Lemon Detox – Don’t Fall For It!
I know this has been about for a while (I think it tipped after Beyonce’s Dreamgirls publicity) but it is really starting to pop up everywhere in mainstream Australia now, and I’m sure it is in the UK too – but I really cannot understand the logic behind the lemon detox diet (Master Cleanse).
I can see how people are attracted to this lemon detox diet – lots of celebs and celeb magazines banging on about losing weight but in reality, have any actual, unbiased, uninvolved nutritionists come out and said that this is a good idea? I would doubt it.
My principle concern is this: where is the nutrition from the lemon detox?
I’ve spoken about this in my post on lemon water and I need to make this distinction clear: lemon water (thats just water with lemon) in the morning, or as a refreshing drink in the afternoon is great, cleansing and alkalising. Sustaining your entire body 24/7 for lemon detox, meaning just lemon, water, sugar and pepper, is madness!
I also advocate cleansing for 3-7 day periods, but this cleanse involves flooding your body with raw, live, fresh vegetables, eating 6 times a day and having as much food as you need. Not relying solely upon one drink, just like what happens during the lemon detox. The alkaline clease actually gives your body MORE nutrients to work with (because cleansing is stressful for the body) not LESS.
I would absolutely question any diet – such as this lemon detox diet – that involves consuming only one thing – where are you going to get the range of vitamins, minerals and nutrients your body needs to sustain, detox and flush out the toxins – let alone just do the normal bodily processes.
A typical meal on an alkalising cleanse would involve a raw soup made from:
- avocado
- broccoli
- celery
- spinach
- capsicum/pepper
- cucumber
- garlic
- sping onions
- and any other greens you like
Compare that to a meal of water, lemon juice, syrup and cayenne pepper.
Even as a one off there is a clear winner – now compare that for every meal, of every day for 10 days!
Now I know this is a rant. And rightly so. The Lemon Detox is ludicrous.
And I haven’t even touched on the metabolism argument. By consuming nothing but lemon water and sugar, during the lemon detox diet, for 10 days your metabolism is going to grind to a screeching halt, meaning that when you go back to eating normally again you WILL gain back the weight you have lost.
One thing the lemon detox does do is cut out the crap, but sadly it doesn’t replace it with anything. To have a healthy body and feel great you have to give it the resources it needs. And besides, even Beyonce doesn’t endorse the lemon detox diet .
Interesting Reads on the Master Cleanse/Lemon Detox/Lemonaide Diet
Jim’s Diet Blog – the comments are particularly interesting
A real life account of the lemon detox at Sarah Lane’s blog
Another reflection of the master cleanse or the lemon detox diet at day 10 by Bill
HumbleBeeHealth have a three point critique/discussion on the Master Cleanse, giving a bit of a balanced viewpoint to mine, but in some parts agreeing with mine too!
About Ross Bridgeford
Ross Bridgeford is known as THE Alkaline Diet Expert...especially when it comes to implementation and making the alkaline diet REAL in your life through Alkaline Foods. He has been living, learning, teaching, coaching and loving the alkaline lifestyle since 2004 and has written over 650 articles, alkaline recipes, videos and guides on how to live alkaline and stay alkaline for life. Ross loves life in Brisbane, Australia (although is a proud Englishman) and is healthily-obsessed with nutrition, fitness and Tottenham Hotspur F.C.
From Energise Alkaline Diet Blog - how to get alkaline and stay alkaline for life...