Does Juice Cleanses Really Work?

One of the most popular dieting trends of recent years, juice cleanses involves sticking to a juice only regime for several weeks – the aim is to detoxify the body and lose weight, with juices being rich in vegetables and fruit, as well as in sugar and other nutrients. However, do juice cleanses really work? What are some of the main arguments against embarking on a juice cleansing diet, and are there alternatives that use similar methods, but in much less extreme ways?

Does Juice Cleanses Really Work?

• In effect, a juice cleanse is promoted as a way to control your calories by drinking a set number of shakes or juices per day – these contain a blend of fruits and vegetables, as well as some other ingredients like milk and protein. Dieters take in a fixed number of calories per day, and use a juicing diet to lower their weight – detoxification then occurs as the body no longer takes in foods rich in fat, salt, and other substances.                             
• However, there are many downsides to a juice cleanse – it represents an extreme diet that can lead to short and long term problems when abused; even when drinking juice, you still receive a high concentration of fructose, which can cause blood sugar level issues. Similarly, juicing can actually, remove nutrients from the skin of fruit and vegetable, and can mean that you don’t take in the right amounts of protein and other important minerals.                                                                       
• Nutritionists also point out that the detoxifying qualities of a juice cleanse don’t necessarily have any scientific evidence to back them up; indeed, the body does a good job of detoxifying itself through sweating, urination, and other methods, without having to rely on a special diet to do so. The weight loss through a juice cleanse is also mostly water weight, which can be quickly added back on once you start up normal eating and drinking regimen. Juice cleanses can similarly lead to a slower metabolism, making it harder to absorb calories without gaining weight in the future.                                                         
• As with most diets, it’s much better to not take an extreme the route, but rather to moderate your diet; side effects from an extreme juice cleanse can include stress, poor bowel movements from a lack of fiber, as well as irritability and hunger pains. Just drinking juice for several weeks is not something that’s going to improve your mood, and like other extreme diets, it can cause long term issues with yo-yo eating, crashing, and pushing your body without understanding the harm that’s being caused.                                                              
• Juice can be a healthy addition to your diet, though, but in moderation – making fruit and vegetable juices using a juicer can be an excellent way to get your five a day, and can provide an efficient solution to avoiding sugary drinks at work. However, just depending on the juice to cleanse your body probably isn’t going to do you too much good.                            
• If you do have a juicer, you can use it to create a healthy diet that incorporates juice mixes – there are many different options for doing so, while you can also create yogurt-like drinks and shakes that can be used to vary your diet. Again, it’s best to view concentrated juices as one part of a more diverse diet that incorporates plenty of healthy proteins, fiber, and iron from different sources. At the same time, getting regular exercise and limiting portion sizes can be the best way to lose weight while staying healthy. In this context, juice cleanses can work if you want to put your body through torture just for the sake of a few pounds, but shouldn’t be completely relied on if you want to preserve your general well-being.