The 7-day brown rice diet, or cleanse, is a detoxification diet to remove toxins from your body. The diet offers numerous food choices and centers around brown rice. The diet is for seven days, during which you eat brown rice, fruits and vegetables. Some fats are allowed and portion size is not restricted. Drinking at least six glasses of water is suggested. Consult with your physician prior to starting any detoxification or cleansing diet.
Brown Rice
Brown rice contains 14 percent of your daily recommended fiber intake, twice as much as white rice. For this diet, organic brown rice is recommended. Brown rice contains the B vitamins -- vitamin B1, vitamin B3, thiamine and niacin. You can also find in brown rice manganese, magnesium, selenium and iron. When cooking brown rice, 1 cup of dry rice will yield about 3 to 4 cups of cooked rice. Brown rice is cooked at a ratio of about 1 rice to 2 ½ liquid. You can use water, broth or juice to cook the rice. Make sure the juice is fresh-squeezed.
Detoxification and Cleansing Diets
Detoxification and cleansing diets are supposed to remove toxins from your body, but they are not scientifically proven, according to Katherine Zeratsky, registered dietitian with Mayoclinic.com. Typically, detox diets last between seven and ten days, in which time you eat specifically restricted foods designed to remove toxins from your body. After the diet, some people may feel more focused and report a weight loss. Zeratsky maintains that most toxins are effectively removed from your body by your liver and kidneys and excreted via urine and feces, with additional dietary help not being necessary.
Meal Plan
On the 7-day brown rice diet you are allowed all fresh fruits and vegetables with the exception of bananas, corn and mushrooms. Frozen or canned vegetables and fruits are to be avoided. You can use extra virgin olive oil or flaxseed oil on your vegetables and brown rice. Herbs and spices are allowed. Juices are acceptable provided they are freshly squeezed. Beverages must be decaffeinated and herbal teas are allowed. Brown rice is to be eaten at lunch and dinner, although variations of the diet do allow brown rice to be eaten at breakfast.
What to Expect
On the 7-day brown rice diet you may feel less bloated, more energetic and you may lose weight. It is not unusual to have some adverse symptoms as your body sheds toxins and withdraws form addictive substances such as caffeine. Side effects may include tiredness, hunger, irritability, nausea and headaches. These symptoms usually subside within two or three days. If they persist, seek your doctor's help.
References
- JustCleansing.com: The Brown Rice Cleanse
- CBS MoneyWatch.com: Detox in 7 Days: A Detox Diet Can Help You Shed up to 10 Pounds and Leave You Feeling Terrific. Our Weeklong Plan Shows You How to Lose the Weight and Keep it Off - Cover Story; Judy Bass; April 2003
- University of Nebraska - Lincoln: Now, You're Cooking with Brown Rice!; Alice Henneman
- Harvard School of Public Health: Can Brown Rice Blunt An Epidemic?
- Mayo Clinic: Do Detox Diets Offer Any Health Benefits?; Katherine Zeratsky; April 2010
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