Diet cleanses have been a popular practice for decades. Celebrities such as Beyonce and Jennifer Aniston have been known to follow juice cleanses for their supposed benefits, but is a juice cleanse healthy, or is it setting you up for problems in the future? Whether you’re doing a detox for anxiety, for weight loss or to clear your skin, it’s important to consider the health implications of making a major change to your nutrition habits.
Understanding Cleanses
Cleanses are a form of a “detox” diet where the dieter limits their food and drink intake in a specific way. Some cleanses involve fasting and drinking only water. On a juice cleanse, a person consumes nothing other than fruit and vegetable juice, giving them an energy intake as low as 300 kcal per day for the duration of the cleanse.
Cleanses can last for just a day or two or as long as 10 days. People engage in this practice because they believe it can help them lose weight and “flush toxins out of the body.” Some fans of juice cleansing believe juicing makes the nutrients in fruits and vegetables more readily digestible, but medical professionals note that juicing is no healthier than eating whole foods.
Types of Cleanses
Cleanses come in many different forms, including:
- Fasting. No eating food. On a strict fast, only water consumption would be allowed.
- Juice cleanse. Drinking juice or water only.
- Raw food cleanse. Eating only raw fruit and vegetables.
- Herbal cleanse. Drinking only herbal teas or infusions.
- Enemas. Using an enema for a colon cleanse.
- Saunas. Helping the body “sweat out toxins.”
Some juice cleanses may involve a specific type of juice, chosen for its immune-boosting properties or because it’s rich in antioxidants.
Why Do Some People Swear by Juice Cleanses?
While engaging in a cleanse isn’t without risks, some people swear by the practice. They report that juice cleanses leave them feeling “light” and “renewed,” giving them more energy and even a sense of euphoria.
Others feel that the act of doing a cleanse is a form of mental “reset.” It helps them draw a line under bad or unhealthy habits and gives them the willpower required to stick to their new lifestyle.
Is a Juice Cleanse Healthy?
Before you cut out all solid foods and decide to live on nothing more than beet juice or cold-pressed carrot juice, it’s important to do your homework. Is a juice cleanse healthy? That depends on your own health, the juices you choose and how long the cleanse lasts.
While a juice cleanse can be refreshing if you follow one for a day or two before starting a sustainable, healthy diet, there are some pitfalls to be aware of.
Psychological Impacts of Cleanses
For some people, a juice diet is part of a mental health cleanse. The idea behind a detox for depression is that you stop taking in toxins and feed your body (and brain) the nutrients it needs to work optimally. Some people swear by the idea of doing a depression detox. However, they don’t work for everyone.
Cleanses tend to involve cutting out solid foods. If you’re on a juice diet, you’re most likely running a very large calorie deficit. This can cause brain fog and confusion and can exacerbate feelings of depression or anxiety. Even if you’re in good physical health before you start the cleanse and doing it with the goal of losing weight, a significant calorie deficit can cause you to feel drained physically and mentally.
Physical Effects and Their Influence on Mental Health
In addition to the risks associated with severe calorie restriction, there are some other things to be aware of. If you’re living with diabetes, it’s not a good idea to go on a cleanse without talking to your doctor first, as the change in your calorie and sugar intake could impact how well-controlled your diabetes is.
In addition, cleansing for a long period could deprive your body of essential nutrients, leading to physical side effects as well as brain fog, anxiety or depression.
Some juices, such as spinach and beet juice, contain a lot of oxalate, and consuming them in significant quantities could cause kidney issues. A juice-only diet can also interfere with your electrolyte balance, potentially causing heart issues.
Any weight loss as a result of a juice cleanse is likely to be temporary. When you go back to eating normally, the weight will come back. For people who are using a juice cleanse as a weight loss aid, seeing the scale show a higher number can be demoralizing and could set them on the path to disordered eating practices.
If you’re considering a juice cleanse, it’s a good idea to talk to a medical professional beforehand so they can advise you on any safety issues specific to your circumstances and help you make an informed decision about your diet.
What Does the Science Say About Juice Cleanses?
While the benefits of consuming fruit and vegetable juices are clear, the evidence to support “detoxing” for health or long-term weight loss is limited. One recent study found evidence of changes in the gut microbiome of people who engaged in juice fasting. The sample size for this study was small, but the results do suggest further study into the benefits of supervised cleansing would be worthwhile.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission have both taken action against some sellers of detox products because they were marketed using false claims and/or contained ingredients that were potentially harmful.
It’s important to remember that your kidneys, liver and colon all act to process the foods and liquids you consume. They remove toxins and ensure waste is evacuated from your body. This happens naturally no matter what you’re eating and drinking. Yes, if you drink heavily or eat a lot of junk food, switching to a healthier diet is a good idea, but someone who typically leads a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t need to “detox” because a healthy body removes toxins by itself automatically.
