Most of the “natural cleanses” that are touted today for detoxification aren’t really for detoxification. The wellness talk around the water cooler is that everything natural detoxifies. From the diet teas which sell en masse to herbs such as goldenseal, milk thistle, or red clover. They are touted as agents of detoxification that go into the system and literally draw out the poisons. But this isn’t true.

In the world of natural wellness, various types of cleanses and detoxification programs abound. These days there are all kinds of juice and smoothie cleanses, detoxifying teas, and other stuff out there, almost too much to count.

The idea around natural detoxification is nothing new and in fact has been around for many years. I remember 30 years ago when the master cleanse was made popular through the publication of a tiny sized booklet, which sold at health stores. The concept went viral with tens of thousands of people across the United States practicing the cleanse. The cleanse had to do with the detoxification effects of combining a daily combined dose of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper together with fasting. The program was touted for weight loss and a type of body spring-cleaning.

But did the master cleanse really work? It’s still selling today and if you listen to either the marketing companies, the social media influencers, or the celebrities, and all the online hype surrounding the treatment, you’d be inclined to believe that it does. In fact, today, variations of the master cleanse are still selling on health food store shelves. So, it makes sense that it works, if everyone is doing it. Right?

Not Exactly…

I would be hard pressed to say that it really does in fact work. Neither cayenne pepper nor lemons possess the same type of drawing power of montmorillonite clay, which has been clinically validated as a detoxification agent. In fact, cayenne pepper, when its consumed, can potentially irritate the gastrointestinal tract and cause diarrhea in some persons. And maple syrup, while it contains a favorable nutrient profile, is high in sugar. The cleanse is mostly, at the end of the day, water. Lots of it.

Just Cuz its Natural, Doesn’t Mean it’s a Detox

I personally am miffed when I see so many different types of natural products touted for detoxification. This is because they ultimately fail to detoxify the body in the same manner as clay.

Some traditional doctors currently possess the viewpoint that all natural cleanses are superfluous; in other words, not required. They maintain that the body organs really don’t need any help. That toxins generally don’t build up in the body and that the body is simply capable or ridding those toxins through the organs. That the liver is capable on its own of removing the bad stuff from the body.

Your Liver is Amazing

After all, the liver is an incredible manufacturing, processing, and storage organ.  

The liver performs over 500 vital functions in our bodies. One of the liver’s most important jobs is sorting through one’s blood. The cells that do a lot of this work are called hepatocytes. The liver gets in blood from the arteries and from the intestines through a vein called the portal vein.  

When the liver finds something that is waste or looks like its toxic, it will convert that to something that is safe or inert and sends it to the kidneys to be peed out or to the intestines to be pooped out. So, in essence it is a filtering mechanism. Some doctors advocate that certain natural cleanse programs might do more harm than good; and the only purpose of natural detoxification regimens is to detoxify the user of their money!

Clay is Unique in Its Ability to Detox

All this discussion of drinking juice for example as a cleansing tool is in direct contrast to the consumption of clay as a detoxification agent. Clay is uniquely capable of both absorption and adsorption of various types of toxins and pathogens in the gut. This information has been validated through clinical studies. In my book, Healing with Clay, I provide an overview of some of these clinical trials that showed both the efficacy and safety of clay consumption. 

How does clay work? Due to its unique crystalline structure, montmorillonite clay will draw toxins in the gastrointestinal tract and retain them. Those toxins are later eliminated through the feces, preventing the uptake in the blood and their subsequent distribution to target organs. This is one of the reasons why clay is included in animal feed, to prevent the transmission of naturally occurring toxins in the grains which the animals eat.

Have I Been Fed a Pack of Lies?

I am not saying that there aren’t beneficial or therapeutic effects from such natural foods including cayenne pepper, maple syrup or lemons once they are absorbed by the gut and their nutrients are assimilated into the blood. The nutrients may certainly assist the liver in performing its job. But that doesn’t mean the ingredients in the master cleanse are real detoxification agents.

Also, cleanses might be an unbalanced way of dieting. Some diet tea cleanses can be dangerous since some of the ingredients can be harmful to the liver. Some colon cleanses can lead to cramping, diarrhea, vomiting or more serious outcomes like perforated bowel and infections. If one has underlying kidney or heart problems, the occurrence of electrolyte problems can be dangerous.

About the Author:

Ran Knishinsky eats clay on a daily basis. When he's not eating dirt, he is the author of 4 books published in 5 languages. Ran is the founder of Detox Dirt, an edible montmorillonite clay. Ran has been over 15 years in both the naturopathic and allopathic medicine industries. He first owned a Homeopathic Dispensary and Health Food Store. Later he worked in the Hospital, Med Device, and Pharmaceutical sectors as a Management Consultant and Marketing Executive where he led large-scale commercial efforts for high-profile drugs at publicly traded companies. Ran holds a Master of Business Administration from the WP Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. Learn more about what Ran is eating at DetoxDirt.com!

Read Ran’s second edition new book called Healing with Clay: A Practical Guide to Earth’s Oldest Natural Remedy.