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What Do Slimming Teas Really Do?

It's time to spill the tea.

Chances are you’ve heard of slimming teas, tea detoxes, skinny teas, or whatever other names they go by, and the adverts for these teas, which are marketed as being healthy and having the ability to either help you feel less bloated or aid with weight loss, are filled with impossibly beautiful and extremely fit models. At first glance, these teas could be extremely appealing, but before you fork out your hard-earned cash, you should ask yourself what they really do?

You may notice that you will be going to the toilet more often when taking slimming tea products and this is because many of them are filled with laxatives and diuretics. According to LiveStrong, laxatives are not an effective way to lose weight and by the time the laxative is active, most of the food has already been absorbed and digested. Besides laxatives not helping with your calories, another issue is that in some cases this can cause dehydration and abdominal cramps. And long-term use could result in a weakened colon and dependency; your body won’t be able to naturally flush out waste and will become reliant on these teas.

And then there is the problem with the labeling on these teas, which sometimes fail to mention they contain diuretics, even if they are natural (like dandelion leaf, and aloe). The publication notes that some formulas have been known to react with preexisting medical conditions, which makes using these teas very risky.

Natural Warrior Tea reports that these teas could result in an electrolyte imbalance and could leave you feeling weak, possibly even causing confusion, abnormal heart rhythms, and seizures.

What about the metabolism boost these teas claim to have? Medical News Today says not to believe it because research found on this has been very limited, and any benefit from the slimming tea is probably caused not by the added ingredients by the tea itself (black and green teas have polyphenols, which have been linked to weight loss and increased metabolism).

Still, the scale says you're dropping pounds? Don't believe it, what you’re actually losing is waste and not fat. There also seems to be a lack of scientific proof relating to weight loss, and as for eliminating toxins from your body, well, your body already does that naturally. So, despite these teas promising to help you lose weight, a more sensible approach would be to eat a balanced, calorie-controlled diet.

[Image via Shutterstock]

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