Juice fasts are one method used for detox or weight loss that provide some nutrition while you live food-free. Many people try a juice fast over a weekend to jump-start a diet or a switch to healthier eating habits. MayoClinic.com says there is no scientific basis for the claim that juice fasting detoxifies the body. But juice fasting has its adherents who say they feel lighter, more energetic and experience greater mental clarity after cutting out solid foods for a couple of days.
Vegetable Juices
A typical juice fast will emphasize vegetables over fruit because the high fructose in fruit delivers more calories and slows weight loss. The sugar in fruit can affect your blood sugar levels, creating spikes and slumps that will leave you more tired than energized. Dr. Elson Haas, director of the Preventive Medical Center of Marin, recommends juicing celery, carrots, beets and greens and diluting the juice by half with water for a cleanse. Some juice combinations used for fasting are carrots, beets and celery; carrots, onions and parsley; tomatoes and celery; and mixed greens.
Carrot Juice
Carrots are sweet enough to taste like a fruit. Carrot juice is a popular choice at juice bars and on juice fasts because it is very nutritious and can be blended with other vegetables to mask any bitter or unpleasant tastes. Columbia University notes that carrots supply beta-carotene, the substance that forms vitamin A, as well as calcium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamins B, C, D, E and K. Carrots also stimulate the liver to release fats and bile.
Apple Juice
Apple juice has high levels of antioxidants that protect the body against free radicals. Free radicals can cause cancer and other serious diseases. Apples reduce LDL "bad" cholesterol that clogs arteries, reducing the risk of heart disease. When you juice apples at home, the skin and flesh are included and so are the phytochemicals in the colorful skin that have powerful nutritional values. The downside is that apple juice is high in fructose and drinking a lot of it in place of meals gives you more calories than eating apples and far less fiber.
Lemonade Cleanse
The Master Cleanse Diet is a potent mix of spring water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper that has been around since the 1940s. It was developed as a natural cleansing remedy but has been popularized by Hollywood celebrities for quick weight loss as well as cleansing. Detox doctor Elson Haas recommends up to 12 glasses a day of either lemon juice and water or the Master Cleanse "lemonade" formula for fasts. Medically, there are no studies that prove the efficacy of Master Cleanse but lemon water is a diuretic so the fast can result in quick, temporary weight loss.
References
- University of California Davis Medical Center; Apple Juice is More Nutritious Than Previously Thought; April 12, 1999
- Vanderbilt University; Fasting: Body Cleansing or Body Starving?; Kelly Grimes
- Healthy Net; Nutritional Program for Fasting: Elson M. Haas MD
- Juicer Tips: Vegetable Juice Diet
- Mayo Clinic; Detox Diets: Do They Work?; Katherine Zeratsky RD; April 22, 2010
- Columbia University; Nutritional Value of Carrot Juice; November 6,1995
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