Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.
Juice Cleanses...is there ever any benefit?
Replies
-
sammidelvecchio wrote: »@kimny72 mine helps with pain because it helps reduce inflammation. Most of the juices that are made for my cleanses are not made from fruits and none of them have added sugar, so I don't think its fair to call them liters of sugar water. Some juices out there are full of sugar, but not all of them, and if the ones I drink were I wouldn't drink them. I also don't use it as a way to rest from medication because I don't take a lot of medication. I think the biggest thing to take away from the responses so far, is that juice cleanses just really aren't helpful for sustainable weight loss. They can be beneficial and fit into some people's lives for certain reasons, but for weight loss they probably shouldn't even be used as a last resort because they just simply don't work well for that.
Are there any benefits? Yes
Are they ALL inherently bad for you? No
Should people use them as a way to help them lose weight? Probably not, unless its because you're desperate to fit into that dress you need to wear this weekend and you just to be a liiiiittle bit smaller within 72 hours.
Oh, sure. I wasn't meaning to direct that at you, more at the OP. In other words, if she doesn't have a medical condition she thinks this will help, what she's trying to accomplish might be better achieved in a different way. And I suspect any commercial juice cleanse she would pick up at her local diet-product-seller location would be sugar water, but to be honest, I haven't looked at one in ages
While I am 100% cynical of juice cleanses, I don't blame anyone for finding relief for chronic pain wherever they can get it, full stop. :flowerforyou:1 -
I'm not honestly sure a juice cleanse would really rest your liver and kidneys anyway. I guess it would rest your stomach and intestines a little, but that's not usually what they are advertised for.
As I noted in my prior post (after yours!), I doubt it would, there's no reason to think so. Not eating at all perhaps, but that would cause other potential stress.Have you considered just eating a very plain, simple, natural diet for a few days instead? Lots of veggies and fruits, no alcohol or non-Rx medications? Rest from long or high impact exercise, but maybe take lots of walks to get your circulatory system pumping away. If there is any value to the idea of a "cleanse" it seems more logical to me that this sort of (I hate the word, but) clean diet would be more effective than liters of sugar water. :drinker:
This makes a lot of sense to me.
I'll also note that I live in a place where marketing special juice cleanses seems to be trendy (lots of people who might be interested live and work around me, I guess), and they often seem to be extremely expensive. So I'd be cautious of it for that reason too!2 -
The reason why cleanses are popular is because they tend to zap the scale quickly, because by removing all the solid waste from your body you are likely to dip several pounds. So people cleanse for a few days and go "I lost 10 pounds, yay cleanses!!!" and then when it is back on in 2 weeks, think it is because of something they did, and not because the weight loss from the cleanse was never going to going to stick because it wasn't actually real fat loss.
As mentioned in other comments, there is no need to "rest" your organs. If you are consuming things in excess that are bad for your organs, the solution to that is to reduce consumption of those things, not stop them for a couple of days and then go back right to it. Likewise, if a particular cleanse includes things that have high nutritional value, the better choice is to work to incorporate those things regularly into your diet, not have them for a few days and then go back to eating how you used to eat. It's also important to note that some fruits and vegetables lose a good deal of their nutrition when juiced vs when eaten whole. A lot of times eating whatever is in your juice is a better option.10 -
To follow up on my last post about the costs and the kinds of (bogus) claims being made by a lot of these places, here's the marketing from a local juice place that sells cleanses:
"We've put countless hours into developing the most cutting-edge cleanses. Each one is designed for a transformational experience. We recommend doing at least a five day cleanse but a three day is a great place to start. Our comprehensive cleanse menu offers impressive flexibility and a full spectrum of macronutrients, phytonutrients, and variety."
This one goes from $144 for a 2-day cleanse to $450 for the 7-day (at least 5-7 is highly recommended, they say).
The claims go on: "Did you know that about 80% of your total daily energy expenditure happens in your digestive system? When you give your digestive system a break, your body has the chance to heal and detoxify at its deepest cellular level. Juicing is the easiest way for your body to assimilate nutrients while at the same time allowing your digestive system to rest."
