It’s spring quarter. That means the weather’s getting warmer and soon enough everyone will be coming out of hibernation and head outside in less clothing and more skin. We all think about shedding the pounds for summer, but if you’re looking to lose weight quickly before breaking out the bikini, a juice cleanse may not be your solution.
Juice cleansing has become increasingly popular as a way to lose weight and eliminate toxins from the body. Juice bars have begun appearing in Chicago. They offer cleanses on which clients replace all meals with juice for a certain number of days, usually between one and seven. Even Starbucks has gotten in on the action. The company recently bought the Evolution Fresh Brand, which features juice with “pure, natural ingredients” according to a Starbucks press release.
While cleansing may seem like a quick way to lose weight, it may not be as healthy as advertisers and businesses want you to believe.
Karen Klimczak, a registered dietitian at Mindful Nutrition Counseling in Chicago, is very cautious when client want to go on a juice diet and warns of the harmful effects a diet like this can have.
The increase in sugar intake from the juices can be “really intense on the body” she said. More sugar forces the pancreas to put out a lot of insulin, which can cause “a rollercoaster” of high and low blood sugar.
Also, if you are on any medication, the diet can disrupt how the medication works.
“They may react in a way that isn’t necessarily how they normally react,” said Klinczak. This is especially true if the medication needs to be taken with food.
A cleanse is also a bad idea if you are very physically active. There is such a decrease in calorie intake that it can be harmful for very athletic people said Klimczak.
“I’m always really cautious when it comes to juice fasting,” she said.
Chicago nutrition specialist Jason Boehm said one of the problems with juice cleanses is that most don’t include any or enough protein, which is necessary to eliminate toxins from the body.
“When you’re doing a juice cleanse, essentially what you’re doing is you’re basically giving your body pure sugar, pure carbohydrates,” which can make detoxification worse, he said.
If the body is not taking in protein, it will start breaking down muscle protein to get what it needs. It is likely you will lose weight while on a cleanse said Boehm, because of the significant decrease in calories consumed.
The most important thing to do if trying a juice cleanse is to not do it alone said Boehm.
“If you’re going to do a juice cleanse, you really need to do one under the guidance of a trained nutritionist or a dietitian who can walk you through it.”