The Master Cleanse And Weight Loss
Read about the pros and cons of cleanse diets for weight loss. Some work, and some may totally backfire.
When it comes to weight loss, some people will do almost anything. Case in point: fad diets such as the Master Cleanse. Master Cleanse is a liquids-only, low-calorie diet designed for very rapid weight loss.
Master Cleanse and others like it raise many questions on safety and results. But are all cleanse diets bad? It depends on the type of cleanse diet and whom you ask.
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After hearing that Beyonce used the Master Cleanse to lose weight for her role in the movie Dreamgirls, Sharon Wren of East Moline, Ill., decided to try it herself. I could stand to lose a couple of pounds, and my system is probably horribly polluted from all the Diet Mountain Dew I drink, so I mixed up a glass, she recalls. One sip was enough for me it was the most hideous stuff Ive ever had.
Consisting of two quarts of water, one-half teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 14 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 14 tablespoons of maple syrup per day , the Master Cleanse is an example of the wrong type of cleanse diet.
Weight loss almost certainly occurs, but from all the wrong places. Ideally, reduction in weight from a diet happens by losing fat, but with the Master Cleanse most of what disappears is muscle and water.
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What Is The Master Cleanse
The Master Cleanse dates back to the 1940s, when Stanley Burroughs, a dietitian, wrote a book called The Master Cleanser. Though the book was published then, it only became mainstream when the revised version was released in 1976. The cleanse then captured the spotlight, with dubious claims of quick weight loss and its ability to detox the body and treat any health ailment.
The central feature of this program is the Master Cleanse lemonade made with water, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and pure, organic maple syrup. This drink, which is the only calorie-containing item allowed, is consumed six to 12 times a day for 10 days. You’ll also sip on a saltwater flush in the morning and laxative tea before bed .
What Does The Master Cleanse Promise
The Master Cleanse also known as the Maple Syrup Diet, Lemonade Diet, Lemon Detox hit the headlines after it was reported that R& B star Beyoncé Knowles had lost 20 lbs. in 10 days by following the Lemonade Diet under a nutritionists supervision.
The Lemonade Diets main promoter, the late Stanley Burroughs, published a slim volume in 1975 called The Master Cleanser with Special Needs or Problems. The book is still available today and the techniques are often adapted.
Below you will find an overview and instructions about the Lemonade Diet. Excerpts from the Stanley Burroughs book The Master Cleanser with Special Needs or Problems, are highlighted in italics.
According to Stanley Burroughs the purpose of the Master Cleanse is to:
- To dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that have formed in any part of the body.
- To cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system.
- To purify the glands and cells throughout the entire body.
- To eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.
- To relieve pressure and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels.
- To build a healthy blood stream.
- To keep youth and elasticity regardless of our years.
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Instructions For Doing The Master Cleanse Lemonade Diet
The Master Cleanse consists of a strict daily regimen of a morning salt water flush, six to twelve 10-ounce glasses of Master Cleanse lemonade mixture, and a nightly elimination tea.
During the fast, the calories and nutrients you usually get from food are replaced by those from the specially prepared lemonade, which must be taken a minimum of 6 times a day. As many glasses of lemonade as desired may be taken beyond the minimum required. Peppermint tea can be taken on occasion, and water can be taken as desired.
Following the daily regimen strictly for a minimum of 10 days will give the best results.
The Rise Of The Master Cleanse Diet

Many diets have come and go, made popular by best-selling books about them or endorsement by public figures, and then dying out after being replaced by a new diet fad. The Master Cleanse diet is a classic example of this trend.
The Master Cleanse was first introduced in the 1940s by Stanley Burroughs as a body healing and detoxification plan. At the time, it was used by extremely health aware individuals to cleanse the body of harmful chemicals and toxin buildup from food and other environmental factors. The diet is meant to last anywhere from 4 to 14 days , and consists of ingesting nothing except 6 or more cups of the Master Cleanse elixir every day. The drink consists of water, lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper.
Although the Master Cleanse is a great example of how fast information cascades can build up, it also shows how easily they can be broken. As soon as negative feedback about the diet began to appear on the internet, the popularity of the diet dropped immensely. This phenomenon is similar to the buying cascades started by marketers for new products. In the beginning, consumers are only able to observe the adoption decisions but not what they think about the product. Most dieters who announced their diet after Beyonce did not show their results publicly. So when negative information was introduced about the diet, participation quickly dwindled.
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How Does It Help You Lose Weight
The health claims range from detoxing and cleansing your system of impurities to curing certain health conditions and rapid weight loss, but cleansing your body isn’t really necessary. Our bodies have a natural detox process and doing a healthy detox is about supporting that natural process and reducing external stressors.
Is The Master Cleanse Diet Good For You
Although the benefits of detoxification are yet to be proven, there are several other potential health benefits associated with the diet.
