Juice cleanse is a diet that involves the consumption of juices that are obtained from different kinds of fruits and vegetables. Juice cleanse if often considered a detox diet that helps the body get rid of toxins and therefore improvise the health benefits. People who opt for a juice cleanse process, do not eat anything except fruit and vegetable juices for a short term and it is also called 'Juice Fast', meaning you are on fast and cannot eat anything except drink the juices.
According to some people, following a juice cleanse regimen provides beneficial healing nourishment to the body and allows it to flush out harmful toxins and waste. Some juice clean advocates believe that a juice cleanse diet promotes the body's detoxifying process and helps to get rid of the useless components that are responsible for energy depletion. However, there is no research in support of this, so should we actually do a juice cleanse? If yes, then how to do it?
Juice cleanse: What Are the Possible Risks?
Since there's insufficient evidence about the benefits of a juice cleanse, the following can be the risks, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health :
Eating disorders: People on juice cleanse may develop eating disorders that may lead to many other complications.
Weight loss: Since liquid diets like juices are low in calories, a juice cleanse may lead to temporary and unhealthy weight loss.
Weakness: Fainting, lack of energy, dehydration, hunger pangs, and headaches due to lack of sufficient calories.
Malnutrition & malnourishment: Since juices are devoid of essential proteins and fats that are important for the normal functioning of the body and physical health, the body lacks essential nutrient intake which ultimately leads to malnutrition and malnourishment, which results in poor healing and improper brain function.
Greater Risk of Illness: People who consume unpasteurised juices while having a juice cleanse are more susceptible to illnesses, especially the young and elderly people who lack a strong immune system.
Dehydration and electrolyte Imbalance: People who consume juices that are rich in laxatives may have an abnormal bowel stimulation that eventually leads to dehydration & loss of essential nutrients from the body and hence electrolyte imbalance.
Kidney health: Juices that are derived from sources like spinach and beets are rich in oxalates. Consuming oxalate-rich juices may degrade kidney function and lead to some kidney problems. People who are already having chronic kidney diseases might be at risk of developing a serious condition called Oxalate nephropathy, which ultimately causes kidney failure.
These are some of the possible known risks of a juice cleanse and there can be many more. Therefore, people should consult a professional before starting a juice cleanse diet.
What Are the Benefits of a Juice Cleanse Diet?
According to Healthline, the following are some of the reported benefits of a juice cleanse diet:
Weight Loss: People who are overweight and obese might benefit from a juice cleanse as it helps in losing weight.
Gut Bacteria: According to research, a juice cleanse increases the level of bacteria (Bacteroidetes) in the body that are helpful for triggering weight loss. However, juice cleanse also increases the level of Firmicutes, bacteria responsible for weight gain.
Detoxification: As per some advocates, a juice cleanse helps in the body's detoxification process and removes the harmful toxins and residues from the body, however, there's no research in support of this. In fact, people should have a balanced diet along with plenty of fluids to boost the body's detox process.
There's no solid evidence about the claimed benefits of Juice cleanses in the medical community. They do not aid in long-term weight loss and health benefits. Therefore, people should not hop on to a juice cleanse without consulting a doctor. The majority of healthcare professionals suggest a balanced diet instead for good health.
Juice Cleanse: How Should You Do It?
A person should go for a juice cleanse only after consulting a specialist: Following are the ways to do a juice cleanse:
Drinking plenty of fruit & vegetable juices for a few days.
Consuming juices along with some healthy dietary supplements.
Drinking juices along with some diets that promote a healthy weight loss to derive the benefits.
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