Who doesn't want to wake up every morning full of energy and vitality? This is exactly what the advocates of juice cleansing, also known as juice fasting, are betting on a rejuvenating "reboot" of the body. It's a tempting prospect, especially in early spring.
There are ready-made juice packs with everything already mixed and instructions on when to drink what. If you're willing to make the effort, you can save some money by plugging in your juicer if you have one.
Regular juice cleanses—not to be confused with therapeutic fasting or so-called detox products—usually last two to five days and no more than a week.
"During this period, only fruit and vegetable juices are drunk," says Niklas Schwarz, a professor at the German University of Applied Sciences for Prevention and Health Management (DHfPG) in Saarbrücken, Germany.
"In addition, it can be tea, water and vegetable broth. No solid foods are eaten."
Drink three to six servings of juice a day, each of which is a mix of different types of fruits and vegetables. One serving contains between 250 and 500 milliliters of juice. "The total amount varies from 1 to 1.5 liters," Schwartz says.
You can start right away. Some people indulge in their favorite foods the day before, while others avoid foods like meat and white flour products.
According to Antie Gall, spokesperson for the German Nutrition Society (DGE), people with a pre-existing condition should first consult their doctor. Among them are those with high blood pressure, diseases of the liver, kidneys or thyroid gland, as well as cancer patients and diabetics.
"Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should also not fast," Gall says. "It is also not suitable for the elderly and children, as they have a high need for nutrients."
A juice cleanse is a no-brainer for healthy people. Both Gall and Schwartz say it can be the start of a complete change in your eating habits. "Then it's a launching pad that makes it easier to change the way you eat," notes Schwartz.
"Juices provide the body with many vitamins and secondary plant metabolites, as well as minerals and fiber," says Gall, adding that cleansing eases the work of the intestines thanks to the easy digestibility of juices.
Whether they make you feel better is purely subjective, she says: "Making a direct connection is difficult."
The downside is that juice cleanses deprive your body of many nutrients, such as protein and essential fatty acids. "So in some ways it's an unbalanced diet," she says.
That's why it's important not to do juice cleanses for more than a week and to spread the portions throughout the day rather than drinking it all at once. "Otherwise," she warns, "your blood sugar levels will rise relatively high and then drop quickly," which can lead to a dip in energy rather than a surge.
Can juicing help you lose weight?
According to Schwartz, a one-week juice cleanse typically results in a weight loss of between 1 and 1.1/2 pounds, and even 3 to 5 pounds, depending on your baseline.
"However, it's not just fat, it's also largely water that you always lose when you start a diet," he explains. "The decrease in the content of the digestive tract also reduces your weight, and the lack of protein intake causes your muscles to break down some of the protein."
So, the key to weight loss is a complete overhaul of your diet after a juice cleanse. "If you then resume your old eating habits, you will regain the weight in a week or two," says Schwartz./BGNES