(Charlsie Agro, Roxanna Woloshyn/ CBC News) — It’s one of the latest celebrity-endorsed crazes sweeping social media: Teatoxing, the idea you can detoxify your body, reduce bloat, boost energy, burn stored fat and ultimately flatten your tummy — in part by drinking tea.
But according to Health Canada, the sale of some of these popular brands — with catchy names like FlatTummy Tea, BooTea and SkinnyMint— is not allowed in Canada because the products aren’t properly licensed here.
“Since those products are not registered as [natural health product numbers] … they should not be on the market in Canada,” said Health Canada spokesperson Maryse Durette.
Any product sold in Canada making a health claim must be registered and licensed as a natural health product, according to the federal agency. Even if the product doesn’t list explicit health claims, the implicit meaning in its name can be enough to require a natural health product classification.
In addition to appearing to violate Health Canada’s rules, the effectiveness of “detoxifying” teas is in question. Nutritionists, dietitians and doctors have repeatedly warned that the need to help your body detoxify is a myth. (…)