Everything You Need to Know Before Starting a Juice Cleanse
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Juice cleanses (along with fresh juices in general) have become a go-to ritual for health nuts and regular folks alike. Cold-pressed juices can be packed with vitamins, minerals, nutrients, and can be a great dietary supplement for getting more fruits and vegetables in your diet. They’re taken up by many people looking to lose weight, but they’re most often used as a ‘reset’ button that supposedly detoxes the body. Some health nuts swear by them, while other dietitians and nutritionists warn of their potentially negative and dangerous health impacts.
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If you’re thinking of trying a juice cleanse in 2023 or are curious about the science behind them, you’re in luck. We’ve consulted numerous health experts on the benefits, pitfalls, and misconceptions about juice cleanses in the health world today. The consensus? Juices are healthy when consumed alongside protein and healthy fats as part of a well-rounded, sustainable diet. Juice cleanses? Not so much.
If you’re hellbent on trying one out, though, we’ve highlighted our picks for the best juice cleanses out there, but keep reading to learn more about the health benefits and risks of juice cleanses, as well as how to prepare for one if you decide to go for it.
Read More: The Best Juicers
Editor’s Note: Some quotes have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.
The Best Juice Cleanses
1. Best Overall: Raw Generation 3-Day Juice Cleanse — $119.99 on Amazon
2. Runner Up: Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2 — $30.00/Day on Pressed Juicery
3. Best Hybrid Cleanse: Sakara Level II Detox — $450.00 on Sakara
4. Best Variety: Suja Organic Juice Cleanse — $129.99 at Suja Organic
5. Best for Beginners: Juice Generation 3-Day Cooler Cleanse — $174.00 on Juice Generation
6. Best 1-Day Cleanse: Lemonkind Super Detox Me 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse — $49.94 on Amazon
7. Best for Travel: Cleanse on the Go 3-Day Detox — $63.95 on Amazon
8. Best Superfoods: Lemonkind 3-Day Metabolism Booster Cleanse — $119.95 on Amazon
1. Raw Generation Juice Cleanses
BEST OVERALL
Best For: Beginners, expert juicers, and everyone in between looking to help their body reset and pack nutrients in
Number of Juices: 18 for 3-day cleanse, 42 for 7-day cleanse
This 3-Day Skinny Cleanse from Raw Generation is designed to help you lose up to five pounds in three days, with six nutrition-packed juices each day formulated to help you burn fat, feel more energized for exercise, and eliminate bloating. The pack comes with six cold-pressed juices you can enjoy in any order, including delicious flavors like Sweet Greens, Citrus Carrot, and Sweet Roots.
Pros:
100% raw, plant-based ingredients, no added preservatives, sugars, artificial flavors, or chemicals
Contains naturally-occurring enzymes, as well as prebiotics and probiotics
Arrive flash frozen, so you can keep them frozen and use them whenever you’d like
Raw Generation 3-Day Juice Cleanse
2. Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2
RUNNER UP
Best For: Great tasting, fresh juices that vary in flavor profile and texture
Number of Juices: 6 per day; choose how many days you buy and customize the length of your cleanse
Pressed Juicery has become one of the biggest fresh juice brands in the country. They’ve succeeded because they make simple, healthy, and most importantly, tasty juices. This cleanse is their most popular because it’s effective for pros yet approachable enough for beginners. SPY Senior E-Commerce Editor Taylor Galla has done a juice cleanse from Pressed before, and while she couldn’t finish it due to her lack of willpower, the juices were delicious and packed with nutrients.
Pros:
Can choose the length of your cleanse
Juices come in inventive, unique flavors
Each juice is made for a different time of day and contains varying amounts of healthy fat and protein, so you don’t starve yourself
Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2
3. Sakara Level II Detox
BEST HYBRID CLEANSE
Best For: A cleanse that also incorporates food, so you don’t need to give up on chewing.
Number of Juices: None! Whole food smoothies, meals, snacks, and detox tea instead.
Sakara, the organic, plant-rich meal delivery company, also offers a detox cleanse that incorporates real, prepared food, medicinal broths, kefirs, digestive teas, supplements, and much more. The 5-day, whole-food cleanse comes with everything you need and is formulated to help your body reset with minimal effort. The whole detox is free of gluten, dairy, meat, GMOs, and refined sugar.
Note: They recommend this as a step two after their signature nutrition plan or for people who already eat a plant-rich diet and are looking to take it to the next level. Research their offerings and make sure it’s right for you.
Pros:
Includes food, so you’re not just consuming liquids
Food comes pre-prepared and requires minimal preparation
Incorporates whole-food nutrients and a balanced diet, so you learn how to fuel your body after the “cleanse” is over
Sakara Level II Detox
4. Suja Organic Juice
BEST FLAVOR VARIETY
Best For: Unique, delicious flavors and all the other benefits of a cleanse.
Number of Juices: 7 juices plus one immunity shot; can purchase juices separately a la carte.