When done occasionally with a minimum gap of at least 2 months in between, the Master Cleanse diet may help with weight loss by restricting calorie intake to 600-1,200 a day.
Lemonade and orange juice are also rich in vitamin C. And because you are restricted to liquid-only foods, you automatically avoid unhealthy and sugary snacks for the given period.
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The Master Cleanse Which Beyonc Has Also Tried Can Hurt Your Metabolism
The Master Cleanse is a 10-day juice cleanse that requires dieters to eat nothing and drink only a lemon, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper concoction.
Restricting calories to just a lemon drink means you won’t get all of your essential nutrients. The lack of fiber, protein, and healthy fats will also likely lead to a Master Cleanse dieter feeling sluggish and hungry for the entirety of the diet.
Doing the Master Cleanse regularly could lead to heart and kidney problems, as well as long-term weight gain, according to US News & World Report.
What Is A Juice Cleanse
A juice cleanse is the same as a juice detox, which is the same as a juice fast.
It’s when people drink nothing but fresh-pressed juices made from vegetables, fruit and sometimes spices for several days, usually from three to 10, for the purpose of detoxing their body resetting after a bad-eating binge and ridding the body of toxins and losing weight
Many companies like Pressed Juicery offer juice-cleanse kits that provide a package of juices and advice on which ones to drink on which days. Juices can also be made at home.
The Beyonce-famous Master Cleanse is one that can easily be done on your own. The nexus of the diet revolves around a drink that includes water, cayenne pepper, pure maple syrup and fresh-squeezed lemon juice. Most pre-made juices list the ingredients on the bottle, so you can also make your own mix at home.
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The Master Cleanse Diet
Ever since Beyonce revealed that she lost 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse in preparation for the film Dream Girls, men and women around the United States and the world have been using it to shed extra pounds quickly.
The Master Cleanse is known by many names. Some call it the Lemonade Diet, others the Maple Syrup Diet. These names sum up the basics of this weight loss plan: it is a detoxification plan that requires short-term fasting and the consumption of a single, simple elixir.
Do They Offer Any Health Benefits
No reliable scientific research exists on weight loss cleanses despite the wide array of health claims that typically accompany them. Most of these statements are marketing taglines that are at best based on anecdotal evidence.
Most weight loss cleanses are low-calorie and brief, and some research supports the notion that short-term, very-low-calorie diets have a positive health impact.
Several studies in people with type 2 diabetes noticed that a VLCD regimen significantly reduced fasting blood sugar levels (
5 ).
Keep in mind that many of these health effects are likely to be seen with weight loss in general and not necessarily unique to the VLCD method.
Its well known that achieving and maintaining a healthy weight can help treat and prevent various chronic diseases. VLCD methods are just one of many ways to lose weight and may not be ideal for most people.
A VLCD in the form of a weight loss cleanse can be socially isolating and difficult to adhere to, as its far from a long-term, healthy eating pattern.
Additionally, VLCDs in the aforementioned studies were carried out under medical supervision, whereas a weight loss cleanse sold on the internet wont have that advantage.
Many popular cleanses also replace a supportive and balanced approach to healthy living with costly investments in juices, supplements and instruction manuals with little to no evidence backing their effectiveness.
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Master Cleanse Weight Loss
by Peter Glickman | Mar 9, 2012 | Weight Loss |
The Master Cleanse was developed by Stanley Burroughs to promote health through detoxifying the body. However, it also makes for a good weight loss technique. In fact, the New England Journal of Medicine said, Fasting is a valid experience. It can benefit any otherwise healthy person whose calories how have the upper hand in his/her life Most women lose a pound a day. Most men lose 1.5 pounds a day because male bodies have less fat.Generally the more lemonade people drink, the more they lose.You can reduce the maple syrup to only 1 oz. per drink to accelerate weight loss if that is a goal. No lower than that.You dont have to lose all the weight on one cleanse. Just space your cleanses out every 3 to 4 months. The liability if you dont is temporary hair loss in about 0.2 % of people and it always grows back.
Beyonc Reportedly Ate 1200 Calories A Day While Filming Austin Powers

One of the first reports of Beyoncé’s eating habits noted she ate only 1,200 calories during filming for 2002’s “Austin Powers in Goldmember.” In the movie, she plays the sly and slender Foxxy Cleopatra, a 1970s funk fantasy that pays tribute to classic strong Black female characters like Foxy Brown and Cleopatra Jones.
“I like to eat and that’s a problem in this industry,” she said of the pressure to be thin for music and movies alike.
It’s also a potential health problem: Most active women need at least 2,000 calories a day, according to dietary guidelines.
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Sample Day On The Master Cleanse
Heres what one day on the Master Cleanse diet can look like:
- First thing in the morning: Drink one quart of warm water mixed with 2 teaspoons of sea salt to stimulate your bowels.
