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Get the facts before you decide to try one of these popular programs promising detoxification or weight loss.
Juice cleanses involve consuming nothing but fruit and vegetable juices, often organic and raw, for two to 10 days. If you are considering trying one of these programs, be sure to be informed before you start.
The Claims. Proponents say juice cleanses help detoxify your body and jumpstart weight loss, among other claims. Let's take a look at the facts:
* Weight Loss. A scientific review of research on juice cleanses and other "detox" diets found they can lead to initial weight loss-but users tend to regain the weight soon after they resume eating normally. "Very low calories diets like juice cleanses can send the body into 'starvation mode,'" cautions Kayli Anderson, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and lead faculty of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Food as Medicine course. "This is a natural process whereby the body slows its metabolism to maximize every calorie in the event of food shortage. A slower metabolism discourages longer-term weight loss."
* Detoxification. We are exposed to low...
