The Lemonade Diet: What it is.
The Lemonade Diet has been around for more than 50 years, but its popularity soared a few years ago after Beyonce announced she’d lost 20 pounds on the diet for the movie Dreamgirls.
The Lemonade Diet, also known as the Master Cleanse, was developed by the late Stanley Burroughs as a detoxification and fasting program. Originally intended to rid the body of toxins and internal wastes brought on by “improper diet, lack of exercise, and negative mental attitude,” it’s now also touted as a quick weight loss plan.
The plan, consisting of nothing more than a lemon juice concoction, is supposed to “help you lose up to 20 pounds, look younger, ease chronic pain, cleanse your body of internal waste, and boost your energy levels in 10 days.”
Unfortunately, Americans are no strangers to the dark side of dieting and are willing to go to extremes like the Lemonade Diet to lose weight.
Of course, weight loss is inevitable when you stop eating and drink very few calories. But this kind of diet can also be dangerous to your health. Nutritionists point out that the Master Cleanse diet plan is deficient in all the essential nutrients: calories, vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, and fat.
Exercise is not part of the diet prescription, probably because physical activity would be difficult on a starvation diet.
Lemonade Diet: What You Can Eat.
No solid foods are allowed, nor are any supplements. You consume only the Master Cleanse elixir to keep you hydrated.
The plan calls for you to drink 6 or more servings daily of the lemonade drink. The only other options are a “salt water flush” of 2 teaspoons salt mixed in a quart of water in the morning, and an herbal laxative tea at night, if needed.
A single serving of the Master Cleanse drink consists of:
2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
2 tablespoons grade-B organic maple syrup.
1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
10 ounces filtered water.
After following this fast for 4-14 days, dieters are urged to slowly ease back into solid food, starting with foods like vegetable soup, followed by fruits and vegetables.
Lemonade Diet: How It Works.
You will lose weight on the Lemonade Diet because the fast creates a serious calorie deficit. But chances are, what you’ll lose is water weight and muscle — not the fat you want to get rid of.
During the fast, you can expect to feel hungry, and may experience headaches, fatigue, dizziness, sluggishness, diarrhea, nausea, or constipation.
The Master Cleanse Diet is supposed to “release years of built-up waste in just 10 days, while your energy soars.”
Yet, experts point out, the liver already detoxifies the body. Further, there is no medical evidence that fasting or “cleansing” diets actually rid the body of any toxins not otherwise discarded in bodily waste.
“The suggestion that we are filled with toxins creates fear that drives people to these kinds of plans,” says Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry. “But in truth, our bodies naturally rid themselves of undesirable substances without any human intervention whatsoever.”
Experts also question how a diet consisting only of a low-calorie beverage can provide enough energy for normal bodily processes, let alone leave you feeling energized.
Lemonade Diet: What the Experts Say.
American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Melinda Johnson, RD, doesn’t see anything positive about this diet plan.
“There is no scientific evidence that you need anything like this or any other detox program to cleanse your body or help you lose weight,” she says.
She suggests staying away from smoking if you want to avoid toxins. Otherwise, trust your liver to do its job.
Experts agree that such unbalanced plans are not only ineffective, but are also potentially dangerous, depending on how long you stay on them. Fasting can rob your intestines of healthy bacteria that aid digestion and boost immunity.
Another risk of rapid weight loss is the loss of lean muscle tissue. Nutrition expert Pamela Peeke, MD, says that without enough protein in the diet, your body must get protein from some other source — so it burns its own muscle mass. At the end of the fast, the dieter will weigh less, but his or her body will be higher in fat and lower in muscle.
“Lean muscle and fluids are the first to go on starvation diets, not belly fat,” Johnson says. “And the problem is that when you lose muscle mass, you turn down your metabolism, so it is counterproductive when you return to normal eating because you will need fewer calories.”
Another problem with this and other fasting plans is that many dieters eat everything in sight afterward.
“Whenever you follow an extremely restrictive diet plan, it is usually followed by an extreme binge,” Johnson says.
