Diet trends are notorious for glorifying thin bodies. You seem them pop up everywhere from early morning infomercials, to celebrity magazines, and, of course, on social media. Lately on my Twitter and Instagram page, I’ve been noticing a dieting trend called “juice fasting,” or juice cleanses. According to the an online New York Times article, The Juice Cleanse: A Strange and Green Journey, juice detoxing originated as a dieting method in 1940. It wasn’t until 1990 that entrepreneur Peter Glickman vogued the cleanse, turning this outdated drink into a dieting cash grab. Various celebrities including Jared Leto, Anne Hathaway, and even Queen Bee herself endorse this “health fad”.
But just how healthy are these cleanses, and, most importantly, are they a safe way to lose weight?
I decided to play Nancy Drew and research where to purchase these beverages online. The one website that kept popping up was www.projectjuice.com. They sell an array of organic juice cleanses including green juice, citrus juice, watermelon berry juice, and even vegan milkshakes. On their instructional page, they encourage the elimination of any food/drinks that contain sugar, are processed, and have protein. The majority of these cleanses contain excess fruits and veggies, but disregard important essential nutrients such as protein, potassium, vitamin B, and even healthy fats. Many of these nutrients give us energy, keep our systems regular, and are imperative to our immune systems for fighting off diseases!
As a matter of fact, juice cleanses have been proven to be extremely dangerous. Don’t believe me? Many doctors and nutritionists have discussed their concerns about this trend. According to the article, Fancy Juice Doesn’t Cleanse the Body, author Sabrina Tavernise discusses doctors’ opinions on this unbeneficial detox. In addition, she conducted an interview with Dr. James H. Grendell, the gastrologist and hepatologist at Winthrop Hospital. “People are interested in this so-called detoxification, but when I ask them what they are trying to get rid of, they aren’t really sure”.
In addition, juice cleanses can cause a number of medical ailments including loose skin, frequent visits to the bathroom, water loss, inability to adapt during cold weather, hunger cravings, and damaging of the the kidneys. Let’s just break it down in simple, mathematical terms:
Juice cleanse + body= POISON!
If you are interested in losing weight, make sure to talk to your doctor about healthier alternatives that don’t require digesting whacky foods, drinks, or pills. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be as simple as going to the gym for 45 minutes, jogging, taking yoga/spin/Zumba classes, eating a balanced diet, drinking a lot of water, and even getting 6-8 hours of sleep. These methods are not only helpful, but don’t require you to detox your wallet. Remember to be kind to your body, because you are the most beautiful and important person in the world.