Suja has one curated juice cleanse, a wide variety of juice flavors you can choose from to create your own cleanse, or you can opt for drinking one alongside your meal or as a midday snack. They’ve got delicious blends, including Sweet Beets, Green Delight, Citrus Immunity, Immunity: Carrot Mango, Energized Focus: Raspberry Lemon, and Gut Health: Pineapple Coconut. They also have a wide variety of vitality shots. Their 3-day cleanse consists of many of the flavors I mentioned and is designed to help you kickstart healthier habits.
Editors Note: This product is currently sold out.
Pros:
Whole cleanse is created in collaboration with a licensed naturopathic doctor
Each day includes a recipe for a hearty breakfast, so you don’t get hungry
Each day includes one digestion shot to help ease your body
Suja Organic 3-Day Cleanse
5. Juice Generation 3-Day Cooler Cleanse
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
Best For: Those who have never done a cleanse before and are looking for a 3-day experience
Number of Juices: 10 juices per day, for 3 days
That uncomfortable feeling of bloat is one of the most common reasons people seek out a juice cleanse. This three-day cleanse from Juice Generation is designed to boost your body’s natural functions, eliminate bloat, brighten skin, and improve overall vitality. The hydraulically-pressed juices are made with organic, natural ingredients that are as fresh as they come, and are available in delicious flavors like cherry melon, spicy lemonade, and red roots. The number of juices and wide range of flavors makes this an ideal cleanse for first-timers, or beginners looking to do a 3-day cleanse without depriving themselves of too much right off the bat.
Pros:
Wide range of flavors
Website includes details about each juice’s nutritional values, ingredients, etc.
All juices are certified USDA organic, vegan and cold-pressure verified
6. Super Detox ME 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse
BEST 1-DAY CLEANSE
Best For: A quick cleanse that includes snacks, so you’re not left starving or unsatisfied
Number of Juices: 6, plus two superfood snacks
One-day cleanses are great if you’re too busy to take on a three- to seven-day cleanse. These flash-cleanses are ideal for flushing out the weekend’s toxins on Sunday and getting energized for the week ahead. Our favorite one-day cleanse is this Super Detox Me cleanse from Lemonkind. The day consists of six juices and two superfood snacks, keeping you satiated and energized. This manageable approach makes it great for first-time juicers and casual dieters. Best of all, this cleanse won’t make you run to the restroom constantly.
Pros:
Only lasts a day, so you’re not committing to a radical diet shift for multiple days in a row
Includes snacks
Juices come in portable, flexible packs that are easy to travel with
Super Detox ME 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse
7. Cleanse On The Go 3-day Detox
BEST FOR TRAVEL
Best For: Those who travel and need a cleanse they can carry with them onto an airplane
Number of Juices: 21 juices, 7 per day
Another great powder detox is this one from Cleanse On The Go. It’s well-priced ($70 for an entire three-day cleanse) and includes 21 packets of instant juice. Over the three days, you’ll drink seven juices a day that detox and naturally provide energy to get you through the process. The package is also highly-rated on Amazon, with cleansers loving the easy-to-use packets and weight-cutting results. This makes it a great option for cleansing while traveling, commuting, or anyone who will be out and about during the three days.
Pros:
Easier and lighter to carry with you than liquid juices
Packets are easy to use and mix with water
Can use the packets to supplement your diet as opposed to strict cleansing because the powder form won’t go bad as easily
Cleanse On The Go 3-Day Detox
8. Lemonkind 3-Day Metabolism Booster Cleanse
BEST SUPERFOODS
Best For: An affordable juice cleanse that includes superfoods
Number of Juices: 24 juices total, 8 per day
This cleanse from Lemonkind boasts a hefty serving of different superfoods in each juice. The 3-day cleanse pack comes with 24 juices ready to drink, infused with ingredients like chlorella, Alphonso mango, carrot, ginger, turmeric, blueberry, cinnamon, and chia juices. The cleanse includes eight juices a day (designed for drinking one about every two hours) that are easy to follow and delicious enough to stick to. The juices contain high levels of vitamins A and C, antioxidants for immune system support, and none of the mixes contain additives. This is a woman-owned business that’s been certified organic and is FDA-approved.
Pros:
More juices than other cleanses, so you eat more often throughout the day
Juices come in flexible, portable pouches that are easier to pack and carry
Unique, delicious flavors
LEMONKIND Metabolism Booster 3-Day Cleanse
Are Juice Cleanses Healthy?
First off, let’s clarify what we mean by a juice cleanse. A cleanse is typically a 2-5 day period where you only consume juices. Some may just be fruits and vegetables; others may include healthy fats like nuts and avocados. Regardless, a cleanse typically means you’re primarily consuming juice for an extended period.
For the most part, the nutrition experts we interviewed were not supportive of juice cleanses as a long-term strategy for healthy living.
Kristian Morey, a Registered Dietician at the Endocrinology Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, explains that “Juices are often made of healthy ingredients — fruits and vegetables — which are essential components of good nutrition. But in and of themselves, they do not provide your body with all essential nutrients.”
