What 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.
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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.
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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”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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User Feedback
(Page 3 of 18, 343 total comments)Maureen
+i love it, i have a big trip coming up and i am trying to loose at least 35 to 40 pounds..these comments are so encouraging i am on day 3 and have lost 6 pounds..i am just hoping i will stay on it for at least 40 days...Good luck to everyone.
posted Sep 26th, 2011 11:07 pmlee
The one problem with this diet is the Salt Water Flush. I have tried twice now to get do the SWF on an empty stomach in the morning and have twice now, violently thrown up all the salt water. Although the tea my not be as affective, i am going to try it since i can't seem to keep the salt water down.
posted Sep 14th, 2011 9:23 amNeetse
?lemonade diet question i want to start the diet and have been reading a lot of reviews. To start with its difficult to find the organic marple syrup around and i have looked around the west rand area and midrand. i have the urge to loose, am totaly overweight. where can i get the marple syrup and when do i use the supplements.
posted Sep 2nd, 2011 9:17 amDavid
+I am on day 2 of this diet and I feel fuzzy. My mind feels slow to react to things but so far so good. This diet is not meant to make a person lose weight but rather clean out there system. This is a good way to start a healthy life style .
posted Aug 30th, 2011 4:04 pmAnna
-To anyone reading, I strongly advise you to NOT try this diet for the following reasons: You will most definitely lose weight (I lost 15 lbs during the 10 day period.) And your bowels will be cleansed of any residual waste that may have built up in them over the years. However, the weight will promptly come back within a month or two, and you will be much flabbier than you were before and it will find it much, much harder to lose it than it was to lose the leaner muscle that you had before the diet. The most harmful effect of this diet is that your digestive system will have become dependent on laxatives and you will suffer from bouts of constipation for years to come. My daughter and I have been working on restoring our good health for two years now after ruining it with this cleanse. DON't TRY IT -PLEASE!!
posted Aug 25th, 2011 9:32 pmTim
I'm on day 5 of the diet. I'm using a Senna Stimulant Laxative Tea at night that does the trick. No way I'm doing the salt water flush. First 3 days were good. Yesterday I felt a little anxious so I'm going to cut out the morning work outs. Hope I can make it the 10 days without any more anxiety spells (came in the evening/night). I'm down 13 pounds already in 4 days.
posted Aug 21st, 2011 8:40 amVal Bradley
When you finish the lemonade fast...be prepare to start a eating regime. lose the bad habits or you would did it for none. It will come immediately back...make sure you prepare for the aftermath. vegetables/fruits/water/drink protein shakes.
posted Aug 18th, 2011 5:28 pmTiff
Does the weight stay off once completed? or does it come right back?
posted Aug 17th, 2011 11:07 amemabully
Eeep! Just started my first day on this diet today. Think the drink taste just fine, but I haven't done the salt water yet. Mostly because I just don't have the time in the morning to wait around for a bathroom trip. Is it possible to take it at night?
posted Aug 16th, 2011 11:06 amGoing to my step-class tonight and is a bit worried about preforming badly. We'll see. Altho I have not been hungry at all. I assume tomorrow will be worse.Good luck everyone.
Chelsie
?Excited to start the lemonade diet? I'm starting this detox diet tomorrow. I'm super excited seeing how I just had two babies in a row and am 45lbs over weight. Im hoping to knock out 20lbs with this diet. Going to get the ingredients tonight. Will check in through out my time. Planning on 10 days!!
This is rubbish
-Basically... let me put this to you the right way... There is no way to lose fat on a diet as such as this. You don't lose fat, you lose muscle and as soon as you're off this diet, you will put that weight back on really fast because your body rebuilds the muscle that had been lost.
posted Aug 10th, 2011 6:02 pmMy suggestion is cardio and if you do wish to go on any diet... reduce your fats and carbs and up the protein intake.. you want to keep your muscles while reducing the total fat. Keep in mind that before you start any diet, always remember to consult your GP. I'm not saying dieting won't reduce your fat... it will, depending on the diet itself...
The main piece of information you need to know is as so: Fat loss will only occur when: Energy used> energy consumed... simply means burn more calories than you consume and do not ignore your daily intake of recommended micro and macronutrients. Good luck all
Source: I have lost around 30-40lbs of fat and it definitly was not bloody easy...
ligia
I started this detox on the 11th of July and lost 20.43lbs I have another 20 days which am hoping to loose another 20lbs.
posted Aug 3rd, 2011 9:32 amits getting difficult now, as am tired of drinking the lemonade
donna
Can you tell me, is it a nessesity to part take in the salt flush, not sure I could do that.
posted Jul 30th, 2011 11:59 amAssert
+I am doing this for 40 days or until I lose 35 lbs. Have done this in the past and starting tomorowm
posted Jul 28th, 2011 7:59 pmJasmine
+so today is July 25th and im starting the lemonade diet. i havent done the flush today im going to do it tommorrow morning. its so hard when you're trying to diet but have ppl around you eating and saying that you cant do it. i have no motivation at all ffrom anyone. but when i rfead these posts i start to kinda get motivated. im going for 7-10 days. but i cheated today and ate a bagel smh. idk why i did that i feel so bad just bad. but im gong to work it off tomorrow and keep telling myself over and over that I CAN DO IT!!!. the only thing im a little afraid of is the SWF but im going to do it anyways ughhhh.MOTIVATION MOTIVATION MOTIVATION..I CAN DO IT!!!!!!!
posted Jul 25th, 2011 8:03 pmaisha
I'm on 230 in 5'7 in trying to lose weight and also clean my body and I want started the lemonade diet what all do I need in what to expect
posted Jul 14th, 2011 2:40 pmAshley D
My husband and I started the Master Cleanse today. The salt flush was pretty yucky to drink (it just doesn't taste right to drink salt water) but I did it- drank 320z in 30min as directed. I was amazed at the "flushing" affect that soon happened. I have drank the lemonade all day and to my surprise it taste good. Every time I felt hunger I would drink a glass it made the hunger pains go away. I do have a headache tonight... I am assuming my body is already detoxing (coffee and wine which I consume often) Will keep you posted on Day 2 tomorrow!
posted Jul 13th, 2011 10:12 pmTammy
Just started this morning. I did the salt water flush and even though it didn't taste good, it was better than I thought it would be. So far whenever I feel hunger, I drink the lemonade mix and I'm fine.
posted Jul 12th, 2011 2:22 pmphmintz
+I did this last year and it was fantastic. I had more energy than I knew what to do with. I am 51 years old and weigh 300 lbs. I figure it is time to start my diet right. I will do this diet for 21 days then I will gradually add fruits and vegetables, I think I am going to stay off of meat for a while. I think I will get my protein through eating beans. I figure with this diet I should lose weight and feel better. I did this diet last year and I felt wonderful. I remember going to a church social and playing softball, even being overweight and not exercising much I decided to play ball. I hit the ball and ran all 4 bases and to my surprise I wasn't gasping for breathe like the younger folks were, that made me a firm believer about this diet. So that is why I chose it now, to kick start a permenent diet. Well good luck everyone. I am in this diet for 21 days I will keep you posted on my progress.
posted Jul 11th, 2011 2:04 pmAshley
+I liked the diet. I lost 14 pounds in 10 days back in october. However, I didnt stick to just the diet. On day 2 I was at my friends apartment going insane by her chinese food smells so i slipped up and ate an egg roll. I also worked out so I drank protein shakes and ate apples before and after my work out. My body felt so refreshed after this diet. I'm starting it again today
posted Jul 6th, 2011 1:21 pm