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Diets
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How Does
Lemonade Diet Compare?
BACKGROUND
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PRO
CON
Diet and Nutrition
EXERCISE
CONCLUSION
Common Misspellings
Whats better than
Lemonade Diet?
Diets
Calorie Counting
Lemonade Diet Review (UPDATED 2024): Don't Buy Before You Read This!
The fasting diet the stars are drinking up.
Top Rated Diets of 2024What is it?
The Lemonade Diet is a weight loss fad diet that claims it can detoxify and cleanse the body. It’s also known as the Master Cleanse Diet, and it became popularized by the celebrity Beyoncé who also used it.
Only liquids are allowed and it claims it’s able to promote an improved digestive system for more energy, vitality, happiness, and overall health improvement. It was originally mentioned in a book but there have been numerous variations on this diet. Our review experts have researched many different dietsand the most effective for weight loss was found to be the 18Shake Diet. It combines an appetite suppressing meal replacement alongside a fat burning diet pill. Both have natural ingredients with no cheap fillers, stimulants, colors, preservatives, or artificial additives. Read more about the benefits of the 18Shake Diet by clicking the link here.
Do You Know the Best Diets of 2024?
Lemonade Diet Ingredients and Side Effects
For 10 days the goal is to only drink the following:
• Salt water mixture: 2 full tablespoons of non-iodized salt and a one quart of slightly warm water. First thing in the morning one has to drink this on a completely empty stomach.
• Lemonade drink: 10 ounces of spring or purified water are mixed alongside 2 tablespoons of either lemon or lime juice, a tenth of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup. A minimum of 6 to 12 glasses need to be drank each day.
• A laxative or peppermint tea: The herbal laxative is needed for those who can’t have a normal bowel movement. It’s preferably drunk before bedtime in order for it to process fully by the body. Peppermint tea is also recommended as it can help reduce any bloating, stomach cramps, and nausea.
Under no circumstancesare there any other kinds of food allowed. This is to properly detoxify the body so it can flush out toxins and rejuvenate itself. After the full 10 days are done and weight loss results are achieved, it’s then advised to slowly introduce light foods such as soup, juice, raw fruits, and raw vegetables.
It’s mentioned that side effects are possible, and that’s why they allow for peppermint tea and the laxatives. Possible side effects revealed by the official diet are:
• Nausea, food cravings, headaches boredom, nausea, and lack of a normal bowel movement.
It’s claimed that these kinds of side effects are normal, as it’s the body flushing out harmful toxins. This is not proven however. These same kinds of symptoms are possible from eating a diet that is rich in sugary maple syrup, acidic lemon or lime juice, and a diet high in sodium. It may also be due to the lack of sufficientvitamins and minerals.
A Dr. Hansa Bhargava adds:
“If weight loss is your goal, it may work temporarily. Anytime you limit your food intake, especially this drastically, you will lose some weight”
Other issues mentioned by the doctor are:
“problem is, you will losemuscle mass. This diet puts you at risk for nutritional deficiencies, too”
As far as sustained weight loss the doctor saw no benefit:
“you will likely gain the weight back really quickly once you start eating normally”
These are serious issues which show that this diet has not enough nutrition, calories, and an unlikelihood of promoting positive weight loss results. This is why this fad diet has not been proven to be safe and effective. The doctor finally recommends:
“it is better to lose weight gradually with a balanced diet that makes sure you get the nutrients you need. Cross this one off your list”
For a comprehensive list of the highest rated weight loss diets, click on the link here.
Exercise is not mentioned by this diet, but it's unlikely with a 650 calorie limit that it would be advised. Health US News.com adds:
“it may even be dangerous to exercise when you’re consuming so few calories. Ask your doctor before exercising while (on this diet)”
This can also potentially make it difficult to perform regular tasks as the caloric demands for both men and women are around 2,000. The Lemonade Diet offers less than half of the advised daily amount for maintenance and proper physical functions. This can potentially lead to issues such as fatigue and brain fog.
EDITOR’S TIP: Combine this diet with a proven meal replacement such as 18 Shake for better results.
Lemonade Diet Quality of Ingredients
While lemon or lime juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup can be healthy in moderation, relying on theingredients for weight loss is not a good way to lose weight. There are far too many potential issues with this mixture, as it does not have enough vitamins and minerals.