Her advice: Forget fasting and detoxing. She says there is nothing magical about these kinds of plans, they don’t work long-term, and they ultimately perpetuate an unhealthy relationship with food.
Lemonade Diet: Food for Thought.
Fasting or cleansing plans are not recommended for anyone. There’s no evidence that purging your body of “toxins” improves your health or helps you lose weight. Keep looking for a weight loss plan that fits your lifestyle and is doable long term.
When a special occasion calls for slimming down quickly, get more aerobic exercise and trim calories with a healthy, well-balanced diet plan. Quick weight loss doesn’t last. In most cases, the lost weight returns along with a few added pounds.
If you choose to follow this plan, be sure to only do it for a few days — and consult your doctor beforehand.
Lemonade Cleansing Diet.
Cleansing your body of stored fats and toxins is called detox. Detox is vital to the body for health and energy reasons. Using diet and exercise regimens can help detox your body. Many people lose weight and gain a lot of energy by shedding impurities from their bodies. There are many toxins that the body is exposed to because of processed food, air pollution and water pollution. Many of these toxins have been linked to such afflictions as acne, bad breath, insomnia, poor memory, gas and many more. There is a diet that was developed about 40 years ago by Stanley Burroughs called the Lemonade Cleansing Diet this is also known as The Master Cleanse Diet. It has been said that this diet will eliminate and dissolve all types of fatty tissues while it detoxifies the body.
What are the key ingredients to the Lemonade Cleansing Diet?
2 tablespoons of lemon or lime juice (1/2 lemon). Lemons contain rich amounts of minerals and vitamins. Lemons also help break up mucus in the body.
2 tablespoons of pure grade B maple syrup. Maple Syrup has a balanced form or positive and negative sugars. There is no substitute, it is highly recommended because of its mineral content and taste. The vitamins and minerals in maple syrup include: potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorus, sulfur, chlorine and silicon. Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, nicotinic acid and pantothenic acid are also key ingredients to maple syrup.
1/10 teaspoon of red cayenne pepper or to taste. Cayenne Pepper acts as a cleanser for the digestive, respiratory and circulatory systems. It also increases warmth and breaks up mucus. Herbalist use cayenne pepper frequently not only to handle a large range of problems, but also to enhance the effectiveness of many other herbs.
12 ounces of purified water. Preparation ahead of time is recommended. Estimate how many glasses a day will be consumed. Take anywhere from six to twelve glasses a day. Be sure to be consistent with the amount of lemon juice per glass. Make sure six glasses is the least amount consumed per day.
NOTE: individuals can drink more water or more lemonade in case of hunger pains. Eating food is not advised because the lemonade is already food, but in liquid form. This can be followed from a range of 10 to 40 days depending on a person?s physical conditions.
What are the Benefits of the Lemonade Cleanse Diet?
1. Help dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion in the body.
2. Help clean the kidney and digestive system.
3. Helps purify glands and cells in the body
4. Helps eliminate unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.
5. Helps build a healthy blood stream.
6. Helps relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries and blood vessels.
7. Helps preserve youth and vitality.
8. Helps restore healthy skin. Boils, carbuncles, and pimples could disappear.
9. Mucus diseases like colds, flu, asthma, hay fever, sinus and bronchial troubles will be dissolved and eliminated. The system will be clear of allergies which might have caused breathing difficulties and clogged sinus cavities.
10. Helps with weight loss.
What are the side effects to the Lemonade Cleanse Diet?
Hunger pangs
Tiredness and Aches
Pains
Mental Irritability
Nausea
NOTE: Using an herbal laxative each evening will bowels move two to three times a day. This will insure the toxins do not store up in the body. A salt water solution containing two teaspoons on non-iodized sea salt and a quart of water is required to induce bowel movements.
Breaking a long fast should be done slowly and gradually. Solid food should be taken a day or two after consuming juices and grapefruit and oranges. On the second day raw fruits and vegetables can be consumed in the evening. If meat is desired have cooked vegetable soup in the afternoon and salad for dinner. The lemonade drink can be consumed for breakfast. Probiotics are only recommended after the cleanse is completed.
See Also
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