suppressants, but consumers should not be fooled to think that these suppressants are magical. Hoodia Gordonii, angelica root of the ordinary flax seeds and peppermint may all be listed on the ingredient panels of slimming teas. The potency of the leading suppressant, Hoodia, is still widely debated while angelica has no scientific evidence to support it. Flax can increase fullness if ingested, a benefit which is not provided when the seeds stay in a tea bag. The smell of peppermint, along with the smell of green apple and banana, is a recognized appetite suppressant --- a benefit when drinking sented teas, but also when lighting candles.