One of the options promises: "If you battle chronic inflammation, histamine, auto-immune conditions, digestive + gastro intestinal and/or skin issues then this is the cleanse for you. This cleanse is meant to act as a 3-in-1 inflammation soothing/gut-healing/elimination diet."
With stuff like this, I can totally see why OP and others would see them as potentially appealing (and the claims went on and on, this is just a tiny sampling), but I find it really disgusting and unethical and a money grab. But at least in my area the people buying them are more likely to have the money to waste than be really desperate types, I suppose, so whatever. It does show good knowledge of the current buzzwords to play with (there's a keto cleanse too, that supposedly detoxes you from your addiction to the "white devil" -- it sadly does not say what are in the supposedly keto juices.)
Also, not sure I want my TDEE dropping by 80%! ;-)13 -
To follow up on my last post about the costs and the kinds of (bogus) claims being made by a lot of these places, here's the marketing from a local juice place that sells cleanses:
"We've put countless hours into developing the most cutting-edge cleanses. Each one is designed for a transformational experience. We recommend doing at least a five day cleanse but a three day is a great place to start. Our comprehensive cleanse menu offers impressive flexibility and a full spectrum of macronutrients, phytonutrients, and variety."
This one goes from $144 for a 2-day cleanse to $450 for the 7-day (at least 5-7 is highly recommended, they say).
The claims go on: "Did you know that about 80% of your total daily energy expenditure happens in your digestive system? When you give your digestive system a break, your body has the chance to heal and detoxify at its deepest cellular level. Juicing is the easiest way for your body to assimilate nutrients while at the same time allowing your digestive system to rest."
One of the options promises: "If you battle chronic inflammation, histamine, auto-immune conditions, digestive + gastro intestinal and/or skin issues then this is the cleanse for you. This cleanse is meant to act as a 3-in-1 inflammation soothing/gut-healing/elimination diet."
With stuff like this, I can totally see why OP and others would see them as potentially appealing (and the claims went on and on, this is just a tiny sampling), but I find it really disgusting and unethical and a money grab. But at least in my area the people buying them are more likely to have the money to waste than be really desperate types, I suppose, so whatever. It does show good knowledge of the current buzzwords to play with (there's a keto cleanse too, that supposedly detoxes you from your addiction to the "white devil" -- it sadly does not say what are in the supposedly keto juices.)
Also, not sure I want my TDEE dropping by 80%! ;-)
Man I am in the wrong line of business. I am going to start selling a air cleanse. Where you do nothing but breathe in my patented special phytonutrient air. It will be super great for weight loss, and also for health and stuff. Who want's to buy? Only $999 for the first 100 callers.8 -
@Phirrgus I think I am just answering the original question as it was posed in a very simple way. What I do is called a juice cleanse. The questions were are there any benefits to them, and are they all inherently bad? So my answer is yes, there can be benefits they will just depend on what you are using the juice cleanse for and the quality of the product you buy. And no, they aren't all inherently bad, because mine is very helpful.
I am not claiming that every cleanse product sold is good. I am saying that they aren't all bad. I'm not saying that every one of them can help someone, but I am saying that there are benefits to cleansing depending on why you're doing it coupled with the quality of product you buy.
A cleanse is more associated with your digestive tract. Detox is more associated with kidney and liver functions. But you're right, commercially people use them interchangeably.
I have no idea what a cleanse would accomplish for someone who is using it for a purpose other than medically. I mentioned that above, I believe, in regards to weight loss. Use it for weightloss? Not a great idea. My reason is medical, which it seems a lot of people might not be aware of the benefits it can have for people with chronic pain, so by sharing that it can help with that is an example of how not all juice cleanses are bad and there can be real benefits. And it doesn't just have to be a chronic illness or pain, people with regular OA say it has helped them a lot too, or people with IBS. Again though, i'm not saying that there are not other ways to obtain relief - a cleanse can just be one of many.
I do believe a lot of the claims the products make, like clearer skin, shinier hair, more energy - could easily be obtained without a juice cleanse in various ways. Eat more healthy fats, drink more water, etc, because having those issues in the first place is more likely a sign of vitamin deficiencies and there is definitely a multitude of ways you can get your vitamins without having to use a costly juice cleanse.1 -
To follow up on my last post about the costs and the kinds of (bogus) claims being made by a lot of these places, here's the marketing from a local juice place that sells cleanses:
"We've put countless hours into developing the most cutting-edge cleanses. Each one is designed for a transformational experience. We recommend doing at least a five day cleanse but a three day is a great place to start. Our comprehensive cleanse menu offers impressive flexibility and a full spectrum of macronutrients, phytonutrients, and variety."
