Do Juice Cleanses Really Work?

With the indulgent holiday season up on us, a number of my friends are planning juice fasts to "get rid of the toxins" they consumed in November and December. Heck, after having wine at just about every meal in Paris, Lord knows my liver needs a break.

I love a good juice fast as much as the next person. It can help you drop a few pounds quickly and are a good way to get a large amount of nutrients efficiently. I have a green juice three of four times a week. As for the whole "ridding our bodies of toxins" thing, I am not so sure. Scientists have repeatedly said that a quality, produce-heavy diet does the job.

Dr. Linda Lee, the Director of John Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center in Maryland, tells the Wall Street Journal that the term "cleanse" is nothing more than a marketing tool and there is no science to prove that fasting cleanses the system.

That marketing is working. Sales of "superpremium juice" was more than $1.4 billion in 2013, up from $1 billion in 2010.

This is a situation in which you need to do what works for you. Will your body be free of the damage caused by a month-long feast of champagne, cheese, steak and indulgent desserts with a 10-day cleanse in January? Probably not. Will you drop a few pounds? Likely. Will that make you feel better about yourself? If so, go for it but be smart and do your homework.

Finding Juice Fasts That Work For You

There are a TON of juice fasts to choose from. I have done the Blueprint Cleanse, Suja Juice and a variety of my own. Prepared fasts are expensive which is why I enjoy making my own juice. That, however, can be labor intensive and messy. Gilt City always has sales on juice fasts. They're currently offering deals on American Juice Company and Oui Juice. Bliss is also offering the Joule Body Cleanse, which I have done in the past, too. 

I use a Breville Juicer and make my own recipes adapted from a variety of books I have read over the years. The 3-Day Cleanse is a good one.

Are you a juicer? Are there any juice fasts you swear by and love?

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Suja Master Cleanse Juice: FINALLY A Way To Drink The Master Cleanse Juice And Not Gag

Have you ever tried to master the Master Cleanse, the juice fast created by Stanley Burroughs?  It's popular and helps you drop pounds fast.  Burroughs claims weight loss isn't the point.  Please.

Regardless of your Master Cleanse goal, the juice tastes horrific.  It's a blend of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, grade B maple syrup and water.  The first time you try it, you might gag.


Suja Juice is trying to make the urine-colored (really) concoction a little more palatable with their Master Cleanse juice.  I first saw it at Whole Foods and almost gagged at the price.  It is $8.99, too much for me to drop on something I might poor down the drain.   I went back later in the week and saw a $3 off coupon attached to the bottles so I took the plunge.

The Verdict?
It's not bad!   You taste a definite heat from the cayenne pepper.  There's a decent amount of afterburn but it's not too strong.  It's almost pleasant, like a quality salsa fresca.   You also taste a hint of lemon but not much maple syrup.  In fact I couldn't even sense it.  It's lightly sweetened, not syrupy at all.