Why I Don’t Believe in Juice Cleanses

I remember when I first heard about the ‘Master Cleanse’ — a liquid diet of lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper for weeks at a time — and thought it was crazy. How the actual [redacted] can anyone survive, for days, solely on this “version" of lemonade? Soon thereafter, juice cleanses rose to fame.

My personal experience with juice cleanses has been tumultuous to say the least. I had read so many glowing reviews about how they’re the perfect way to detox and reset your body, plus you get to drink a variety of different juices throughout the day, so it sounded far more doable than the Master Cleanse. 

Over the course of the past six years, I’ve tried four juice cleanses and I couldn’t make it past a day and half! Each time, I either got splitting headaches or started craving food so bad that my will power couldn’t take it. I’ve even tried cleanses that consist of smoothies so they included more substance than just juice as well as one that still allowed me to eat raw fruits and veggies. Turns out, I’m just not cut out for the juice cleanse lifestyle!

You could say I’m a big fat juice cleanse failure and I’m totally fine with that! I’ve tried and tried again and found that they just don’t work for me. I love food. Like really love food. Even going a day without food gives me FOMO for the meals I could have enjoyed. But I completely understand why people love juice cleanses and how good they can make you feel. 

Though there still isn’t much science behind juice cleanses, they’re touted for making a person feel more energetic and possibly improving digestion thanks to the introduction of healthy enzymes and anti-inflammatory compounds. I could see how that could happen and make you feel great, but to be honest, that’s how I feel just by eating healthier, without having to give up food all-together. 

There are also tons of risks associated with juice cleanses. Certain juices contain acids that can contribute to kidney stones and lowering your caloric intake so drastically can be harmful, leading to dehydration, headaches, and fainting. While reducing calories may make you lose weight, the loss is typically only short-term. (Source)

There is, however, another type of juice worth trying that doesn’t inhibit your meals and is proven to have tons of health benefits: celery juice! The celery craze has been popping up everywhere, with celebs from Busy Phillips to Kim Kardashian touting the outcome of drinking it daily.  It’s recommended to have a glass in the morning on an empty stomach and then continue on with your day as normal. Celery contains tons of antioxidants and vitamins and minerals that aid in everything from digestion and inflammation to decreasing blood pressure and helping promote clear skin (Source). Now that’s something I can get behind! I haven’t tried it yet, but I’ll definitely report back after some experimentation.

cover via Huffington Post