Juice cleanses are all the rage in wellness circles, but is the juice worth the squeeze?

The premise behind a juice cleanse is that you eat only the juice from fruits and veggies for 3 to 10 days, but some can go as long as 21 days!

Advocates say the benefits include weight loss, glowing skin, and a whole-body detox. Many folks are drawn to this “quick fix,” hoping drinking this magic elixir will solve all their health issues.

Some juicing fans even contend that juicing is an easy way to get the vitamins and minerals that are lacking in so many people’s ultra-processed diets.

But are juice cleanses the silver bullet to better health? Probably not.

So, before you search for “how to do a juice cleanse,” let’s unpack five reasons to skip this not-so-healthy fad.

1. Contributes to unhealthy cycles of weight loss
   Juice cleanses can impact your relationship with food. Indeed, some research suggests a link between juice cleanses and eating disorders. Once the cleanse is done and you go back to your regular eating, the weight will come back on. 
   
   
2. Metabolism-slowing
   Your metabolism can be negatively affected when you are on a super low-calorie regimen for an extended time. Because you don’t have an adequate calorie intake of macronutrients, especially protein, your body may start to burn muscle for energy which can slow your metabolism. Plus, you won’t get the fats and protein your body needs. It’s best to avoid yo-yo dieting of all ilk and opt for a healthier eating regime.
   
   
3. Fiber Deficit
   Fiber is essential to the body’s processes. Removing the fiber from fruits and vegetables via juicing leaves sugars behind. Fiber works to feed gut bacteria and can also fill you up, keeping you away from unhealthy snacks and overeating.
   
   
4. Muscle loss
   Another drawback of limiting protein: you’ll lose muscle mass (on a week-long cleanse, it can be as much as 1 pound of muscle mass per day!) Then, when the weight comes back, it will most likely be gained as fat, which is not ideal.
   
   
5. Your body knows how to detox
   Our liver and kidneys already do a great job of removing waste and toxins from our bodies. One of the most effective things you can do to help your body operate well is to have a balanced, healthy eating pattern. Make sure you get all the nutrients necessary to keep your organs running smoothly. Keeping alcohol intake in check will give your organs fewer toxins to filter out. Moving your body regularly will help with healthy blood flow and regular bowel movements, as well as having mental health benefits, all of which are important for helping your organs clear out toxins. For more tips, read How to Heal Your Gut.

The Takeaway

At Zenwise, we believe you can support your health in many ways. For instance, you can try to reduce sugar, increase the amount of vegetables you eat, enjoy whole fruits more often, limit ultra-processed foods, and practice mindful eating.

And we can all use a little extra support from time to time. That’s where wise supplementation comes in. Wondering what your gut is telling you? Take our digestive quiz and find out!

If you are seeking further assistance in your quest for optimum health, our customer service team is all ears.   Reach them at support@zenwise.com or M-F from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EST at (800) 940-1972. And as always, all Zenwise^® products are backed by the "Eat Freely...or its Free" guarantee!



1. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29983105/