“Lose 8 pounds in 5 days!” “Reset in as little as 3 days!” Juice cleanses are booming on social media with claims that seem WAY too good to be true.
Whether you heard about them from your coworker or a social media influencer with abs, I’m sure you’ve wondered- do juice cleanses work? The short answer is no. Keep reading to learn the many reasons why you should not do a juice cleanse.
Juice Cleanses Are Pricey
The diet industry as a whole is a $190 billion dollar industry(7). The detox products market is worth $37.7 billion dollars(1) and the juice cleanse industry is worth $18 billion dollars(2). This means there is a high motive to sell consumers weight loss products and to keep them coming back for their lifetime.
I did a little research on the current juice cleanse products on the market. There’s everything from one day for $35 to 10 day cleanses for $469.99. I don’t know about you, but my groceries for an entire month don’t even cost $469.99 (and groceries are actually nourishing).
Their best selling cleanse sells for $174.99 and claims to help you lost 8 pounds in only 5 days. Of course, there is no evidence besides testimonials that this is true. For my readers without a science background, testimonials don’t count as scientific evidence.
The Crazy Claims
Let’s go through just a couple claims I found online.
“Lose 8 pounds in 5 days! Flood your body with nutrients, flush toxins, decrease stubborn bloating and help jumpstart healthier eating habits. By this time next week, you could be a few pounds lighter and feeling so much better.”
Yes, you will get nutrients from juices, that is true! But what toxins exactly are we flushing? And how are we jumpstarting healthier eating habits by doing the exact opposite of the most basic health eating patterns? Lastly, how could the exact same program lead to an 8 lb weight loss for every single person who does it?
“Crush your workouts and shed some extra weight with the Protein Cleanse. You’ll combine high protein juice and plant-based protein smoothies for a total of 38 grams of protein per day.”
Oh yes, let’s add protein to a juice and make it seem like it will support physical activity! Wrong. The most basic exercise physiology research shows that you can’t perform your best if you aren’t eating enough food. If you lose weight, you lose muscle too. Thirty eight measly grams of protein is not enough to mitigate that muscle loss. That’s not even enough protein for the average 10 year old boy.
There is one thing that all juice cleanses have in common – they’re all a scam.
Will A Juice Cleanse Work?
There is a lack of substantial evidence supporting or denying the claims made about juice cleanses and detoxes. However, the evidence that does exist pokes holes in the methods and proves empty promises.
It’s Just a Fad Diet
Due to the lack of research specifically done on detox diets and juice cleanses, we can only use related studies to unpack these claims. What we do know, is that juice cleanses are seen as short term solutions that offer quick results. This is the textbook definition of a fad diet.
Humans don’t like to starve, which is why the success rate of dieting is only 5%. We also know that dieting slows metabolism and increases appetite. There is considerable evidence showing that a restriction of 1200 calories/day increases stress in women, which stimulates appetite and leads to weight gain(6).
If you put this all together, detox diets and juice cleanses likely will lead to an increase in stress, cortisol, binge eating and weight gain as well as lowering metabolism.
The Lemon Detox Diet
With a title like “Lemon detox diet reduced body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in overweight Korean women” you might assume that this experiment was a huge success! Lucky for you, I read the entire paper and the truth is much more bleak.
This experiment started with 100 women and lasted only 11 days by design. The participants were expected to consume a mix of lemon juice and maple syrup, totaling only about 400 calories per day, for 7 days. This diet was so restrictive that almost 20% of participants dropped out(3)! Yes, participants lost weight (because they were starving) and insulin sensitivity increased (because they weren’t eating), but what does this evidence really mean? Nothing. Because this diet wouldn’t be sustainable. Any health benefits reaped from this diet would quickly be reversed once a normal diet was resumed.
Dangers of A Juice Cleanse & Misinformation
You may be thinking, “So what? Juice cleanses are a waste of money, but what’s the big deal?” One is a risk to the well being of consumers. On social media, you’ll find that 97% of videos making health related claims provide NO scientific evidence. These overwhelmingly unsubstantiated health claims are harmful to vulnerable users who are only trying to do something they believe is healthy. One risk this poses is engagement in disordered eating, which could perpetuate into a deadly eating disorder(5).
Next is the very real damage to health that result from a cleanse. There was one case of a 65-year-old woman who developed acute kidney injury(AKI). This case of AKI progressed to end-stage renal disease, after a juice cleanse. This woman has normal kidney function before the cleanse including oxalate-rich green leafy vegetables and fruits (4). This is just one case in the very limited research papers that exist on this topic.
No, You Shouldn’t Do A Juice Cleanse.
One of the best reasons to not do a juice cleanse: these companies are making a fool of you. These products are a scam and they know it, but they hope and pray that you don’t.
Juices aren’t bad. They actually do have plenty of micronutrients that can positively contribute to overall health. Consuming ONLY juice leaves out macronutrients that you need for energy, muscle building, brain health, bone health, mood balance, and so much more. This doesn’t have to be all or nothing – you can eat balanced meals AND drink juice.
As a registered dietitian, I will never be behind a juice cleanse or detox diet. If you are interested in improving your health, start with these other blog posts . Then consider working with a registered dietitian. You can get your insurance benefits checked here!
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About The Author
Chelsea Shafer, RD, LD, RYT graduated from Purdue University in 2020 and completed the Wellness Workdays Dietetic Internship in 2022 where she specialized in sports nutrition and entrepreneurship. Chelsea is a proud Registered Dietitian who has helped over 300 clients live healthier, happier lives and accept their bodies. Currently, Chelsea is pursuing blogging, working as a registered dietitian at Happy Strong Healthy and teaching yoga at a local studio in Atlantic Beach, Florida.