This one goes from $144 for a 2-day cleanse to $450 for the 7-day (at least 5-7 is highly recommended, they say).
The claims go on: "Did you know that about 80% of your total daily energy expenditure happens in your digestive system? When you give your digestive system a break, your body has the chance to heal and detoxify at its deepest cellular level. Juicing is the easiest way for your body to assimilate nutrients while at the same time allowing your digestive system to rest."
One of the options promises: "If you battle chronic inflammation, histamine, auto-immune conditions, digestive + gastro intestinal and/or skin issues then this is the cleanse for you. This cleanse is meant to act as a 3-in-1 inflammation soothing/gut-healing/elimination diet."
With stuff like this, I can totally see why OP and others would see them as potentially appealing (and the claims went on and on, this is just a tiny sampling), but I find it really disgusting and unethical and a money grab. But at least in my area the people buying them are more likely to have the money to waste than be really desperate types, I suppose, so whatever. It does show good knowledge of the current buzzwords to play with (there's a keto cleanse too, that supposedly detoxes you from your addiction to the "white devil" -- it sadly does not say what are in the supposedly keto juices.)
Also, not sure I want my TDEE dropping by 80%! ;-)
One word: Yikes.
Also: There's *still* a fool born every minute, it seems.
Goes to show that if anything is made trendy and cool enough, people will buy into it without question. It makes me angry, too, that huge profits are being made from this. The snake oil salesman is alive and well, even in this day and age where people have the world's collective knowledge literally at their fingertips.
3 -
This is what I think of, and I've thought other people think of, when I think of a juice cleanse intended to "cleanse your system" and "jump start weight loss". Perhaps OP could come back and chime in if this is the kind of package she is thinking of.
https://www.amazon.com/SUPER-DETOX-ME-Metabolism-SUPERFOODS/dp/B01E4OPB4W/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=Lemonkind+SUPER+ME&qid=1560443122&s=gateway&sr=8-3&th=10 -
Yeah.. there good for produce sellers! Bad for your pocket and toilet...0
-
There is no debate about this in the scientific community - they do not help you lose weight, they do not detoxify your body, and they are generally unhealthy and not recommended. You cannot 'cleanse' yourself of toxins through any kind of diet - your liver does that all by itself. The weight you're losing (those few pounds) is water weight - once you stop you'll gain it all back.
https://www.webmd.com/diet/a-z/detox-diets
https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/detox-diets-juice-up-your-health#14 -
@sammidelvecchiosammidelvecchio wrote: »@Phirrgus I think I am just answering the original question as it was posed in a very simple way. What I do is called a juice cleanse. The questions were are there any benefits to them, and are they all inherently bad? So my answer is yes, there can be benefits they will just depend on what you are using the juice cleanse for and the quality of the product you buy. And no, they aren't all inherently bad, because mine is very helpful.
I am not claiming that every cleanse product sold is good. I am saying that they aren't all bad. I'm not saying that every one of them can help someone, but I am saying that there are benefits to cleansing depending on why you're doing it coupled with the quality of product you buy.
A cleanse is more associated with your digestive tract. Detox is more associated with kidney and liver functions. But you're right, commercially people use them interchangeably.
I have no idea what a cleanse would accomplish for someone who is using it for a purpose other than medically. I mentioned that above, I believe, in regards to weight loss. Use it for weightloss? Not a great idea. My reason is medical, which it seems a lot of people might not be aware of the benefits it can have for people with chronic pain, so by sharing that it can help with that is an example of how not all juice cleanses are bad and there can be real benefits. And it doesn't just have to be a chronic illness or pain, people with regular OA say it has helped them a lot too, or people with IBS. Again though, i'm not saying that there are not other ways to obtain relief - a cleanse can just be one of many.
