Detox tea usually is a combination of herbal components intended to help cleanse toxins from the body. It is often used as a health supplement and is often used in conjunction with natural weight loss. Depending on the purpose or which part of the body the tea is intended to cleanse, the ingredients of detox tea can vary widely. In general, detox tea is said to provide some variety of a gentle herbal cleanse and is often combined with a full detox program that includes meditation, dietary changes, exercise and other elements.
Some common types of detox tea include weight loss tea, general cleansing tea and teas intended to provide a liver detox or a colon detox. Ingredients often found in these teas include diuretics such as dandelion as well as herbs believed to support the liver and kidneys, such as milk thistle. Nutritionists and medical professionals differ in their opinions regarding the effectiveness of these herbal blends, and many believe the body is able to detoxify itself efficiently without assistance from herbal supplements. However, supporters of herbal and holistic medicine believe that the quantity of toxins in today's environment are simply too much for the average person's natural detoxification processes to handle.
In the area of weight loss, some believe that the toxins stored in fat can be released during weight loss and that a cleansing tea can help the body process these toxins more efficiently. Additionally, they feel that simply letting the body naturally purge these toxins actually slows the weight loss process by taxing the body unnecessarily. According to this school of thought, simply adding a gentle detox tea speeds the detoxification process, assists weight loss efforts and removes this burden from the body's detoxification organs such as the liver and skin.
Whether detox tea is as beneficial as some believe, this kind of herbal tea generally is not harmful. Those with existing medical conditions, especially high blood pressure or conditions that could affect the liver, should consult with a doctor before consuming herbs such as milk thistle, licorice and some other common ingredients in detox tea. Most detox teas list their ingredients and the amounts on the box, making it easy for a doctor to determine if anything in the tea could be harmful. If detox tea is made at home with a recipe, it is important to keep track of the individual ingredients and the amounts used.