How Does Wine Affect a Detox Diet?

"The Compact Oxford English Dictionary" defines the word "detoxify" as removing toxic substances from and abstaining or helping to abstain from drink or drugs until the bloodstream is free of toxins. When toxins build up in the body, the effects are noticeable on the liver, skin and lungs. A detox diet or regimen can help reverse these harmful effects and cleanse the system. However, none of the detox diets or regimens recommend drinking alcohol as part of the regimen.

Misconceptions

Detoxing is not always a severe, strict regimen where you drink homemade "lemonade." In fact, there are many types of diets and regimens, such as simply drinking more water, taking supplements, eating only fruits and even more restrictive ones.
Too much of anything can be a bad thing, but alcohol in moderation, particularly wine, is thought to have some health benefits, including a decreased risk for heart attack and hypertension. Bear in mind that moderation is typically defined as one drink per day for women and two for men.

Facts

Although wine is very low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, it is high in sugars and alcohol, which make it undesirable, especially because the liver is the main organ of detoxification--while detoxing, the liver is responsible for removing existing toxins. So by drinking even one glass of wine, the liver will have to work harder to remove the alcohol from your system, thereby negating any detox program you're on. To make the transition to a detox diet easier, start weaning yourself off alcohol two weeks prior to starting a regimen, so that by the beginning of the regimen, you are consuming very little or, ideally, none.

Benefits of Detox

Toxins can be found in the environment, in certain foods and in daily bodily processes. Following a detox regimen properly can improve your body inside and out. Some of the positive changes you may experience involve livelier appearance, better sleep patterns, emotional well-being and possibly even weight loss. Further benefits include a strengthened immune system, eliminating free radicals, generating healthy cells, cleansing mucous, reducing inflammation, purifying the blood and curbing cravings for substances such as sugar, alcohol, junk foods and nicotine.

Benefits of Red Wine

Instead of the proverbial apple, a glass of red wine a day may be a part of a healthy diet. The health benefits span quite an impressive range---increased longevity, cancer prevention, reducing the risk of stroke, protecting the heart and brain, reducing inflammation, and helping to reverse diabetes and obesity, to name a few.

Considerations

Just as drinking is a personal decision, so is detoxing. Define your goal--do you want to lose weight, break an addiction or simply feel healthier--and then choose a regimen conducive to attaining that goal. Bear in mind that drinking alcohol will greatly reduce the benefits. Stay "on the wagon" for the duration of the program, and return to moderate drinking afterward. In doing so, the body can reap the benefits of both detoxification and red wine.