There’s also a need for laxatives in order to promote a bowel movement, as no solid foods are allowed on this diet. The fact that one cannot rely on their own body for a natural process shows how potentially unsafe this diet is.
There’s also a salt flush which can contain a large amount of sodium which can promote water weight gain. The extreme limit by eating only 650 calories is also another issue which can cause many side effects.
Better options for weight loss are available via the list of the top ranked weight loss diets.
The Price and Quality of Lemonade Diet
The price will likely be cheap since the bulk of the diet is limited and relies on the same basic foods. Howeverthere’s no evidence that sustaining oneself on these kinds of foods would be safe and effective for weight loss. Health experts have also agreed that this is simply another fad diet lacking in sufficient nutrition and calories.
Due to the many potentially side effects which can damage the body, there’s far too much risk involved with this diet.
Business of Lemonade Diet
The diet was first mentioned in a book called the “The Master Cleanse” which was published in 1976 by Stanley Burroughs. The creator has not provided any proof showing whether or not this is a safe and effective diet.
He has also been charged in many lawsuits for proving false and ineffective nutrition and health advice. He was a specialist in natural medicine, which is a field of medicine which his not accepted in the medical community.
Our experts have rated many weight loss diets, the best are featured in the link here.
EDITOR’S TIP: The top 10 list of the best diets is available here.
Customer Opinions of Lemonade Diet
Featured below are some reviews from users of the Lemonade Diet:
“This diet is very restrictive”
“I was miserable. I had no energy… felt like I wassuffering from a rare disorder”
“It’s mostly nonsense from those who don’t understand physiology or any aspect of medicine”
“The cleanse is not the best way to lose weight”
People often had extreme hunger pains from a lack of solid foods. There were major complaints as well from those who lose some weight but managed to pile it back on as soon as they ate normally.
The majority of users had trouble not thinking about food, and once they resumed eating they felt like they had to binge. Some failed to lose any weight at all.
Common symptoms were listed by users including nausea, headaches, fatigue, low blood sugar, mood swings, irritability, difficulty sleeping, and low mental performance. Some also experienced serious issues such as extremely low blood sugar and depression.
Click on the link provided here for a comprehensive listing of the best diets for weight loss.
Conclusion - Does Lemonade Diet Work?
The Lemonade Diet is similar to other fad diets which suggest limiting oneself to just a few foods. Only liquids are allowed, and the diet suggests only using it for 10 day periods. Since the caloric limit is 650 a day, this will likely result in weight loss. Any extreme caloric deprivation like this is known to promote weight loss. The issue is that it’s not sustainable. Many people have experiencedseriousside effects, and they also mentioned how all the lost weight returned as soon as normal eating continued. The diet has also not been proven to be safe and effective. There are health professionals who have concluded that this diet is not safe or effective. It enforces a strict lack of calories with very little to no nutrients.
Our experts have rated many kinds of diets and the most effective one for weight loss is the 18Shake Diet. In it is a meal replacement for hours of appetite suppression as well as a fat burning diet pill. No added stimulants, binders, colors, preservatives, fillers, or any unwanted additives are included. They combine to help suppress appetite, burn fat, increase metabolism, and provide well-rounded weight loss support.
The 18Shake Diet is also backed by an entire 30 day money back return policy. This allows customers to keep their money with no questions asked for an entire 30 days. To learn more about the 18Shake Diet, click on the link cited here.
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BACKGROUND
Start the Diet Now Advertisement
The Master Cleanser Diet, also known as The Lemonade Diet, is a fasting plan that will shed pounds quickly. The diet was created by Stanley Burroughs more than 50 years ago. Burroughs, a proponent of varying alternative health remedies, had no medical or nutritional training.
The Lemonade Diet claims that its fasting technique rids the body of toxins that are induced by bad diet, lack of exercise and "negative mental attitudes." But where does the lemonade come into play? Well, that's all your going to ingest for 7-10 days. The magic elixir, purported to have been used by celebrities like Beyonce, Denzel Washington and Robin Quivers (of the Howard Stern Show) has grown in popularity, evidenced by the user video diaries that can be found on sites like YouTube.
Do You Know the Best Diet Pills of 2024?
