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What is a 3-day juice detox and should you try it for better health and weight loss? The hype of juice cleanses and detoxes is one that never seems to end as every few months, someone comes up with a few recipes and claims that they are the magic you have been missing in your life. But are such claims true? Are these juices the end all be all of perfect health, immunity, and weight loss or is this just another sales gimmick?
Also referred to as a 3-day detox juice cleanse, this is a fasting ‘diet plan’ that involves the consumption of nothing but raw fruit and vegetable juices for 72 hours straight. The juicing process is done with the help of a juicer that squeezes all the juice from the said fruit and veggies – you do not consume the pulp.
With the rise in popularity of juice detoxes and cleanses, the one question that many who are curious about this trend ask is ‘what does a 3 day detox do to the body?’. Does it have any benefits or is it just another fad weight loss and health plan sold to us by celebrities and other influencers?
Please note that due to the very limited research into juice-based diets, these are potential and not guaranteed benefits:
An important thing to note is that while many believe that the 3-day juice detox recipes will enable them to rid themselves of toxins, science does not necessarily agree with this. In-fact, some researchers strongly believe that until we can find proper means to test whether detox diets actually improve bodily function via eliminating toxins, this theory cannot be trusted or verified (4).
Also, all of these benefits can be derived from simply eating more fruits and vegetables – you don’t have to do a juice cleanse to see improvements in your health and well-being.
Read More: Celery Juice Detox: Does It Work?
If you would like to try this detox to see if you can reap any benefits from it, here are some things to do before, during, and after the fast.
While many people, websites, and videos may tell you that they have cracked the code and figured out the best 3-day juice detox, in truth there is no such thing. This eating plan is most definitely a starvation-type diet that should really not be attempted by anyone. Please note that:
Instead of trying this fasting fad diet to lose weight, try instead to make healthier eating choices like going on a calorie deficit, eating healthier foods, practicing intuitive eating and working out at least 3 times a week.
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Some of these safe and healthy full body detox methods include:
Before diving head first into a 3-day juice detox, try quitting alcohol for a week or two. Not only is alcohol generally bad for you, but it also quite negatively affects the liver.
Remember that the body has its own detoxifying system with each organ and tissue contributing in some form or the other to this process. That being said, the liver is our main detoxification organ – followed by the kidneys (3). Quitting alcohol not only gives your liver the chance to work better but it will also lower your risk of alcohol-related liver diseases (1).
Water has much more benefits than just keeping you hydrated. According to a study in the Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology journal, water works with the body to help with regulating your body temperature, joints lubrication, aiding digestion and nutrient absorption, and detoxifying your body (5).
The detoxification process is done through the removal of waste products through processes such as urination, breathing, sweating, and more (14). If you are unsure about how much water to drink, try using a water intake calculator to determine this.
Detoxifying your body goes further beyond what you eat or drink. Poor sleep has constantly been linked with health issues such as stress, anxiety, high blood pressure, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.
This, however, is not all. According to two studies – one published in 2013 and another in 2015 – whenever you sleep your brain gets a chance to re-charge, reorganize itself and most important of all to remove toxic waste products from your body (8, 13).
According to a study published in 2013, failure to get enough sleep makes it harder for the brain to get rid of these waste products which accumulate in the body leading to the above-mentioned health issues (11).
Not only do added sugars and highly processed food have little to no nutritional value, but they have also been linked to chronic illnesses such as obesity, heart disease, diabetes and more. These illnesses will affect your internal organs such as the liver and the kidneys hindering your body’s ability to naturally detoxify itself.
Read More: Belly Fat Burning Juice Recipes: Do They Really Lead To Lasting Results?
A nutrient dense diet is not only good for detoxification, but is also fantastic for weight loss. Such foods contain numerous nutrients, vitamins, minerals and other healthy substances like fiber, lean protein, and unsaturated fats – which are great for your overall health but are not excessive in calories.
In relation to detoxification, such a balanced nutrient dense diet is full of antioxidants which help the body eliminate toxins and free radicals which can lead to disease. Some of the best nutrient foods that are also full of antioxidants include
This works for both weight loss and full body detoxifIcation. Most of the people who decide to try the 3-day juice detox do it because of the many ‘testimonies’ all over the internet with people claiming to have lost an incredible amount of weight from trying this fasting diet.
What many people fail to realize, however, is that most of the weight lost during these 72 hours is in fact water weight and not fat loss. Reducing your salt intake – especially from overly processed foods – and increasing your water intake will lead to the same results.
When it comes to detoxifying the body, decreasing the salt intake will do wonders for your body. Eating less salt allows your body to reduce the antidiuretic hormone – a hormone that prevents you from urinating, a process that is essential for detoxifying the body (9).
Despite all the great and amazing results that the 3-day juice detox fast promises, it is truly not worth it. As previously stated, this is basically a starvation diet disguised as clean and healthy weight loss and full body detox. As shown above, there are numerous healthy and safe ways to lose weight and get rid of toxins from your body. Try these before trying this fast.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any medical conditions. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!