Also called the lemonade diet, the Master Cleanse diet allows you to consume only liquids and no solids for 3-10 days
Also called the lemonade diet, the Master Cleanse diet is a juice fast used to promote fast weight loss. Over 3-10 days, you are allowed only to consume liquids and no solids.
Although it is believed to cleanse the system of toxins and impurities, there is no scientific evidence to back these claims.
How does the Master Cleanse diet work?
The Master cleanse diet plan is divided into three different phases.
The first two phases last about 10 days, during which you need to make sure not to take laxatives at night or drink water with sea salt during the day.
1. Ease in phase
- Day 1: Living foods, such as vegetables and whole grains
- Day 2: Soups, fruit, and vegetable juices and broths
- Day 3: Orange juice
2. Lemonade phase
This consists of a special lemonade preparation made with:
- 2 tablespoons of organic lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
- 2 tablespoons of pure, organic grade B maple syrup
- 1/10 teaspoon of ground cayenne pepper
- 10 oz of filtered water
3. Ease out phase
- Day 1: Orange juice
- Day 2: Soups, fruit, and vegetable juices and broths
- Day 3: Living foods, such as vegetables and whole grains
Is the Master Cleanse diet good for you?
Although the benefits of detoxification are yet to be proven, there are several other potential health benefits associated with the diet.
When done occasionally with a minimum gap of at least 2 months in between, the Master Cleanse diet may help with weight loss by restricting calorie intake to 600-1,200 a day.
Lemonade and orange juice are also rich in vitamin C. And because you are restricted to liquid-only foods, you automatically avoid unhealthy and sugary snacks for the given period.
What are the major side effects of the Master Cleanse diet?
Juice cleanses are deficient in vital nutrients, such as:
Following the diet for a long time can cause:
What are the dangers of the Master Cleanse diet?
The Master Cleanse diet is considered a crash diet, which is not recommended.
There is no scientific evidence that cleanses or diets remove toxins from the body. And while you can lose weight by following this diet, it’s highly likely that you will regain the weight later on. This diet can cause muscle mass to deteriorate and destroy beneficial gut bacteria needed for digestion and immune health.
People on insulin and other long-term medications should not attempt this diet without medical supervision.