PRO
- Fast weight loss, although there are no scientifically proven benefits to the Lemonade Diet, but that's obviously going to happen when you starve yourself
CON
- There is no medical evidence that cleansing diets work to rid the body of toxins
- It's a short-term solution to something that needs to be a lifetime change
- The Lemonade Diet, like all extended fasts, can have adverse effects on your organ function and metabolism.
Diet and Nutrition
The Lemonade Diet has fasters drink anywhere from 6 to 12 glasses of lemonade daily. The maple syrup diet recipe for the concoction is as follows:
- 2 Tbsp. lemon juice or lime juice
- 2 Tbsp. real maple syrup
- 1/10 tsp. cayenne pepper
- 8 oz. water
EXERCISE
Exercise is not addressed on The Lemonade Diet. And how could you properly exercise when you are fasting on a liquid diet?
CONCLUSION
Fasting, or "cleansing" diets, are fantastic bait for people looking for a quick fix to their weight woes. It's why celebrities are drawn to it. Maybe any possible health risks are okay for them, since they can write it off as a danger they take on for their career. But for the rest of us who should be thinking about a lifetime solution, look for something you can live with forever.
Common Misspellings
lemonaide diet, lemon diet, limon diet, lemonade deit
Featured Diets and Supplements
Lemonade Diet?
User Feedback
(Page 16 of 18, 343 total comments)Sunshine
+First and foremost, this is not a diet. This is a cleansing fast only. This cleanse is designed to rid your body of toxins, purify your bloodstream, and give your digestive system a rest. Nothing more, nothing less. Weight loss is just a perk. Now after the cleanse you aren't suppose to go back and continue your bad health habits, because if you do your weight will return just as fast as you lost it. So be prepared to live a healthy lifestyle after you complete the cleanse. I read that some people believe this cleanse to be nothing but a starvation diet, but if you were to add up the calories in the lemons and maple syrup then you will find yourself with the typical caloric intake of a regular diet -- 1200 calories a day. Please be assured that you are getting all the essential nutrients your body needs to thrive. If you want to read a condensed version of 'The Master Cleanse', then google -master cleanse pdf...
posted Oct 16th, 2008 4:09 pmron criswell
+on my second day and have not used the bathroom once dont understand why? especially with all the horror stories i heard.
posted Oct 14th, 2008 2:07 pmteine
+This will be my second time using the Master Cleanser. All I can say is that is works!! I lost 30 lbs in 14 days. I had so much energy, and was not hungry at all . This works only for those who are determine to lose the weight. I am so happy with results
posted Oct 13th, 2008 4:47 pmTora
+hi Sally, \\n\\nThis is my second time doing this cleanse. I started again today. Everyone's body reacts differently, I do the sea salt flush in the morning and it works within 5 mins. I give myself at least 45 mins to complete that process. throughout the day, I tend to have to use the restroom a little more from all the liquids. The backend works normally takes place in the morning and at night. I hope that that helps.
posted Oct 7th, 2008 1:11 pmSally
+Hi, just wondering if anyone can answer a question for me, i have tried going on internet websites but to no avail. I am thinking about going on the master cleanse but im just worried, i have heard that all the toxins will be coming out of the body, but when does this happen? In the morning or do you go throughout the day? I work full time and dont feel comfortable goin to the loo at work. So if i drink the salt water flush do you go straight after that or at night? Can someone please shed any light on the subject? Please email me or respond to this question. Thanks.
posted Oct 7th, 2008 1:17 amCherie
Hello everyone! There is a lot of controversy with this cleanse but that is one thing people need to remember...it is a CLEANSE not a diet. After doing lots of research last year i tried this cleanse in Jul of 2007. I was amazed at the energy level that I had. After working 9 hours a day in an extremely hot chemical plant in FL in the heart of the summer I still had energy to go to the gym after work. I went from 217lbs to 195lbs in 10 days...Ok well 9 days cuz on the tenth day I just missed eating something solid so I stopped...I had no cravings for anything unhealthy when I got off the diet...Ate a lot of veggies and chicken...I felt great...The guys at work were concerned with me going ont he diet but afterwards told me the noticed a glow about me. The only thing I didn't like about the lemonade was the pepper...To solve this I would make a gallon of the lemonade without the pepper and then pour 8 oz glasses of it throughout the day and add the pepper then...If I drank it cold and right away it didn't bother me...I also did not use the full amount of maple syrup only about half as it was too sweet for my taste...I'd love to do this cleanse again but right now I'm in iraq so it makes it difficult to get the lemons and the maple syrup...I will do this again though when I go back home...I think it's a wise thing to do especially after the holidays or anytime you start eating unhealthy...It's amazing what still comes out of your body after 10 days with no solid foods...Oh and I did the tea every night but because of my long drive to work I only did the salt water on the weekends...Good luck to anyone who is gonna try...You will feel great...Remember it's all a mind thing!!!
posted Sep 24th, 2008 8:45 amsam
Hello! Sorry guys that it took me a little while to post my update on this master cleanse. Well, my husband was pretty happy to see me when he got back. He says that he feels like he has a new wife( in a good way!!!) I am happy with the result as well. From 130.8 to 118 in 10 days. After I started eating I gained back 3 lbs. which i know this will happen. I also started going back to the gym so I know that I will start shedding body fat and be fit. I will do this master cleanse 2x a year. After you do this cleanse start to choose food that are healthy rather than eating junk foods. Good luck with you all.
posted Sep 15th, 2008 5:07 pmKat
There's a reason it's called the Master CLEANSER. It wasn't meant to be a diet, but a cleansing fast gone awry. If you think you need to fast, at least do a juice fast and get your nutrients. The only source of energy in this is the maple syrup.
posted Sep 15th, 2008 9:00 amBabygirl
Hello everyone i have started my cleanse diet today and seem kind of hard becuz i am so hungry , i really what to cleanse my body becuz of all the junk that i eat and i cook up a strom for my family but they have 2 eat. I just 2 do it 4 me and hope i can contiune it.Please people wish me Luck i wish my self Luck. IIIIIIII LLLLOVE 2222 EEEEAT.
posted Sep 11th, 2008 6:18 pmevelyn caro
today's date: sept. 4 august 21 i started a liquid diet in preparation for the master cleanse. i drank soy milk for 5 days while i got the ingredients together. tuesday, august 26, i started the diet. this is day 10, and i have lost 14 lbs. day 6 was hard for me, i started breaking out in tiny bumps over both eyebrows and down my nose, like a mini mask. by day 7 the bumps all encompassed my face, neck, chest, and both hands. this was very discouraging but i knew that the toxins had to be removed from my body. so today the bumps are partly dried, but they itch. i have decided to stay on the diet until the lemons i bought run out. i have been exercising a lot, i don't have a car so everywhere i go, i walk. i feel comfortable not eating food, that means less fat in my body. i have wanted to stop so that i could go to avalanche pizza and eat the vegan stuff. i can wait. i've learned that you must be in the right frame of mind to do this diet. i am ready for a change, so change happened. thank you for reading!
posted Sep 5th, 2008 8:26 pmtikki
Hey guys, this is not the first time for me, but I decide to try it again and I am on the fifth day and going the temptations are there but I want to lose some weight but I don't actually feel or see myself looking any different until the second week of the cleanse but IT WORKS I am hoping to go until the end of September 2 see if I can look extremely good. I'll gonna post u another result in a week's time hope I last
posted Sep 1st, 2008 8:32 amSara
My husband is considering this diet and asked me to research it for him. He has been overweight his whole life. He was actually in pretty good shape when we got married, but that was over five years ago and he has since gained about 55lbs. His current lifestyle is not suited to keep any weight off that he may lose w/ this diet. He tried a similar diet once and didn't even make it through the first day. I know he will neither eat right nor exercise to keep the weight off...he just wants a quick fix. Sounds nasty to me. Even if I wanted to do this diet, I couldn't cause I'm nursing my four-month-old. I'll stick with healthy, sensable eating and exercise to get back to my pre-pregnancy size. Good luck, suckers!
posted Aug 26th, 2008 9:26 pmFreaky
Hey guys! I am so excited...tomorrow is my first day...I'm gonna post everyday...let's see how it really works!
posted Aug 23rd, 2008 9:29 amvenus
hi guys.I'll b starting my lemonade diet tomorrw.lets c wat happens.I hope it works.
