Popularly known as master cleanse diet, lemon juice detox or lemon detox diet is basically a liquid diet comprising lemon cayenne pepper drink. It is claimed to be effective for cleansing the body, for boosting energy, for clearer skin, and for better sleep. Lemon detox diet is also said to be beneficial for losing weight. Though the diet was developed for the purpose of detoxification and fasting, it is now very popular as a weight loss program.
Though there is no scientific backing for these claims, there are many who vouch for the efficacy of this diet. It is said that the singer and actress Beyoncé Knowles shed around 20 kilos for the movie ‘Dreamgirls’, by following this lemon cayenne pepper diet. It is very easy to prepare the drink, as it requires only few ingredients that are easily available and inexpensive. On the other hand, nutritionists and health experts rubbish the claims made by the proponents of this diet. According to them, such diets are not required by the human body for detoxification. Go through this Buzzle article for a brief overview of the diet.
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Organic grade B maple syrup
- Cayenne pepper powder
- Filtered water
(Use freshly squeezed juice from ripe, organic lemons. Remove the pulp and seeds. Don’t use lemon juice concentrate, tap water or distilled water, for preparing lemon cayenne pepper detox drink.)
★ Take a glass that is big enough to contain 10 ounces of water.
★ Pour five ounces of filtered water into the glass.
★ Add two tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the water.
★ Mix two tablespoons of organic grade B maple syrup.
★ Add 1/10 teaspoon cayenne pepper.
★ Add the remaining five ounces of filtered water and stir well.
★ One serving of lemon cayenne pepper detox drink is ready.
★ A dieter is supposed to drink 6 to 12 servings a day.
You can even prepare this drink as per your requirement for a day and refrigerate it. Don’t store it for more than a day, as the drink should be consumed fresh, so as to be effective.
Those who are on lemon pepper diet are supposed to have this drink for a stipulated time (usually three to 10 days). Dieters are not allowed to consume any solid food or any other drink, during this period. They can have water in small amounts. It is said that consumption of solid food hampers the detoxification process. Herbal laxatives and saltwater flush are allowed once a day, so as to facilitate bowel movement. Strenuous physical activities, smoking and alcohol consumption are also not permitted.
- It is always better to prepare well rather than starting the diet all of a sudden. A three-day preparation will be sufficient for this diet.
- On day one, avoid meat, dairy products and processed food. Have fresh fruits and vegetables. On day two, consume soups, broths and smoothies only.
- On day three, you must stick to fresh orange juice and no other food or beverages, except plain and pure water. Two liters of orange juice mixed with water, will be sufficient for the day. You may also add a small amount of organic maple syrup to the juice. Have laxatives at night.
- As you start the diet, take laxatives to ensure daily bowel movement. Herbal laxatives like senna tea can be taken at bedtime.
- This can be supplemented with saltwater flush (optional) during morning hours. The solution can be made by mixing two teaspoons of sea salt (don’t use the iodized version) in a quart (32 ounces) of water.
- Drinking this solution (preferably in one go) will trigger bowel movement. You may slightly increase the amount of salt, if the method fails the purpose. Saltwater flush can be omitted on the first day of the lemon detox diet.
- If your aim is weight loss, then drink minimal amounts of lemonade (six to eight glasses per day). For detoxification, increase intake of lemonade to twelve glasses a day.
- Plain water can be consumed throughout the day. Whatever may be your aim, start with twelve glasses of lemonade, on day one. You may increase or decrease the amount gradually. Continue this for the stipulated period (three to 10 days).
- It is not at all advisable to stop the diet and start having regular food right away. This may upset the digestive system. So wait for at least three days, before you start regular food.
- Once you stop lemon pepper diet, all you have to do is to repeat what you did during the preparation phase, but in reverse order. Consume only orange juice for a day.
- Go for soups, broths and juices during the next day. Have lots of fruits and vegetables on the third day. You can start regular food from the fourth day.
This is only a brief overview about lemon cayenne pepper detox drink and its use for weight loss and detoxification. Before trying this diet, you must have a thorough knowledge about the dos and don’ts. As there is a lot of speculation about the effectiveness and side effects of this cleansing diet, always make sure you consult your nutritionist or dietitian before venturing the same. Those with health problems (especially of the digestive system), must seek the opinion of their doctor, before starting such diet programs. Otherwise too, it is better to have a word with your doctor, beforehand.