“Relying solely on juiced fruits and vegetables also neglects another nutrient your body needs — protein. For your body to continuously rebuild and repair its tissues, it must have a constant source of amino acids to pull from. If your body isn’t getting them from the food you’re eating, it’s going to get them from your own muscles. As we lose muscle mass, our calorie-burning capacity lowers, making it harder and harder to lose weight.”
Can Juice Cleanses Help You Lose Weight?
Since we’re willing to bet very few people opt into a temporary diet consisting of just squeezed fruits and veggies for fun, the next question becomes: do juice cleanses help you lose weight? Again, the consensus among the hand full of health experts we talked to was no.
Dr. Josh Axe, D.N.M, C.N.S, D.C and founder of Ancient Nutrition explained that “Cleanses are unlikely to lead to long-term weight loss because they don’t teach you how to sustainably stick to a healthy, balanced diet. They might lead to some initial weight loss, but the weight is likely to return once someone resumes their normal diet.”
He explained, “Only drinking juice for several days will also result in calorie deprivation that ultimately leads to a slow down of your metabolic rate. Once your metabolism drops, this makes it harder to lose weight in the long run.”
Alicia Galvin, R.D for Sovereign Laboratories, agreed, explaining that juice cleanses are “a short-term solution. Initially, you may lose a lot of water weight, but as soon as you start eating again, you will likely gain back that fluid.”
Morey also shared that there’s very little evidence that juice cleanses help your body “detox” effectively.
“There is little evidence that juice cleanses actually detoxify the body. Claims about cleanses are often vague and provide inconsistent information about what detoxification even is. What is scientifically proven to remove the toxins you consume from your body? Your liver and kidneys.”
What Are the Benefits of Juice Cleanses?
While none of the nutritionists listed outright benefits of juice cleanses, they did explain that juice in and of itself can have nutritional benefits when consumed as part of a healthy diet overall.
Morey explained, “Juices can provide several B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C, E, and K (depending on the fruits and vegetables used).”
Dr. Axe noted that “fresh pressed juices offer vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes such as vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoids and others.”
Many recommend making juice a part of a nutritious meal, rather than the whole thing or even the main course.
Juliana Tamayo, a nutritionist at Fitness Clone, shared some advice she offers her weight loss clients: “A green juice that has added probiotics, antioxidants, and protein can be a great way to get your vitamins, minerals, and fiber on a busy morning or as a pre-workout snack.”
“I recommend juices for clients that are lacking vegetables and fruits in their diets, however, I focus on adding them as a snack and accompanied with a source of protein. Having a juice by itself is harmful because it raises blood sugar levels almost immediately; they can also be very high in sugar and additives, and in most cases, the fiber will be lost after all the processing.”
Does all this mean you shouldn’t do a juice cleanse? Absolutely not. Now that you have all the information you need about the nutritional benefits and potential downfalls, you can make an informed decision based on your diet, body, and health goals.
How Juice Cleanses Work
Juice cleanses typically come in one-, three- or seven-day packages, but go as high as a 10-day package for real pros. Each day consists of several juices often tailored to different times of day (i.e., an energy-boosting blend for breakfast and a relaxing juice before bed). Some juice cleanse programs also suggest incorporating light vegetarian or vegan meals.
How to Pick a Juice Cleanse
There are dozens of juice cleanse programs to choose from, so you’ll need to research a few before deciding. We’ve combed the web for some of the best juice cleanses, but there are still some decisions you’ll need to make before choosing.
The first choice is easy: how long do you want your juice to cleanse? The typical length is three days because it’s effective but not too challenging. One-day cleanses are great for beginners or anyone who wants a quick detox on a Saturday after a stressful week. Seven- and ten-day cleanses should only be used by people who’ve done a cleanse before.
You’ll also need to decide if you want ready-to-drink juices sent to your door, prefer to juice your own fruits and vegetables, or powder packets that you mix with water, orange juice, or nut milk. There is also the option of a completely DIY juice recipe book. Of course, if you choose the latter option, you’ll need to invest in a cold-press juicer or similar appliance.
How to Prepare for a Juice Cleanse
The last piece of the puzzle is preparing for a juice cleanse. I would not recommend diving headfirst into three days of no eating with no prep whatsoever. None of the SPY editors are doctors or medical professionals, but we recommend talking to one before embarking on a cleanse to ensure it’s a healthy choice for you and your body.
To prepare for a cleanse, you’ll want to embark on a pre-cleanse to prep your body so you don’t end up with uncontrollable cravings, sickness, or lethargy. You’ll probably experience some of these regardless, but to give yourself the best shot at success — especially if you’re a newbie — it’s best to cut back on certain things 2-5 days before your cleanse starts.
This list includes caffeine, processed foods, animal products in general, and refined sugar. You should also start eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water. Sound straightforward? Don’t worry, it is.
Be prepared to have less energy during your cleanse since your food intake is going to be much lower. Working out strenuously or pulling all-nighters might not be possible, so schedule your life accordingly.
Ready to take the plunge? We’ve included the 12 best juice cleanses for weight loss (and any other health goal) in the shopping guide above.
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