Do "Detox" Diets Work? Are They Safe?

Registered Dietitian Keri Glassman On Their Pros And Cons

(CBS) 

MASTER CLEANSE

This is what many people think of when they picture a cleansing diet. It was actually developed in the 1940s, and popularized by a book in the 1970s.

For a minimum of 10 days, you drink only a lemonade mixture: organic grade B maple syrup, fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice, and cayenne pepper added to spring, distilled, or purified (NOT fluoridated) water. (RECIPE: Two tablespoons of Grade A maple syrup, juice of half a lemon, 1/10 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and a quart of spring water). Once back to a regular diet, continue with the lemonade for breakfast. Once back to a regular diet, you include only small amounts of meat and no milk products, which supposedly may produce mucus and hinder digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Not surprisingly, Glassman does NOT like this diet. She points out that it contains no protein, vitamins (except C) or minerals. In other words, you are starving your body. She says you are guaranteed to gain weight after going off of the plan.

21 LBS IN 21 DAYS

This is essentialy a liquid diet that dictates only taking in 1,000 calories a day. Every two hours you drink a designated liquid. By day's end you've consumed 40-48 ounces of water, 32-40 ounces of herbal tea, 16 ounces of vegetable-based soup, and 32 ounces of either a green drink made from vegetables, vegetable juice, or a berry drink. There are no foods to chew because the goal is to "rest the gastrointestinal tract." It's suggested that you take vitamin, mineral and antioxident supplements during the cleanse.

While Glassman says this diet does offer some good suggestions on how to reduce or eliminate high-fat, high-calorie processed foods from a diet, she points out that it's quite difficult to maintain. And again, there's no scientific evidence to prove the diet actually cleanses your system.

The idea of a detox diet is that certain toxins are stored in your fat, and starving yourself will break down the fat and eliminate the toxins in it.
This means that you really have to get rid of all that fat to achieve the goal. It also means that WHILE you are on the diet, to the extent that the premise is correct, you are temporarily INCREASING the toxins in your bloodstream. Is this better than leaving it in the fat? I don''t know. But most people don''t seem to understand the concept.

I would think that it is better to lose weight slowly. It is less stressful, and more likely to be successful in the long run.

[lawyertom1]

The whole idea of "cleansing" diets is bizarre and a fiction. Anything that lowers electrolytes risks causing all types of problems, including a heart attack. Low calorie intake can also cause the body to go into starvation-mode, decreasing metabolism, and causing the body to start to draw upon muscle and fat for protein and energy. Basically, you start to eat yourself. It is infinitely better to get oneself on a decent diet and exercise program. The "cleansing" concept is a sham.

[ketty2-2009]

where do I get a copy of the liver cleansing diet menu ideas ??

[neera11]

There is so much data that supports occasional fasting diets like the Master Cleanse that they should have interviewed somebody other than Glassman.

I own a company that sells an improved version of the master cleanse (www.neerasupercleanse.com). We list numerous studies on our web site news page that support low calorie diets and occasional fasting. Low calorie diets and fasting are the only things shown that actually lengthen lifespan by slowing down the aging process of the body.

If you have any questions about this please check out our web site and send us an email.

Sincerely,
Charlie Rebich