Lemon & Maple Detox Diet

The “Lemonade” or Master Cleanse Diet has been around since the 1940s and continues to make news every time a celebrity uses it to drop a few pounds for a starring role. The diet consists of a fast broken only by laxative teas, saltwater and a drink made with fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, spring water and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Weight Loss

The Master Cleanse diet is billed as a detox diet but its real appeal to many dieters is weight loss. The daily laxatives and severely restricted calories are an effective short-term slim-down strategy that yields quick, dramatic results. Harvard Medical School says most of the weight lost is water loss and the result of minimal caloric intake and daily use of laxatives; most of that weight will return at the end of the fast.

Nutrition

The lemonade that dieters drink throughout the day has traces of healthy nutrients in its ingredients. Fresh lemon juice contains vitamin C, iron and calcium. Lemons have no fat, sodium or cholesterol. Utah State University notes that lemons are also a source of fiber, but the diet only uses lemon juice, not pulp. Maple syrup adds 50 calories per tbsp to the mix. Real maple syrup -- not pancake syrup – also has calcium, potassium, iron, phosphorus and some B vitamins, according to the University of Vermont. Cayenne has been used as a remedy for joint, muscle and nerve pain and as a digestive stimulant for thousands of years, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The capsaicin in the pepper is the most active ingredient and is under study as a metabolism booster. Cayenne also contains antioxidant carotenoids and flavonoids, and vitamins A and C.

Diet Teas

The lack of fiber in the diet means daily laxatives are recommended to prevent constipation. The detox value of laxatives is less certain. Laxative teas work in the colon, the lower intestine, to empty it quickly; most calorie and nutrient absorption from food takes place in the small intestine. Repeated use of laxatives, according to Columbia University Health Services, could result in diarrhea, cramps, dehydration, fainting, nausea or vomiting. Laxative dependence is a serious condition, and even limited laxative use can upset the balance of healthy bacteria in the digestive system.

Healthy Diet

Harvard University Medical School evaluated the Master Cleanse diet and gave it poor marks. The diet does not supply protein and fatty acids; all the calories come from carbohydrates, and energy resources may be as low as 600 calories a day. Laxatives can destroy the healthy bacteria in the intestines, reduce electrolytes, contribute to dehydration and disrupt healthy bowel function. Repeat lemonade dieters risk metabolic acidosis, a deadly imbalance of normal acid-alkaline proportions. Joy Bauer, a registered dietitian, calculates that the Master Cleanse diet can provide up to 1,300 calories a day for someone who consumes the maximum 12 glasses of lemon water. She recommends that, instead of the lemon cleanse, you get those calories from a balanced, low-fat diet with all major nutrients to keep your body functioning at a high level, burning fat and dealing with detoxification naturally.