Juice Fasting

Excess fat can be the cause of many diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and can generally lead to a very unhealthy lifestyle. It can also lead to depression and low self-esteem. It is no wonder that there are so many diets that focus on losing weight. All diets are not effective and work for some individuals, but do nothing for others. Therefore, it is important to choose one’s dieting plan carefully. Today in our article we are going to discuss the benefits of different types of juice diet.

What is a juice diet?

A juice diet is considered to be a detoxification fast in which you can consume only raw fruit and vegetable juice and water only. No solid food of any kind is allowed. However, this depends from diet to diet. Yes, even juice diet has its variations, as some diets with particular fruit or vegetables allow consuming solid food with juices in the initial days. But as days progress, slowly the solid food is removed entirely from the diet plan. A typical juice diet lasts for one to three days but can be stretched to 10 days. However, a longer diet should be done under medical supervision in case of nutritional deficiencies.

A juice diet is considered great because it flushes out toxins and gives a new start to your body by helping you lose weight. It also increases your energy level and leaves you with a healthier body. A lot of famous celebrities like Beyonce Knowles, Anne Hathaway, Gwyneth Paltrow, Oprah Winfrey and Megan Fox are known to go on regular juice diets to control their weight. Reading these celebrities’ names would tempt you to go on a juice diet straight away, but before you do that, read on to make sure that you are eligible and fit to go on a juice diet.

Here is the list of people who are ineligible for a juice diet:

• Children are not allowed to go on juice diets. The same goes for pregnant and nursing women.
• Individuals with low blood sugar and low blood pressure. Also individuals with diabetes, epilepsy, cancer or other chronic diseases.
• Individuals with eating disorders, malnutrition or any nutritional deficiency.
• Anybody who had a surgery or is going to have one should also not go on a juice diet.
• Individuals taking prescription medicine.
• Anybody planning to go on a juice diet should get prior approval from their doctor or a qualified health professional to be on the safe side.

Experience of a juice diet

Some fruits and vegetables are considered best for the diet due to the juice cleanse it causes. Here are some of the fruits and vegetables you should keep in mind- Lemon, grapefruit, cranberry, carrot, orange, apple, prune, tomato, beets and cabbage. Try to include all these fruits and vegetable in your diet to get the best result.

A juice diet also requires physical and mental preparation. Our body is used to solid food, so be ready for hunger spasm and temptation. The best and only way to cope with this is to prepare your body for it. Six days before the diet stop eating bread, dairy products, fish, meat and grains. Instead, start a pre-fat diet which is high in cooked vegetables, fruits, salads and juices. As days progress to your big day, start relying more on the juices rather than eating cooked vegetables or raw fruits. This way when you officially start consuming only juices, your stomach will be used to it.

During the diet, your stomach becomes more alkaline as the pH balance changes. This, in result, will cause your stomach to contract so the digestive tract will be cleansed. This will cause the weight loss you are looking for as you will start to lose up to 75 grams of protein per day. You can expect side effects like headaches and light headedness.

Once the diet is over, you should give yourself a pat on the back for self control. However, this is not the end. You cannot just start eating solid food left and right after the diet as your body is not used to it any longer. Your stomach has shrunk from the diet so eat small meals and chew well to wake your stomach up. The key reason for a successful juice diet and juice cleanse is transiting slowly from eating to diet and then back to eating again. Also, many people fail because they simply lose their patience when attempting this diet. You need strong self control and perseverance so that you stick to the diet until you are over. The result is worth your patience because not only do you get to lose weight, but you also gain self confidence in the process.

Now that you have understood what to expect in a juice diet, let’s go through the different types of juice diets so you can pick the one which you are most comfortable with.

Zesty Lemon Juice Diet

A lemon is considered to be a good source of Vitamin C and citrus acid. “Master cleanse” by Stanley Burroughs, a famous lemon juice diet is especially popular because celebrities like Beyonce have successfully lost weight from it. This juice cleanse involves drinking a combination of lemon, maple syrup and cayenne pepper for at least ten days. It not only promises to eliminate toxins from your body, but also helps you get rid of those excess fats. This diet in particular is not recommended for the faint-hearted. If you hate lemons and are afraid to try the lemon juice diet only then can you try another type of lemon juice diet which allows you to eat solid food.

Delicious Grapefruit Juice Diet

Grapefruit is another great source of Vitamin C plus antioxidants like lycopene and phytochemicals that is a part of a healthy diet. Research shows that grapefruit helps lower cholesterol. Some theories even claim that it helps the body’s metabolism burn fat, however, no proper research has been conducted to support it. Due to all these benefits, grapefruit is an excellent fruit for a juice diet.

The following grapefruit juice diet allows you to consume small meals and even a bedtime snack!  For example, while eating breakfast you can eat two eggs cooked any way you want with bacon and drink grapefruit juice.

Next in lunch, you are allowed to eat a salad with dressing of your choice, any meat you like and gulp it down with grapefruit juice. Finally, for dinner you get to choose between green to red vegetables that have been made with butter or spices. You can also have any meat or fish with coffee or tea.

Last but not least for ‘bedtime snack’ you are only allowed 1 glass of skimmed milk.

Berry-licious Cranberry Juice Diet

Berries are good to consume because of the high antioxidants they contain. Similarly, these red berries are also considered good for the juice diet. It also contains dietary fiber, vitamin C and other important minerals like manganese. Cranberries are especially considered healthy for women. This diet lasts for 3 days with no solid meals at all. So be warned that you will feel restricted and hungry.
You can drink cranberry with a touch of orange juice so that your taste buds don’t get too bored, but no sugar is allowed at any cost.

Other Juice Diets

If none of the previous fruits are your favorite, you can always try carrot, orange, apple, prune and tomato juice diet. Again, each diet can have its own variations and benefits, so choose a juice diet that matches your needs and tastes. Carrot, for example, contains Vitamin A, C, D, E,B1 and B6. It is also a source for iron, magnesium, sodium, magnesium and much more. Other fruits like tomatoes, however, are totally different. It has a powerful antioxidant.

Some people believe on going on vegetable and fruit diet rather than a juice diet, but that won’t have the same effect as juice cleanse. In a juice diet, you are drinking so your digestive system doesn’t have to do anything which in turn flushes out the toxins easily. Many even claim that they get healthier and glowing skin after the juice diet. This is possible due to the juice cleanse.

Conclusion

A word of caution, even though a juice diet is not known to cause any severe effects, if during the diet, you face extreme and dangerous symptoms, it would be wise to stop your juice diet. Some doctors claims that a juice diet can trigger unspotted diabetes so it is better to be safe than sorry. Also, if you fall under the list of individuals who are not allowed such a diet then don’t try it at any cost.

If you are worried about your weight, you can always ask your doctor to recommend another diet for you. For others who are ready and eligible to try this diet, have a healthy juice diet.