Losing weight is not an easy process, even for those who are motivated and focused on results, so it’s no wonder so many people fall for fad diets that promise the best but fail to deliver. While some trendy diets are harmless at best, others can actually negatively impact health and undermine successful weight loss. Here’s a popular diet that experts say damages your metabolism and slows fat burning.
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Juice cleanse slows down your metabolism
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The juice diet or juice cleanse—where you get all of your food intake from juice—is not a good idea for several reasons, but primarily for weight loss. “When you swap food for juice, you’re not getting enough nutrients,” says Amber Sommer, RD, LD, of the Cleveland Clinic. “You’re not getting enough calories, protein or fiber. This can actually slow down your metabolism, which won’t help you lose weight. And it can cause other negative effects, such as memory lapses, reduced energy levels, and more. It’s not a safe way to lose weight.”
You won’t burn fat
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With a juice cleanse, you run the risk of losing muscle mass instead of burning fat. “With a juice cleanse, the initial weight loss is most likely due to water weight,” says Sommer. “And in the long term, you will probably start losing muscle mass. To lose fat you need protein. You need fiber. You need good, healthy carbohydrates. You won’t get any of this if you do a juice cleanse. So your body pulls energy from everywhere.”
Removing fiber
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Fruits and vegetables contain important fiber, which is removed through the juicing process. “When you make a smoothie, whatever goes into the blender goes into your drink,” says Natalie Romito, RD, LD, of the Cleveland Clinic. “But juicing removes the pomace… Fiber is important for our bodies in many ways. But when you juice, you remove the fiber from the food. This changes the way the natural sugars in that food work in your body. Therefore, something like apple juice is much more likely to have a big impact on your blood sugar than eating a whole apple would.”
Blood sugar increases
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Removing the fiber just leaves a lot of sugar, which is the enemy of weight loss. “Without fiber, your body absorbs sugar more quickly,” says Sommer. “Fiber helps slow your digestion and absorption of sugar. This keeps blood sugar and hunger in check. When you eat fruit, your blood sugar doesn’t rise as much. If you drink fruit juice, yes. And that’s because you don’t have the benefit of fiber, which slows things down.”
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Juicing and overconsumption
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Juicing makes it easier to consume more of something than intended. “Juicing makes it much easier to overconsume,” says Romito. “Most people will naturally limit their fruit consumption when eating whole foods because they get tired of chewing and the fiber in the fruit fills them up. So you consume more sugar and more calories when they are in juice form compared to when they are in whole food form. When you don’t have to chew food, you’re bypassing your body’s natural mechanisms that help you regulate your diet.”
Nutrient problems
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The nutrients in the juice deteriorate quickly. “It’s best to drink the juice immediately because the activity of antioxidants and enzymes decreases over time,” Mario G. Ferruzzi, a professor in the Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences at North Carolina State University, tells CNN .
Metabolic problems and weight gain
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Unless you plan to only drink juice forever, returning to a normal diet will likely result in weight gain with some other unpleasant side effects. “Most likely, any weight lost will be regained shortly after reintroducing solid foods, with the potential added downside of slower metabolism and bone loss,” wellness dietitian Amanda Beaver tells Houston Methodist.
Detox claims
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Approach any “detox” claims from juice cleanse companies with caution. “The science of detoxification is still being researched, so don’t fall for the marketing ploys that juice cleanses companies use to convince you,” says Beaver. “Instead, focus on eating whole foods, including vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts and whole grains. The fiber in these foods is said to help eliminate some toxins, while their phytochemicals may promote detoxification of carcinogens.”
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