Thinking about doing a juice cleanse diet? They’re all the rage. Before you juice-it-up, read up on the facts about this diet choice.
How Juice Cleanse Dieting Works
During a juice cleanse diet, all you drink is juice. These juices are specially designed with certain nutrients to keep your body functioning while you cleanse. So, drinking that bottle of OJ you’ve got in your fridge doesn’t count. If you must eat, you’re allowed to eat raw veggies, that’s it.
What it does
The juice makers claim you’ll drop weight and remove toxins from the body. According to a CNN fitness article, the weight you do lose will mostly be water weight.
The Dangers of Juice Cleanse Dieting
If you decide to do a juice fast, keep it to a few days, otherwise, there are consequences.
“Nobody should do a juice fast for more than three days,” cautions Dr. Pamela Peeke, assistant professor at the University of Maryland and author of the book “The Hunger Fix.” No matter how many vitamins the juices have, the lack of fat means some of them won’t be properly absorbed.”
Plus, juice cleanses can also take a toll on your skin and hair.
“Few fruits contain significant amounts of fat and protein, and vegetables that contain these macronutrients — such as avocados, beans and lentils — do not lend themselves to juicing,” Livestrong.com says.
“Without sufficient protein, your body has no raw materials with which to build new tissue. A lack of fat leaves your skin and hair in poor shape and contributes to malabsorption of fat-soluble vitamins.”
The cost
The average cost of a 3-day juice cleanse can run you about $75 a day.
Check with your doctor
Before attempting a cleanse, be sure to check with your doctor. While a friend may recommend this fad diet, it’s not an ideal diet choice for some people. Check with your doc first.