I do believe a lot of the claims the products make, like clearer skin, shinier hair, more energy - could easily be obtained without a juice cleanse in various ways. Eat more healthy fats, drink more water, etc, because having those issues in the first place is more likely a sign of vitamin deficiencies and there is definitely a multitude of ways you can get your vitamins without having to use a costly juice cleanse.
Thanks for the clarifications - I don't think we're too far apart.
I wanted to ask to be sure as I'm slow sometimes and a bit can be lost communicating over the web.
What I had in mind were the products lemurcat2 posted up, that type of thing which I also see as a shameless money grab. As far as myself personally, I don't label it a cleanse, but when ever fasting for religious reasons or just intermittent fasting juice (fruit juices) tend to hold me over, and for whatever reasons I do feel a bit refreshed afterwards.
Thanks again
1 -
@Phirrgus No doubt there are some shameless companies jumping in to make money off of people who don't know better. It's the same with the "detox teas" like Teami. It's sad, and i'd reco people stay away from them. My mom falls victim to these things all the time.0
-
I have those toosammidelvecchio wrote: »@Phirrgus No doubt there are some shameless companies jumping in to make money off of people who don't know better. It's the same with the "detox teas" like Teami. It's sad, and i'd reco people stay away from them. My mom falls victim to these things all the time. family members that is...
0 -
Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given 6
-
gonna_reach_the_goal33 wrote: »Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given
Good for you! With your healthy attitude, grasp on reality and open-mindedness, I predict great success for you!
We're here if you have any other questions. Don't hesitate to step up and ask. 3 -
I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?1
-
2 -
jennifer_417 wrote: »I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?
Yes that's true. Some juices like prune juice are well known for helping with constipation.
I guess one could call such juice a cleanse and yes it could be benificial if used for that purpose.
0 -
paperpudding wrote: »jennifer_417 wrote: »I mean...it might be helpful for constipation?
Yes that's true. Some juices like prune juice are well known for helping with constipation.
I guess one could call such juice a cleanse and yes it could be benificial if used for that purpose.
The aesthetic issue I have with prune juice is that it looks far too much like what will come out.
1 -
gonna_reach_the_goal33 wrote: »Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of the input. I won’t be trying any new cleanses, haha, it’s now decided. I am just the type of person that doesn’t like to fall victim to these types of things, so I just wanted to really see what the MFP community had to say about it all. I am trying to lose weight, as I mentioned above, but I’m also trying to maximize my overall health in ways that I can. I don’t plan on giving up “bad foods” like pasta or certain desserts entirely, but I want my nutrition overall to be more good than bad, as it has been going downhill steadily for a while now until I got back on track. I don’t believe in “quick fixes” rationally, but there’s still times when I would like to believe that there could be some benefit, and it’s not all a COMPLETE lie for consumers. The main questions I’ve had since I’ve restarted related to 1. The juice cleanses (consider it answered) 2. Whether fasting actually has proven benefits as people claim, or if it really is solely CICO and nothing else and 3. Whether Pique tea is worth investing a try in or not. I am an avid coffee drinker, but caffeine doesn’t suppress my appetite much. And the idea of adding tea to help suppress hunger is intriguing. Overall, I have a good grasp on the path I’m on, and I know it’s working. But my curiosity of ways to maximize health benefits still exists. I’m afraid to lose too quickly, because I don’t want a lot of loose skin if it’s avoidable. I guess I’m in a place where there’s a lot I know about my health and losing weight, but there’s a lot I still have to learn. Thanks again for all of the responses! I’ll read them all and take any advice given
Sounds like you’re on the right track and being very pragmatic about your approach to weight loss, health and nutrition.
One thing that jumps out at me in the bolded, is your use of “bad foods” and then linking that to pasta and desserts. Why is pasta bad? Why are desserts bad? I think you have a rational approach in that you are saying you don’t want to give these up, just want to prioritize “good nutrition” over bad. Try not to think of any food as good or bad. It’s the overall context and dosage of your diet that you should be prioritizing, and I think you are, but labeling foods as good or bad, can sometimes lead to overly restrictive behaviors or mindsets.6
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 392.9K Introduce Yourself
- 43.7K Getting Started
- 260.1K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.8K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 415 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 152.9K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.6K MyFitnessPal Information
- 23 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.5K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions