Master Cleanse Diet: What You Need to Know - Benefits & Risks

Lemon juice, maple syrup and water are the main components of a detoxification diet called the Master Cleanse. This short-term diet is designed to flush out the intestinal tract.

Features

• The Master Cleanse is a detoxifying diet created by Stanley Burroughs. It involves a three-day "ease in" period, followed by a 10-day liquid diet of water, lemon juice, maple syrup and cayenne pepper. It ends with a three-day "ease out" from the fast.

Purpose

• The lemonade diet is designed to cleanse the intestinal tract. Maple syrup provides calories while the other ingredients are meant to flush toxins from the body. Diet followers are told to drink a glass of the lemonade recipe every time they are hungry or have the urge to eat during the fast. Drinking water throughout the day assists in the overall cleansing of the intestines.

Warnings

• Nutrition experts have criticized the Master Cleanse. Kathleen Zelman, a former spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association, writes on WebMD that the Master Cleanse is a short-term solution to weight loss and depletes the body of essential nutrients and energy for the duration of the fast.