Master Cleanse
Stanley Burroughs was not a doctor or nutritionist but practiced alternative medicine and in 1941 created the Master Cleanse.
It’s a liquid diet also referred to as the Maple Syrup Diet or Lemon Detox diet and was promoted in the 1990s by Peter Glickman.
While the diet became popular through Oprah Winfrey’s show when Beyonce Knowles shared her weight loss secrets, it hasn’t been medically studied or tested. Master Cleanse was created to be a detoxification and weight loss diet to help remove toxins, cure ulcers and be a general cure-all.
There is no evidence the diet accomplishes toxin removal or anything more than temporary weight loss. Used short term it is most likely not harmful but can be if used long term.
There have been changes to the diet since it was published in 1976 but does the diet work for losing weight? Follow the directions and it will work simply because any fasting will cause weight loss. The Master Cleanse is not strictly a fast because what you drink is a large volume of lemonade containing sugar which provides about 650 to 1,300 calories daily, depending on how many glasses you drink. Consequently, you have a daily calorie deficiency naturally leading to weight loss.
Master Cleanse essentially replaces your food with the lemonade mixture and adds colon cleansing which can be a shock to your system.
As far as the danger aspects, our research shows most medical experts don’t feel a few days on a cleansing diet will harm you (Master Cleanse is a low-calorie, nutrient deficient diet rather than a fast). However, long periods of fasting will start to diminish muscle and your heart is a muscle so it is one that will suffer in addition to damage to your liver and kidneys. Even less is known about long-term effects of salt-water laxative use over 10 days or more.
Generally, most people look at the Master Cleanse diet mainly for its quick weight loss feature even though it touts there is a detox component.
There’s no evidence of detox diets flushing anything bad from your body. The kidneys, liver, intestines, lungs and other organs efficiently filter and remove toxins. Toxins that may be trapped in the lungs or our fat cells are not removed with this diet.
A summation of the Master Cleanse is simple. The diet is designed to last 10 days and the only nourishment comes from the special lemonade mixture. You make this yourself using lemon juice from real lemons, maple syrup, cayenne pepper (which you may want to pour in capsules and take that way) and water. You will drink anywhere from six to twelve glasses daily gaining about 110 calories from sugar carbohydrates in each glass. Each night you will drink an herbal laxative tea and each morning a quart of salt water.
You may experience many liquid bowel movements so it is essential you remain near a toilet, have plenty of toilet paper and wipes. When ending the Master Cleanse diet you should do it gradually by transitioning to solid food over a few days.
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