Detox and weight loss in one simple diet seems like a magic pill but a spare, decades-old diet plan proposes just that. The diet mixes tart lemon with sweet syrup in distilled water, and dieters drink copious amounts of this elixir every day -- and consume little else. Weight definitely comes off, although maybe not for long. Detox might not score so high, according to nutritionists. The Master Cleanse Diet, also known as the lemonade diet, has its defenders and detractors.
History
In the 1940s, Stanley Burroughs wrote a small pamphlet that described a diet he claimed would eliminate toxins from the body and restore optimum health. "The Master Cleanse" caught on and is still popular. A reprint of the diet in the 1970s continued to sell, and the idea gets a periodic boost from celebrities. Beyonce used the Master Cleanse diet to drop 20 pounds for her role in "Dream Girls," and other Hollywood stars use it for pre-film weight loss, adding to the hype. Because lemon water is the main ingredient of the drink, the diet is also referred to as the lemon water or lemonade diet.
What It Is
The lemonade diet is extremely simple. After a few days gradually transitioning from a normal diet by eating fruits and drinking fruit juices, the dieter embarks on a 7-10-day fast. During the fast, the only thing consumed is a mix of fresh lemon juice, distilled water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Because the diet has no fiber, dieters add a laxative tea to the menu twice a day to help the body eliminate toxins.
Claims
The diet has always been positioned as a cleansing or detoxification regime, but it does peel off the pounds. Most of the initial weight lost is water, and it will come right back when a regular diet resumes. It can be tough for the first few days as you adjust to not eating, not consuming daily caffeine and taking regular laxatives. Those who stick with it claim that they feel lighter, clearer and more energetic, experience reduced pain and arthritic symptoms, have brighter eyes and healthier skin, and cleanse the kidneys and liver of accumulated toxins from foods and from the environment. Some notice a mood alteration to a calmer and less irritable state. Nutritionists at leading health centers and organizations like the American Dietetic Association say a detox diet could be useful to jump-start a switch to healthier eating, but should not serve as a substitute for a nutritionally sound eating plan.
Discomforts and Dangers
There are obvious discomforts to replacing eating with drinking only adulterated lemon water for a week or more. But the detox claims that are the reason for the ordeal may be no more than that -- claims. Dietitians at the Mayo Clinic say the body is perfectly capable of ongoing detoxification without the use of an extreme diet. And the side effects from the diet may include fatigue, headache, dizziness, nausea and dehydration. Without the laxatives, you could experience constipation. It isn't a balanced diet, so you should avoid it if you are diabetic, pregnant, nursing, have kidney or liver disease, are a child or teen, are elderly or have any medical condition that might be adversely affected. See your doctor before considering a drastic fast. And eat a balanced, healthy diet every day to provide your body with the nutrition it needs.
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