Lemon detox diet: Everything you need to know about this unscientific food fad!

Lemon detox diet is another eating fad that is promoted for weight loss and body cleansing. But it is not scientific and might even harm some followers.

Lemon detox diet

Lemon detox diet is also called Lemonade diet or Master Cleanse diet. In this the user consumes only lemon juice for 1 to 2 weeks. He or she eats nothing solid during these days.

Some also state that cayenne pepper, maple syrup, and water can be taken as well. In the mornings laxative tea and salt water flush is permitted. This is supposed to aid fast weight loss.

Proponents of this diet state that it cleanses the body and removes toxins from it. They claim it improves energy and helps digestion. There are also claims that it improves skin texture and health.

Peter Glickman is the author who first promoted this diet and took it to the masses. He was born in St. Louis Park in Minnesota. He took his education from Reed College in Portland in Oregon.

And now he is a resident of Florida. Celebrities such as singer Beyonce, actor Jared Leto, actress Demi Moore, and American actor Ashton Kutcher swear by this diet.

This diet gives rise to food cravings, irritability and lethargy. But Peter opines that this is normal and implies that the diet is doing its job.

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What doctors say about this Master Cleanse diet?

Doctors do not favor this lemon detox diet. It is not scientific and not based on evidence. Experts say that the body has its own detoxifying mechanisms that are good.

The body does not require any artificial modes of cleansing the body or getting rid of its waste.

After eating, the stomach and small intestine digest the food. Good nutrients are absorbed and what remains is pushed into the large intestine.

Here water is absorbed and the remaining part becomes solid waste or feces that is excreted out. The liver aids in removing the toxins from the body.

The kidneys remove these toxins from the body and help to maintain a clear blood stream devoid of harmful substances. Lungs too have a filtering mechanism that removes obnoxious gases from the body.

Master Cleanse diet could be harmful

1. The body’s cleansing mechanisms are effective and good. It does not require additional detoxification.

2. The lemon detox diet does not help boost these natural body mechanisms.

3. The diet is extremely low in calories. The body requires a balance of nutrients. But lemon detox diet is very restrictive and leads to nutritional deficiencies. Also, there would be more of fat metabolism and its ill-consequences.

4. The restrictive diet lacks fiber. Hence in fact this diet hampers removal of toxins. There could be added constipation.

5. People feel refreshed after this diet. It could be a placebo effect with no real benefits.

6. Weight loss results and heavy and obese people feel happy about it. But they ignore the other harms of the diet. And after start of a regular diet, there is again a weight gain that counteracts this only benefit of this diet. Hence in the long run this diet is not good for losing weight and sustaining it.

7. People with heart diseases and diabetes may have more harm with this diet.

8. The irritability and lethargy with this diet could negatively affect daily work.