London, March 4 (IANS): Detoxing may be important but it is also important to do it the right way.

Evelyn Toner, senior specialist dietitian at London Bridge Hospital, dishes up the truth on detox diets and offers her top five tips for detoxing the healthy way, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

“Detox diets may lead to weight loss due to their extreme nature, calorie restriction and the fact that they cut out whole food groups. There is no evidence for them, the weight loss is not sustainable and is usually regained once a normal diet is resumed,” said Toner.

However, to keep the body functioning well, optimise health, increase energy levels and improve skin, hair and nails, follow the five tips below:

* Include a variety of fruit and vegetables every day: The more colourful and varied, the better it is. They can be fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or as juice. Include some at each meal and as a snack between meals, aiming for five portions a day. These will give you a wide range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre.

* Drink plenty of fluid: All non-alcoholic drinks count but try to avoid sugary soft and fizzy drinks and excessive caffeine-containing drinks. This will keep you hydrated, help flush toxins and keep skin glowing.

* Choose high fibre starchy foods: This will help you feel full for longer and provide important vitamins, minerals and fibre which will keep your digestive system healthy and prevent constipation.

* Eat less salt: Even if you don't add salt to your meals, many foods are already high in salt. Excessive salt intake can increase your blood pressure and risk of other diseases.