Is A Detox Juice Cleanse For You?

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Juice cleanses have been all over the headlines, but what are they, and should you try one? If so why? Also called a juice fast, a juice cleanse is a detox diet that involves consuming just vegetable and fruit juice for a short period of time, usually one to three days long. A lot of people who advocate for juice cleanses believe that drinking juice floods the body with healing nourishment while also flushing toxins and waste. However, others argue that they could actually have negative effects.

First, let’s start with the preparation for a juice cleanse. For three to five days before the cleanse you have to start eliminating certain foods and drinks; coffee, sugar, meat, dairy, wheat, and alcohol. For the actual cleanse, you need to drink 32 ounces of juice or smoothies daily over a three-day period. Half the amount of juice drink should be green juice. If you become hungry, you can have a vegetable broth or a small snack like carrots or celery. Then after the cleanse you can start gradually adding foods back into your diet over the course of several days.

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The positives of a juice cleanse:
- it supports the body’s natural detox process by clearing the diet of sugar, caffeine, refined foods that deplete energy
- good nutrients, phytochemicals, and antioxidants that are more easily absorbable in liquid form.
- it improves health, increases energy, eliminates toxins, and gives you better digestion
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The negatives of a juice cleanse:
- experts say that juice cleanse lacks fiber, which helps control your appetite and helps your body “cleanse” itself
- any weight loss that is likely to be gained back, and drinking only juices will likely leave you feeling hungry
- you going on a temporary diet will not produce the long-term effects that you are hoping for
- might lead to liver, kidney, or gallbladder problems
- it does not teach the skills of healthy meal planning and preparing needed for weight loss that people want out of this cleanse