Why do you have a laxative effect during detox? Is it safe?

Whenever we try something new with our bodies, it’s normal to feel a little worried when our body is adjusting to these changes. Going through detox and taking detox supplements helps your body’s natural ability to rid itself of waste.


What Is A Laxative Effect?

A laxative effect is a name behind a similar reaction your body would have if you were to take an actual laxative. When you think of a laxative, you think of the over-the-counter or prescription-level medication you get from a pharmacy or doctor to help prevent constipation.

However, there are certain foods or drink that act as natural laxatives, and sometimes it’s impossible to avoid them. Let’s take a look at some natural laxatives.


Coffee For A Natural Stimulant

If you’re looking for nature’s natural stimulant, then look no further than your morning cup of coffee. The stimulant effect of caffeine triggers your colon. When your colon is more active it pushes waste through the rest of your digestive system faster and ultimately out of your body.

Caffeine along with your gastrocolic reflex, your body activating the colon when it senses food or drink, makes coffee a natural laxative and a great addition to certain detox routines.


Aloe Vera

Aloe vera is a species of plant that grows in tropical regions around the world. You normally see aloe on shelves and packaged in everything from drinks to creams. When taken internally, it can act as a natural laxative.

Those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome drink aloe vera juice to alleviate symptoms from digestive pains. Aloe vera also has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that make it a welcome addition to any detox regimen.


Olive Oil

Olive oil is one of the best natural laxatives. In fact, it’s suggested to take a tablespoon of olive oil every morning to keep your bowels smooth enough for waste to easily traverse the tail end of your digestive system.

The fat in olive oil helps the waste retain water which, in turn, keeps the feces soft.

If this sounds familiar to you, then you’re right, because it’s also suggested to take a cup of olive oil in the morning to help detox your body. On top of its cleansing and detox properties, olive oil also has many anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants. These properties aren’t only good to help your body detox, but they’re also good to reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer.


Berries Have Soluble Fiber

If you’re looking for a healthy, yet delicious natural source of fiber with laxative properties, then berries are the fruits to grab. The suggested berries to go for are blueberries, strawberries, or blackberries. These berries have a healthy amount of soluble fiber that helps keep your digestive system reliably cleaned out.
Blueberries don’t just have a great laxative effect, but as they’re making their way out, they help grab any toxins that could be lingering in your digestive tract while replacing any vitamins and nutrients in your body.


Consuming Apples For Pectin

Apples are like a laxative bomb in your stomach. Once the apple gets to your digestive tract it provides the fiber that helps move the waste along. Not only that, apples contain another type of fiber, a soluble fiber known as pectin.

The pectin found in apples also has a detoxifying effect of helping remove heavy metals from your body.

On top of that, pectin also has other benefits ranging from preventing certain cancers to reduce the risk of heart disease. Pectin also acts as a prebiotic that helps fill your gut with healthy bacteria after the fiber drags the bad ones out. An apple really is the superfruit for health You know what they say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.”


What Causes These Laxative Effects?

The laxative effects found in these foods do a combination of keeping your stool soft and keeping your digestive system stimulated. Those two together provide a perfectly healthy laxative effect that helps keep your system clean. However, keep in mind, like anything that acts as a laxative effect, you’ll want to stay hydrated to replace any fluids lost.


So Does This Mean A Laxative Effect While Detoxing Is Safe?

Feeling a bit of laxative effect while you’re detoxing is completely safe. However, just like anything in life, you’ll want to do things in moderation. If you’re already on a detox regimen or take detox supplements, you’re not going to want to also take additional laxatives on top of that. If you do, then you’re going to be headed to the bathroom a lot. That could lead to serious complications such as dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance.

If you’re going to follow a detox regimen, it’s important that you do your research and find what works best for you. Just don’t take any over-the-counter laxatives if you’re already consuming foods or detox supplements that give your body a laxative effect.

*This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. The information contained herein is not a substitute for and should never be relied upon for professional medical advice. Always talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of any treatment.