- Throughout the day: Have at least six servings of Master Cleanse lemonade whenever you feel hungry.
- Before bed: Drink one cup of herbal laxative tea, if desired.
Summary
The Master Cleanse diet is relatively straightforward. It starts with a salt water flush in the morning, followed by the Master Cleanse lemonade throughout the day. Herbal laxative tea can be consumed at night as needed.
If youre considering embarking on the Master Cleanse diet, the following shopping lists can help you prepare:
It Can Be Stressful And Difficult To Stick To
Going more than a week without solid food can be very difficult, both mentally and physically.
Some people may find it difficult to attend social events or outings with friends, since they cannot partake in group meals.
Additionally, restricting your calorie intake can be taxing on the body and temporarily increase levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which is linked to weight gain over time (
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Beyonc Went On A Crash Diet To Prepare For Coachella In 2018
Beyoncé kept a strict diet for 44 days to prepare for Coachella in 2018. She said in a video she was motivated to do it after she stepped on the scale to find her weight had “a long way to go.” She had recently given birth to twins.
That announcement alone was enough to invoke criticism. “She is irresponsibly stoking an evil diet culture but is also a victim of it,” wrote one columnist for The Guardian.
The diet itself raises red flags for health professionals: It cut out all bread, carbs, sugar, dairy, meat, fish, and alcohol, according to a clip from her behind-the-scenes documentary. Too much restriction can be harmful, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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Thats because theyre often not getting sufficient calories.
Often people who are trying to cleanse their bodies, will also use colonics or enemas. These can be risky to your health because they can alter your bodys overall salt and water balance.
This is also true for herbal tea laxatives.
If you dont eat and you drink a lot of water, you will urinate frequently. And if you eat few carbohydrates, youll also further increase water loss.
But this wont help you lose weight. Youre only depleting your body of fluids, which may make it seem like youre actually losing weight.
Of course, if you eat few calories, you will lose weight quickly, but that doesnt mean you will keep it off.
As the saying goes: easy off easy on.
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What To Eat On The Master Cleanse Diet
Master Cleanse lemonade, made from fresh lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water, is the only food allowed during the diet.
Warm salt water can be consumed in the mornings to stimulate bowel movements and herbal laxative tea can be enjoyed in the evenings.
No other foods or beverages are allowed during the Master Cleanse diet.
Summary
The only foods allowed on the Master Cleanse diet are freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water. Herbal laxative tea and warm salt water are used to stimulate bowel movements as needed.
For The Master Cleanse
- Lemons: You will need at least three per day.
- Pure maple syrup: At least 3/4 cup per day.
- Cayenne pepper: At least 2/3 teaspoon per day.
- Herbal laxative tea: Up to one serving per day.
- Non-iodized sea salt: Two teaspoons per day.
- Purified or spring water: At least 80 ounces per day.
Summary
The main ingredients for the Master Cleanse are lemons, maple syrup, cayenne pepper and water. Other suggested ingredients for easing into and out the cleanse are provided in the list above.
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It’s Based On Fasting Principles
The Master Cleanse is a restrictive diet that eliminates food and key nutrients. Any program that eliminates food is bound to cause some temporary weight loss. Since the Master Cleanse is a modified fast, the weight loss is primarily a result of consuming very few calories over several days. However, this rapid change in weight is not so sustainable, as all the weight lost is essentially water weight .
That said, there are some reported benefits to fasting. A2019 study published in PlosOne, looked at a Buchinger periodic fasting program with fasting periods between four and 21 days. While this diet is a little different than the Master Cleanse, both programs allow you to reach a fasted state. Researchers found in this study that after the one-year observational period, periodic fasting led to weight loss and improvements in several cardiovascular risk factors in the 1,422 subjects.
Additionally, the use of lemons during fasting protocols has been shown to improve weight loss, due to their vitamin C content. A2016 study published in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine states that low levels of vitamin C are associated with increased BMI and central fat distribution. On the other hand, increased vitamin C intake is associated with higher HDL levels . The study found that drinking a beverage of lemon water and honey during a four-day fast led to an average weight loss of 4.8 pounds.
What Healthline Says

The Master Cleanse is a crash diet that isnt safe or sustainable. The cleanse is deficient in essential nutrients and calories, which puts the body in a state of starvation. This can reduce muscle tissue and destroy healthy bacteria that aid digestion and boost immunity.
Theres also no scientific evidence that shows that the Master Cleanse actually removes any toxins from the body. People can lose weight on this diet. However, theyll most likely gain the weight again after this type of weight loss. Repeated periods of weight loss and gain can severely stress your body, particularly your cardiovascular system. There are much healthier and more effective ways to lose weight that dont involve long-term health risks.
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