posted Aug 17th, 2008 11:11 pmsam
hi! I am back for my update, it's been seven days on this diet and I started Monday @ 130.8 lbs now it's 120lbs. Woo Hooo!!! I can't believed it for myself . I went to visit my Aunt last night and for the past 6 years this is the first time she ever told me that I am skinny and I lost a lot of weight that she was even thinking of giving it a try. Two more weeks and my hubby will be back!!! I can't wait to see his reaction. I will continue on the diet for three to five more days the latest, so that by the time my husband come back I am eating regular food and he will not have any clue how I lose all this weight. Keep you posted;-) !!!!
posted Aug 17th, 2008 11:11 pmsheree
I'm on day 3 of my cleanse and i must say i feel great! When i started this cleanse i was only doing it for weight loss,but now i am looking forward to detoxing my body and losing the weight as well.the lemonade is actually good even with cayenne pepper..i haven't had many side effects just an occasional headache and a few body aches but nothing too major. I've lost 8 pounds so far overall i feel great.I'm not using the cleanse as a temporary weight loss I'm doing it to overall to make life changes so my advice to anyone thinking about starting the cleanse is to go for it! It wil take alot of will and dertermination to finish but once you're done it will be a good decision made
posted Aug 12th, 2008 5:23 pmsam
I just started my lemon diet today, and I like the taste of the lemonade with cayenne pepper since i always like spicy food and spices. I am getting a little hungry but I am surprise that I can control my cravings to even taste any food. I will have some laxative tea before bed and will have the sea salt flush tomorrow. My husband is gone for a business trip and he won't be back in three weeks. I can't wait to see the look in his face when he see me. keep you posted.....
posted Aug 12th, 2008 9:20 amskinny
don't drink the cleanser...all you have to do is limit calories in and expend calories out by excercise. trust me on this one.
posted Aug 5th, 2008 9:31 pmShabakka
I have read all of the above comments. Let me share my experience with the master cleanse. Last Oct. (2007) I did the cleanse for 18 days and lost close to 50 lbs. I went from 240-245 down to 193. I suspect I gained a few pounds back, but did not feel them as my 38 waste paints (down from 42 inch waste) did not feel more snug. Here was my plan. About a month before starting the cleanse I had a pretty healthy diet. I elimanated the junk foods, fried foods and incorported much more whole and raw (salads) into my diet. This was the diet I planned to continue after the cleanse. Everything went well until the last week of November. On thanksgiving I allowed myself to indulge a little. Interestingly many things that I was afraid of did not tempt me. No desire for any of the sweets. After thanksgiving I began to slip into my old eating patterns, i.e. fried foods and my breakfast beacon, eggs and cheadder cheese. I went back to SAD (standard American diet) during the month of december and in Jan. I felt the weight inching back up. I did not stop; I continued to eat SAD. In June I decided to get a physical because I knew that an important element to keep weight off is to also excercise. I was afraid to excercise because of heart problems. Dr sent me to cardologist. Cardologist said my heart was great. The problem I had was weight. The weight is bearing down on my stomach causing me to have acid reflux. The acid reflux cause heart burn and I thought I was having heart problems. The key to successful weight loss is to prepare for a new way of life. Also, I like the cleanse as I am in agreement with the body taking a break to work on functions that it generally does not have time to, especially because of SAD. I would like to quickly address two above responses. The cleanse is not starving yourself as those who have anorexia nervosa. Anorexia Nervosa is a psychological disorder. Aother stopped the cleanse because of the physica reaction they had. According to everything that I have read, those reaction are natural. The more you have means the more intense your cleanse is. Remember once the toxins are released from the tissue into your body there may be some reactions. This is why it is so important to do the tea at night and salt water flush in the morning.
posted Aug 5th, 2008 9:31 pmTJ
well im goin 2embark on this on tuesday. ive just come back from a longggg holiday and i feel and look hugeeeeeee!!!! i also ate a lot of rubbish while i was away so im pretty sure that i need a good cleaning out! my husband is goin away 4a month, so i wanna try it d whole time he's away wit abt a 5 day break in between simply bcz im not sure that its safe 2do it 4a full 30days, so ill break it up in between. ive read ur comments and im pretty excited so wish me luck!!!! will luv 2c his face when he ges back 2a new slimmer wife!!
posted Aug 4th, 2008 9:51 am