Detox here, detox there. The food and beauty industry has exploited the term "detox" in recent years so that now even my 93-year-old grandmother knows what he means. Most think immediately: Detox = healthy. But critics warn against not keeping everything healthy that is being sold as natural and detoxifying. Behind it is often nothing more than a good marketing campaign. Very popular (especially for Instagram girls) are the pretty and delicious juice cures by Detox Delight. Tasty, we know, because we have already tested them ourselves (here to read). We have asked the Austria managing director, Tanja Eberwein, a few critical questions about detox!

1. Why should one ever detoxify the body?

Tanja Eberwein: Unbalanced and irregular diet, too much sugar, coffee, alcohol and nicotine, stress and lack of exercise strain our metabolism, lead to hyperacidity and gradually also health complaints, well known as civilization diseases. One of the most important keys to restoring physical balance, well-being and health, is a natural, nutrient-rich, predominantly plant-based diet. Even according to the World Health Organization (WHO), proper nutrition is the main reason for life expectancy and health. Leading physicians such as the prevention physician Dr. med. Michael Sagner, chairman of the European Society of Lifestyle Medicine, are aware of and therefore favor the positive effects of occasional detox or healthy diets or juice cleanses.

2. Are not our liver and kidneys able to clean themselves?

Tanja Eberwein: Liver and kidney are perfectly able to clean themselves, that's their job. They have also served us well over the last millennia. Too much industrially processed products and environmental toxins, which we inadvertently absorb from water, food, clothing, cosmetics and air, complicate the work of the detoxification organs and can make them overburdened. Therefore, it is recommended that you support your strenuous job from time to time by providing the body with the nutrients it needs to function optimally.

3. Are there really slags? What is it and who can prove it?

Tanja Eberwein: The existence of slags in the human body is always in the crossfire of criticism. However, it is known that our body develops waste products in the metabolic process, some of which it can not naturally excrete. This is especially the case when we consume industrially heavily processed foods that are too artificial for our body to metabolize. They eventually end up in our fat cells and joints. Excessive consumption of animal protein as a result of too much meat, fish and dairy products in the body also favors inflammatory processes with mucus formation (especially in the joint area).

4. Can deficiencies occur during detoxification?

No. In a high-quality detox cure based on fresh cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, the exact opposite is the case: the body is flooded with a wealth of vitamins, plant enzymes, minerals, phytochemicals and trace elements. Of these valuable nutrients that provide the body ideally at the cellular level, you take in detoxing even far more to yourself than with a very conscious and healthy diet. Just a bottle of Detox Delight juice, for example, contains up to 2-3 kilos of natural fruits and vegetables. With a ration of 5 bottles р 440ml per detox day, that's about 12 kilos per day. Eating this amount daily in the form of raw fruits and vegetables, salads or other dishes is virtually impossible.

5. Are fruit juices not pure sugar?

Tanja Eberwein: Unfortunately, not everywhere where Juice Cleanse is on it is exactly what's in it, which also does the body good. Crucial is the optimal balance of fruits and vegetables, because fruits often contain plenty of fructose or glucose. Most of it is in sweet apple varieties, in pineapple, mango, bananas, grapes or oranges. Juices (or even smoothies) generally taste very pleasant to us, but are true sugar bombs that nourish our insulin production properly. The result: you get cravings, and our fat burning is stopped at the same time. Therefore, only little fruit and ideally only varieties with a low glycemic index should be used for juice cures. In addition, a lot of basic vegetables, which ensures a slightly basic climate in our body, which incidentally is a key prerequisite for successful weight loss and more well-being. At least 40% vegetables are ideal for a serious detox juice, the more, the better. Therefore, our juices from Detox Delight contain basically 40-50% vegetables, the Super Green Delight even 50-70% and with our new entry Pure Veggie Delight it is 90% vegetables.

6. When should one not detoxify?

Tanja Eberwein: High-quality detox cures are basically suitable for everyone. One exception: during pregnancy or lactation or in severe illness without prior medical advice. In a serious detox cure, the body is specifically flooded with plant nutrients from fresh fruit and vegetables, so that the cells are ideally supplied and all metabolic processes are activated. Quite the contrary to radical fasting or unhealthy crash diets it comes here also not to nutrient deficiencies, which is why such detox programs for a limited spa period of max. 14 days even for teenagers or seniors.

7. Is not water as effective as juices?

Tanja Eberwein: Violent cures or so-called Master Cleanses, in which one feeds for days only from water with lemon, maple syrup and cayenne or alternatively only tea, water and vegetable broth are drunk, have nothing to do with a serious Cleanse. They harm the metabolism and health more than they use. The body is not sufficiently supplied with vitamins and nutrients. In the case of a high-quality cleanse based on fresh cold-pressed fruit and vegetable juices, the exact opposite is the case: the finely tuned, freshly harvested and all-natural ingredients supply the cells with high-quality plant nutrients. This supports the acid-base balance of the body and has a metabolism-activating effect. With a high-quality Cleanse Juice you press the body's own reset button. The reward after a few days of discipline: new energy, more charisma and a slimmer body – without the yo-yo effect. A cleanse is also the ideal prelude to a long-term diet change and a healthier lifestyle. й Video: WOMAN