Does Detox Water For Weight Loss Work?

We all know the importance and health benefits of drinking enough water, but what about detox water? Does it really help with weight loss?

The concept is simple enough. Toss in some fruit and vegetables into a jug of water, and you’ve got a delicious drink touting numerous health benefits, including helping you shed off pounds.

Here’s the lowdown on detox water, how to make it, and whether it actually works for weight loss.

What is detox water?

Simply put, detox water is water produced by soaking various fruits, vegetables, and herbs in plain water. Doing this will help infuse the health properties of the added compounds in the water.

Avid lovers of detox water drink it early in the morning, usually on an empty stomach, and then take small sips of it throughout the day.

How to make detox water

Making detox water is relatively simple. Choose a combination of fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs based on your taste. After chopping and slicing up the ingredients, add them to either hot or cold water.

If you prefer cold water, it’s important to leave the detox water in the fridge for up to 12 hours before drinking. This allows for the proper infusion of the nutrients into the water.

You can play around with different ingredients based on your preferences. Here are some common combinations.

• Ginger and lemon

• Mint and cucumber

• Apple and cinnamon

• Orange and berries

• Basil and strawberry

• Turmeric, ginger, and cayenne

• Mango, pineapple, and lemon

Detox water and weight loss

If you find plain water too boring to drink, adding fresh fruits and vegetables can help encourage you to keep picking up that water bottle throughout the day. Drinking sufficient amounts of water can help promote weight loss, as it improves your metabolism.

A 2014 study looked at 12 people who drank half a liter of cold and room temperature water. Ninety minutes after drinking the water, they experienced increased energy expenditure and also burned 2% to 3% more calories than their usual calorie output¹.

Detox water can also help suppress hunger pangs by keeping you full and satiated. When you are full, you are less likely to binge on high-calorie and high-fat foods.

Adding fiber-rich fruits and vegetables like pineapple, apple, oranges, or cucumber can also help in keeping your hunger pangs away. This is because fiber naturally takes up more space in your stomach than carbohydrates and fat².

Replacing your usual high-calorie sugary drinks with detox water can reduce your overall daily calorie intake, especially since it has almost no fat content and calories. It can also encourage mindful eating.

Sometimes, being thirsty can make you feel like eating something to fill your stomach. By drinking a big glass of detox water every day, you can reduce mindless and unnecessary snacking throughout the day. 

Other health claims of detox water

Detox water not only claims to encourage weight loss but also boosts various health benefits, ranging from optimizing your digestion to improving your immunity. 

Improves digestion

Water is an essential component for healthy digestion and regular bowel movements. Drinking enough water helps break down the food you eat and allows the successful uptake of nutrients to be absorbed within your body³. As your large intestine absorbs water from your food and drink, your stools will also change from liquid to solid.

The fiber in the various fruits and vegetables in detox water can provide additional fiber for gut health. Water and fiber go hand in hand, as water helps your body digest soluble fiber, turning it into a gel-like consistency⁴. This helps create well-formed stools and healthy bowel movements. 

Increases energy

Dehydration is detrimental to your health. Even mild levels of dehydration can negatively impact your energy levels, concentration, and overall mood. In fact, this is so pronounced that researchers have found dehydration levels of just 1% can produce headaches, reduce attention span, and decrease concentration levels⁵.

A study that involved adults who consumed less than 1.2 liters of water daily had them increase their daily intake to 2.5 liters. Researchers found that participants had more energy, felt calmer, and were overall happier⁶.

If it’s not easy for you to drink plain water, spruce it up with your favorite fruits and vegetables. It’s a great (and fun) way of ensuring you’re drinking enough water during the day to keep your energy levels up. 

Boosts immunity

While water itself doesn’t necessarily affect your immune system, the fruits, vegetables, and herbs soaked in it can work wonders in boosting your immunity. Most fruits, especially citrus fruits like lemons and oranges, contain high amounts of vitamin C.

Certain herbs and spices like ginger also have potent anti-inflammatory properties. These include antioxidants, compounds that help protect your body from free radical damage. Studies have shown that ginger effectively enhances immune response and has potent antibacterial and antiviral properties⁷.

If you’re pairing ginger with other ingredients like honey and lemon in your detox water, this could also give a boost to your immunity. Honey has been shown to have antiviral and antibacterial effects⁸.

Note, however, that honey contains calories, and taking it can add to your daily calorie intake. Honey contains 64kcal per one tablespoon⁹. 

The lowdown

Weight loss is influenced by numerous factors, including what you eat and how hard and often you exercise. While detox water by itself isn’t a miracle weight loss product, it’s a delicious, healthy, and low-calorie alternative to sugary drinks that will hinder your attempt to lose weight.

So while detox water, in itself, does not make you lose weight, drinking it has numerous benefits. Include drinking it in your daily regimen for your overall good health and well-being.