A juice cleanse is a great way to do something good for your body. Read here what’s important, what the downsides of a juice cleanse can be, and which recipes you can use to make your own juices.
Is it beneficial to eat only juices for several days? Yes, a juice cleanse has a fairly rapid impact on the body. However, not all of them are positive.
What is a juice cleanse?
The juice cleanse is a special form of fasting . It involves replacing solid foods with nutrient-rich fruit and vegetable juices. It is therefore also referred to as juice fasting.
You decide how long a juice cleanse lasts: It can last for one day or several. Its primary purpose is to relieve stress on the body, improve digestion, and promote healthy habits. But: You can also lose weight with a juice cleanse .
Even athletes are now turning to juice diets. For example, former handball professional Michael “Mimi” Kraus swears by regular juice fasts.
How does a juice cleanse work?
A juice cleanse has three phases:
- Preparation
- Main phase
- Follow-up
In the preparation phase, a few days before starting the juice cleanse, you reduce your intake of hard-to-digest foods like meat or alcohol. This prepares your body for the cleanse.
During the main phase, which lasts between 1 and 7 days, you drink only cold-pressed juices, water, tea, and sometimes broth. This results in a daily calorie intake of between 300 and 750 calories.
During the follow-up phase, you’ll gradually return to solid foods, ideally soups or steamed vegetables. You shouldn’t reintroduce meat or high -fiber foods until a few days after the end of the juice cleanse.
Is a juice cleanse really good for the body?
A juice cleanse has many benefits. Fruit and vegetable juices, for example, provide numerous nutrients, such as:
- Vitamins
- Minerals
- Antioxidants
- secondary plant substances
Temporarily abstaining from solid food can relieve the strain on your intestines, allowing your body to focus on regeneration processes. This is often referred to as detoxification.
Can you lose weight with a juice cleanse?
The calorie deficit during a juice fast can help you lose weight: The longer the juice cleanse lasts, the more weight you lose. Another benefit: A juice cleanse can reset your eating habits. It can help break unhealthy patterns and be the starting point for healthier eating habits.
What are the disadvantages of a juice cleanse?
While the juice cleanse provides an abundance of vitamins and other valuable nutrients , it lacks important macronutrients such as proteins and essential fatty acids.
Due to the high fruit content, you also consume a lot of fructose, which – over a longer period of time – can put a strain on your body. And even if you lose weight initially, you may experience an unwanted yo-yo effect later on . Then, the scale will show even more weight than before the juice fast as soon as you return to your old eating habits.
Does a juice cleanse really make sense?
Whether a juice cleanse is beneficial depends on your individual expectations and goals. It’s important to know that juice cleanses can definitely improve your well-being. Some people feel more alert and productive.
However, the effectiveness of juice cleanses for detoxification has not been scientifically proven. Furthermore, your body already has very effective detoxification organs, such as the kidneys and liver, so a balanced diet makes more sense in the long run. However, a 3-day juice cleanse can certainly serve as a starting point for healthier eating habits.
Be careful if you have pre-existing health conditions: You should definitely talk to your doctor before starting a juice cleanse and only do a juice fast under medical supervision.
Is a juice cleanse good for men?
Yes, a juice cleanse can be beneficial for men, too—especially as a short-term reset for the body and nutrition. Many men use juice fasting specifically to:
- to reduce body fat (e.g. on the stomach)
- to relieve their digestion
- or to recharge your batteries for sport and everyday life
Another benefit: Switching to a lighter diet can help break unhealthy eating habits, such as excessive meat or alcohol consumption. Especially after stressful periods or at the start of the year, a 3-day juice cleanse is a good way for many men to start a healthier lifestyle.
However, if you ‘re doing strength training or want to build muscle , you should only use the diet for a short time—because you’ll be lacking protein and calories during fasting. In this case, it’s important to switch to a protein-rich diet after the diet .
What are the benefits of a one-day juice fast?
Even a single day of juice fasting can be a valuable break for the body and have positive effects, such as a nutrient boost. Some people report increased energy levels and a feeling of lightness after such a day of fasting. It also allows you to test whether a juice cleanse is right for you before attempting a 3-day or even a 5-day juice cleanse.
A one-day juice cleanse obviously doesn’t have the benefits of a multi-day break from solid food. Weight loss, for example, is less pronounced, as the weight loss is mostly due to water loss and is therefore not sustainable.
