Is Doing a Cleanse a Good Idea?
Lisa D'Agrosa, M.S., R.D., Associate Nutrition Editor, EatingWell Magazine
My friends and family often use me as a sounding board for their own personal diet questions-this is what happens when you're a Registered Dietitian. One question that seems to come up often is some variation of, "Should I go on a cleanse?" Whether they want to lose weight or they think it's a way to detox their body, plenty of people look to cleanses as magical cure-alls. But are cleanses as healthy as they're hyped up to be? Here are some reasons you might want to rethink starting a cleanse, plus a healthy plan to clean up your diet.
Slower Metabolism
Certain cleanses are super-extreme: nothing but lemon water for two weeks-no, thank you! Almost all cleanse diets require you to drastically cut calories, which will slow down your metabolism. When you severely restrict calories, your body goes into a type of "starvation mode." It tries to hang on to the energy-read: fat-that it has. As a result, the weight you do lose will likely be a mix of water weight and muscle mass, not fat. Losing muscle mass slows your metabolism even further. Your new, slower metabolism will make you more likely to gain weight once you stop the cleanse and start eating again.
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Unnecessary Detox
Our body is equipped with its own lines of defense against toxins. Our gut, kidneys and liver work together to filter out what our bodies don't need. It's a fine-tuned system and unless it's broken, as in kidney or liver disease, it works pretty well. People with good overall health don't need to "cleanse"-their body is already on the job.
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Nutrient Shortfall
When you restrict your food intake on a cleanse diet, you're probably going to miss out on key nutrients like healthy fats, vitamins, minerals and proteins. Even cleanses that include fruits and vegetables, which are the less-restrictive types compared to liquid-only cleanses, will likely be lacking in heart-healthy fats-which the body needs to absorb certain vitamins and to make hormones-and protein, which is necessary for building and maintaining muscle and other body tissues.
A Healthy Clean-Eating Plan
Instead of a full-out cleanse, try a healthy clean-eating plan. Cut back on things like salt, sugar, processed foods, alcohol and saturated fat. Focus on upping your intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins (like chicken breast and beans). Occasionally "re-setting" your diet by cleaning it up can be a really helpful reminder of how many times you might be swinging by your coworker's candy jar or eating a few too many slices of bacon.
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By Lisa D'Agrosa, M.S., R.D.
Lisa D'Agrosa is EatingWell's associate nutrition editor. She earned her master's degree in nutrition communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University and attended the dietetic internship program at Massachusetts General Hospital to become a registered dietitian.
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