The Lemon Detox Diet

What they promise

Derived from The Lemonade Diet, invented by neuropath Stanley Burroughs in 1950, The Lemon Detox Diet claims to cleanse the body from toxins and induce weight loss (Griggs, 2008). The ingredients involved in The Lemonade Diet included lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup mixed in water, which was consumed as a drink. What distinguishes this diet from the Lemon Detox Diet is the replacement of maple syrup with Madal Bal Syrup. This particular natural tree syrup is a mixture of palm syrup and maple syrup, as they believe that maple syrup alone would not provide the optimal support for the cleansing process to progress. This diet is primarily a liquid diet aimed at eliminating waste that has accumulated in the digestive tract overtime. At the end of the detox, they declare that this diet  "works to ease and improve toxic and overweight conditions and lets the body cleanse itself naturally while you take a break from solid food" (Connolly, 2013). This detox is created to suit those with different needs and requirements therefore participants may choose to take a less extreme pathway. (Lemon Detox, 2016)

Full Body Cleanse

This cleanse is supposed to last a minimum of 5 days and a maximum of 10 days with all meals substituted with the lemon detox drink.

E.g.

Breakfast: 2-3 glasses of lemon detox drink

Lunch: 2-3 glasses of lemon detox drink

Dinner: 2-3 glasses of lemon detox drink

Relaxed Version

This version allows the cleansing to happen at a slower rate as one meal is replaced with a solid food meal. This version should be conducted for at least two weeks. During this cleanse it is recommended to avoid dairy products, sweets, white bread, fried food, coffee, alcohol and processed food as these types of food inhibit the elimination of previously stored waste.

E.g.

Breakfast: 2-3 glasses of lemon detox drink

Lunch: healthy meal

Dinner: 2-3 glasses of lemon detox drink

50/50 Version

This is 9 days detox incorporating the full body cleanse and the relaxed version, recommended for beginners.

E.g.

3 days on Relaxed Version

3 days on Full Body Cleanse

3 days on Relaxed Version

                                                               (Lemon Detox, 2016)

Ingredients (Per glass):

1 Tbsp (20 ml) of Madal Bal Natural Tree Syrup®.
1 Tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice (about half a lemon).
Half a pinch of cayenne pepper (adjust to taste).
250ml of fresh or filtered water.

Ingredients should be mixed together and consumed cold or warm.

The reality

This company highly recommends this diet for better health and assures that this cleanse will have beneficial outcomes for participants however, this diet is nothing but a fasting liquid diet resulting in nutrient deficiency.

                                              (Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, 2015)

According to the Australian Guide to Healthy Eating, a variety of nutritious food should be consumed from the five food groups. According to Nutritionist, Matt O’Neill (2008) this lemon detox programme leads to extreme deficiency in energy and protein if continued for a prolonged period of time. In reference to the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR), the lemon detox diet is not sufficient in providing the recommended intake of macronutrients per day, particularly protein and fats. Furthermore, the recommended daily intake is 8700KJ however on this detox diet participants will consume 2500KJ in total which is clearly well below the recommended intake and hence will lead to extreme energy deficiency. (Whitney, Rolfes, Croew, Cameron-Smith, Walsh. 2014).

My advice

Having thoroughly analysed this detox programme, nothing about it seems to be safe. The ingredients used do not provide the nutrients that the body requires daily to function and weight loss will only be temporary.

It is important that we eat a well-balanced healthy diet for our bodies to function at an optimal level. It is adamant that you monitor your daily intake according to the Australian Dietary Guidelines and ensure that you are consuming the nutrients required daily. Being mindful about your diet and making healthy choices will assure that your body will be at its very best.

References:

Griggs, A. (2008). Components of a Personalized Detox Programme. Positive Health.

Connolly, E. (2013). Lemon Detox Diet Examined. Retrieved from http://www.bodyandsoul.com.au/weight+loss/diets/lemon+detox+diet+examined,962

(2013). Lemon Detox. Retrieved from https://www.lemondetox.com.au/index.php

(2015). Australian Guide to Healthy Eating. Eat For Health. Retrieved from https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/guidelines/australian-guide-healthy-eating

O’Neill, M. (2008). Lemon Detox Diet Warning. Retrieved from http://www.smartshape.com.au/a/890.html

Whitney, E., Rolfes, S., Crowe, T., Cameron-Smith, D., & Walsh, A. (2014).Volume 2. Understanding Nutrition: Australia and New Zealand. Location of publication:Cengage Learning Australia Pty Ltd