What are the real benefits of a 3-day juice cleanse?
A 3-day juice cleanse primarily brings short-term benefits to the body. The intestines get a break from solid food, regenerate, and can concentrate on important metabolic processes.
With the 3-day juice cleanse, you’ll also be giving your body plenty of vitamins and minerals. The antioxidants it contains counteract inflammation and promote cell regeneration.
Your metabolism can even get so boosted that positive effects can be seen in the form of lower blood lipid levels and inflammation levels.
How much weight will you lose with a 3-day juice cleanse?
During a 3-day juice cleanse, you can typically lose between 1 and 3 kilos. However, this is mainly due to a reduction in water retention and the depletion of your glycogen stores. With a longer juice cleanse, you also lose muscle mass due to a lack of necessary protein.
This isn’t a sustainable way to lose fat; for that, you need a longer, calorie-restricted diet and sufficient exercise. Therefore, after the end of the juice cleanse, your weight can quickly rise again when you return to your normal eating habits.
Which juice cleanse is the best?
There are now many manufacturers on the market that offer ready-to-eat vegetable and fruit juices for a juice cleanse. This is very convenient because you can have them delivered to your home and don’t have to worry about preparation. Some of the most well-known providers are:
- Berioo 3-Day Organic Juice Cleanse: Named as an award winner, making it a cost-effective option
- Bergblut 5-Day Organic Juice Cleanse “Stay Clean”: Recommended for juice cleanse newbies
- LiveFresh 5-Day Juice Cleanse: Suitable for beginners and advanced users
- Cardea “Juicy Treatment”: wide variety of juices, including nut drinks
- Frank Juice Cleanse Medium 3-Day Juice Cleanse: Praised in tests for its taste
Recipe ideas: 3-day DIY juice cleanse
If you don’t like ready-made products, you can prepare your own juice cleanse at home. It’s important that it includes a variety of fruits and vegetables so you get plenty of vitamins and minerals.
There are two preparation options: a juicer and a blender. The recipes are sufficient for about three 330 ml servings.
The easiest option is definitely a juicer: Put the fruit and vegetables in it and then pour the juice into small bottles. Alternatively, you can chop the vegetables into small pieces and put them in a blender along with squeezed orange, lime, or lemon juice. Add a little water if needed.
You can try a 3-day juice cleanse with these 3 recipes:
The green juice
- 100 g celery
- 1 half cucumber
- 1 green apple
- 1 half lime
- 50 g fresh spinach
Preparation time is about 10 minutes. Each serving of the green juice contains about 37 calories.
The orange juice
- 800 g carrots
- 2 oranges
- 1 to 2 cm ginger
- 1 pinch of turmeric
This juice contains around 242 kilocalories per serving.
The red juice
- 800 g fresh beetroot
- 2 apples
- 1 half lemon
- 1 orange
This juice has about 255 calories per serving.
The most frequently asked questions about juice cleanses
What are the benefits of juice cleanses?
A juice cleanse relieves your body of solid food and also provides it with plenty of vitamins. It’s possible that you’ll lose weight, but the effect is usually not permanent.
What to do if you feel hungry during the juice cleanse?
A growling stomach during a juice cleanse can often be calmed by drinking plenty of water or juice. But listen to your body. If you’re feeling unwell, eat some fruit or vegetables.
Do you have a bowel movement during a fast?
During a juice cleanse, you may have bowel movements. However, they will likely change in frequency and consistency. Diarrhea is also possible.
Can I lose belly fat with a juice cleanse?
In the short term, yes—primarily through water loss and lower calorie intake. In the long term, however, belly fat only melts away through a combination of a balanced diet, calorie deficit, and regular exercise. A juice cleanse can be the perfect starting point.
Is a juice cleanse possible with exercise?
Light exercise like walking or yoga is fine. You should avoid intense strength training or endurance training during a multi-day juice cleanse, as you’ll be missing out on important macronutrients and energy. Alternatively, try a one-day juice cleanse on non-training days.
Conclusion: Short-term boost instead of long-term solution
During a juice cleanse, you replace solid foods with fruit and vegetable juices. This has many health benefits, including providing your body with plenty of vitamins and helping you lose weight. However, weight loss is usually not permanent without a sustainable change in diet. You can do a juice cleanse for just one day or longer. You can either mix the juices yourself or buy ready-made bottled juices.
