The Master Cleanse is known by many names: The Lemonade Diet, The Maple Syrup Diet and The Cayenne Pepper Diet are just a few. That's because the diet revolves around drinking a special "detoxifying" beverage made from water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Under any moniker, this diet can be dangerously low in calories and lacking in essential nutrients. Always talk to your doctor before beginning any diet or detox program.
History
"The Master Cleanse" was written by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s as a cure-all program. Burroughs believed that "every kind of disease" was the result of a poor diet, lack of exercise, negative attitude and a "lack of spiritual attunement," which created a toxic environment in your body. Burroughs created this cleanse as a way to treat disease using laxatives, saline flushes and a cleansing beverage made from water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. He recommended staying on this modified fast for up to 40 days because Jesus fasted for 40 days.
The Diet
The diet has three components. Every morning, soon after waking up, you must drink 1 liter of saltwater: 2 to 3 teaspoons of sea salt combined with 1 liter of room-temperature water. This should cause a bowel movement or a series of movements. Plan to be near a bathroom for at least an hour after drinking the saltwater. Every evening, you drink a cup of "Smooth Move" laxative tea. During the day, you consume between six and 12 glasses of the lemonade beverage, which is your only source of calories and nutrients.
The Beverage
Your only nourishment comes from the lemon-cayenne-syrup mixture, which is actually made from 8 ounces of purified water, 2 tablespoons of freshly squeezed organic lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of grade-B maple syrup and 1/10 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. Grade-B maple syrup is less refined and therefore contains more minerals than grade-A syrup. Organic lemons are used to avoid the pesticides used in growing conventional lemons, and purified water has any impurities removed. Although you will lose weight on the program, it was designed as a detoxifying cleanse, so Burroughs recommended removing as many chemicals as possible.
Warnings
Your body has a detoxification system: your liver, kidneys, lungs and skin filter compounds your body does not need. There is no medical evidence that a cleansing diet is needed, says dietitian Susan Moores. A diet that flushes your system also removes beneficial bacteria your body needs to digest food, absorb nutrients and bolster your immune system. The lack of essential vitamins can weaken your immune system and make it harder for your body to fight infection or illness. The lack of calories, protein, fat and fiber can leave you feeling weak or hypoglycemic; signs of low blood sugar include hunger, headache, dizziness and fatigue.
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