Detox Foods and Juice Cleanse Claims Checked
Do detox foods, detox diets and juice cleanses remove toxins? What NCCIH and published reviews found, the documented risks of cleanses, and when to ask a clinician first.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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The claim as marketed
"Detox" foods, teas and juice cleanses are promoted as flushing toxins out of the body, resetting the system or helping you lose weight. This page checks the food and juice versions of that claim. Detox supplements, herbs and colon cleansing products belong to other parts of the site, and herbal teas are covered under herbal teas and extracts.
What the evidence is
| Question | What the source found | Evidence label |
|---|---|---|
| Do detox diets eliminate toxins? | NCCIH reports a 2015 review concluding there was no compelling research to support detox diets for weight management or for eliminating toxins from the body. [1] | No good evidence of benefit |
| Are there human trials? | The 2015 critical review said it knew of no randomized controlled trials of commercial detox diets in humans. [2] | Proper evidence not found in the reviews we read |
| Are there any positive studies? | NCCIH notes a small number of studies, some with positive results on weight and other measures, but of low quality. [1] The 2015 review described a handful of clinical studies as hampered by flawed methodologies and small sample sizes. [2] | Insufficient evidence |
| Do specific foods "detox"? | The 2015 review described preliminary evidence for foods such as coriander, nori and olestra, mostly from animal studies. [2] | Preclinical (animals) |
Keep animal findings apart from human results: a result in animals does not show that eating the food clears anything from a person.
What do the sources say about the body's own processes? The pages we read describe the claims and the studies of cleanses; they do not set out how the liver and kidneys work, so we do not make claims about that here. A clinician can explain it for your situation.
What a reader can safely do
- Treat "detox" on a label as a marketing claim, not a measured effect.
- If you want to eat more vegetables and fruit, whole foods in ordinary meals are covered in whole fruit versus juice and foods for gut health and bloating.
- If you have kidney disease, diabetes or other health conditions, or take medicines, ask a clinician or pharmacist before any cleanse. See also kidney disease and supplements and pasteurized versus unpasteurized foods.
For the full list of food claims we check, see food claim checks.
Frequently asked questions
Do juice cleanses remove toxins?
Not shown. NCCIH reports no compelling research that detox diets eliminate toxins from the body. [1]
Can a juice cleanse hurt the kidneys?
A published case report links an oxalate-rich green juice cleanse to acute kidney injury in a woman with risk factors; one case cannot show how common it is. [3]
Are there any foods proven to detox the body?
Proper evidence not found in the sources we read. We looked at NCCIH and a 2015 critical review, which described preliminary, mostly animal findings. [2]
Is unpasteurized juice a problem in a cleanse?
NCCIH says unpasteurized juices can make people sick, and the illnesses can be serious in children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. [1]
Who should ask a clinician before a cleanse?
Anyone with diabetes, kidney disease or a history of kidney stones, or who takes medicines, should check first. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Safety first
Cleanses can cause harm. Programs built on laxatives can cause diarrhea that leads to dehydration and malabsorption, and going days without food while drinking large amounts of water and herbal tea could lead to dangerous electrolyte imbalances. [1] Juices that have not been pasteurized or otherwise treated to kill harmful bacteria can make people sick, and the illnesses can be serious in children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems. [1] If you have severe diarrhea, fainting, confusion or other alarming symptoms, get urgent medical care (911 in the US).
Documented risks of juice cleanses
NCCIH notes that some juices used in cleanses are made from high-oxalate foods such as leafy green vegetables and beets, and that people prone to kidney stones should limit high-oxalate foods. [1] A case report in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases describes a 65-year-old woman who developed acute oxalate nephropathy, a kidney injury, temporally associated with an oxalate-rich green smoothie juice "cleanse"; her risk factors included a remote gastric bypass and recent prolonged antibiotic use. [3] A single case report cannot show how common this is, but the authors urged patients and physicians to be aware of the potential in susceptible people. [3]
People with diabetes should follow the eating plan their care team recommends and speak with their providers before major changes to how they eat. [1]
References
- Detoxes and Cleanses: What You Need To Know. National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), NIH, United States. Read 2026-10-23.
- Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet 2015. PMID 25522674. Read 2026-10-23.
- "Green Smoothie Cleanse" Causing Acute Oxalate Nephropathy. Am J Kidney Dis 2018. PMID 29203127. Read 2026-10-23.