Several actresses, including Beyoncé Knowles and Gwyneth Paltrow, have used various forms of the juice diet to shed weight for onscreen appearances. Anne Hathaway is rumored to follow a modified juice diet every few weeks. Following the juice diet will result in weight loss, but most of the pounds you shed may be just water weight.
Claims
Proponents of the juice diet, or juice fast, claim that you will lose one to two lbs. per day while on the diet. They also claim that the diet will rid your body of toxins and give you more energy, clearer skin and enhanced mental clarity. None of these claims have been investigated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Liquid Diet
The juice diet is a 21-day cycle. During the first eight days, you consume nothing but fruit and vegetable juices and water. Most proponents of the juice diet recommend drinking only freshly made juice, as valuable nutrients can be lost when the juice sits for any period of time. Packaged juices are not recommended due to the preservatives they contain and the processing they undergo to increase their shelf life.
Returning to Solid Foods
After an eight-day juice fast, expect to spend three days slowly reintroducing solid foods into your diet. For those three days, eat mainly light soups and fresh fruit. During the next 10 days, eat a diet comprised of 75 percent raw foods, such as salads, sprouted grains and raw nuts. Many people follow the raw food diet on an ongoing basis, while others choose to return to a more mainstream cooked diet.
Equipment
An electric vegetable juicer is an essential piece of equipment for anyone following the juice diet as a rotating juicer designed for citrus fruit will not be able to extract juice from most vegetables. You should expect to spend between $100 and $500 for a good juicer. Avoid purchasing smaller models and those that are inexpensive as they are usually lower in quality. You will be using your juicer a lot during the juice diet, so invest in the best juicer you can afford.
Warnings
According to Mayo Clinic nutritionist Katherine Zeratsky, RD, LD, detox diets like the juice diet are not scientifically proven to remove toxins from your body. Additionally, they can cause dehydration, fatigue, nausea and diarrhea. During a juice diet, you may not receive the protein and other non-vegetable nutrients your body needs. Always speak with your doctor before making significant changes to your diet, and do not engage in a juice fast if you are pregnant, nursing or undergoing medical treatment unless your doctor approves of the diet.
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