What is Lemonade Diet?
Table of Contents
The lemonade diet is a master cleanser. It has low calorie that helps internal detoxification. The lemonade diet has 4 main ingredients such as cayenne pepper, maple syrup, pure water, and lemon juice. The diet is also called juice cleanse. This diet is popular to drop extra weight and remove the build-up of toxins.
The lemonade diet was introduced by Stanley Burroughs in the 1940s. But it became famous in 1976 when Burroughs wrote his 2 books, Healing for the Age of Enlightenment and The Master Cleanser “giving important information about this diet.
The Lemonade diet does wonders for the body by cleansing harmful toxins, especially in the colon parts. The lemonade diet is one of the most extreme and rapid weight loss programs for those who wish to lower extra pounds super quickly.
A study about Korean subjects revealed that this special diet supports lower body weight and fat mass and enhances insulin resistance. However, one should take high care while following this plan, and it should be under the near supervision of health experts.
While pursuing this diet, no reliable food is allowed. It calls for six or extra servings of the technical lemonade mix each day. Additionally, to this, saltwater cleanses your body. Different people add this diet for different amounts of time, mostly remaining for 2 days.
Combining food with the diet from the whole process would, therefore, defeat its main purpose. However, food can be added at the starting and at the end of the lemonade diet to ease the body.
A researched showed that people with age between 18-29 years who were taken honey and lemon concoction for 4-days lowered nearly 2.2 kg and improved their triglyceride levels. Remember fancy diet plans are temporary not sustainable and permanent solutions for weight loss.
Lemon Nutrition Facts
Image SourceOne lemon without skin measuring around 2 1/8″ in diameter 58g offer 1 calorie, 5.4g of carbohydrates, 0.6g of protein, and 0.2g of fat. Lemons are the best source of vitamin C. The following nutrition information is offered by the USDA.
- Calories:Â 17
- Sodium:Â 1mg
- Fat:Â 0.2g
- Fiber:Â 1.6g
- Protein:Â 0.6g
- Vitamin C: 30.7mg
- Carbohydrates:Â 5.4g
- Sugars:Â 1.5g
- Potassium: 80mg
Carbs
One complete lemon consists of 17 calories and about 5 gm of carbohydrate. The carbs are fiber and sugar. Note that the juice of a complete offer only 0.14 gm of fiber said by USDA data, but almost the similar amount of sugar 1.2 gram. The glycemic load of complete lemon is estimated to be 1, like low glycemic food.
Fats
There is some small amount of fat present in lemons, under one gram if you eat the whole fruit.
Protein
Lemons does not have protein, offering lower than 1 gm every fruit.
Vitamins and Minerals
Lemons are the best source of vitamin C, offering half 30.7 mg of everyday recommended consumption. There is also a low amount of vitamin B6, thiamin, and folate in lemon.
Lemons have fewer minerals but contain a small quantity of iron, calcium, and potassium.
How Does Lemonade Diet Help for Cleansing?
Image SourceThe combined lemon effect, maple syrup, and cayenne help to cleanse internal organs and remove toxins deposited from extra stress, excessive visceral fat, and environmental pollution. Lemon is the main ingredient of lemonade, which is an excellent source of vitamin C and antioxidants. The antioxidants scavenge the damage of cells structure and free radicals. Moreover, lemon polyphenols also stop fat accumulation by boosting the beta-oxidation of fatty acids.
Though maple syrup consists of refined sugar but a good source of antioxidants and minerals. It is the best source of manganese, which helps the cell to create energy and is important for brain function and normal nerve functions. This golden and sweet syrup also consists of zinc promotes the immune system. Other minerals present in maple syrup-like potassium, calcium, and magnesium help to stop high blood pressure and stroke. But ensure to use it judiciously as it has a high glycemic index and loads of glycemic and may increase blood glucose levels.
Capsaicin, the active component of cayenne pepper, offers thermogenic effects, which promote the metabolic rate and help fat loss. The research found that capsaicin in red pepper offer satiety and fullness. Water helps body cells stay hydrated, manage cell turgidity, and remove toxins in the body.
The Lemonade Diet Plan
Image SourcePhase 1
This is a 3 days ease period. During this phase, you get ready for the master to cleanse or Lemonade diet.
Day 1 & 2
any fruit and lemonade detox drink
Drink lemonade detox drink, eat one boiled egg white, and one slice of toasted brown bread
Pre-Lunch
One glass of fruit juice
Lunch
Lemonade detox drink, tuna sandwich, or Grilled vegetable sandwichÂ
Evening Snacks
Drink lemon juice with green tea and two digestive biscuits
Dinner
Have one medium bowl of chicken salad, vegetable, and lemonade detox drink
Bed Time
Drink one glass of warm milk (fat-free) with one tablespoon of maple syrup
Why This Works
The first two days of the beginning phases are critical. Your calorie consumption has been lowered considerably. All unhealthy foods have been changed with nutritious foods. The lemonade will begin working by removing toxins from the body. Fewer portions of lunch and dinner will ensure that you eat low. It is the perfect way to signal your body to prepare for the upcoming days.
Useful Tips:
Snack on crunchy vegetables or fruits. Consume one glass of water before dinner or lunch.
Phase 1: Day 3
Breakfast
Eat any fruit and Lemonade detox drink
Pre-Lunch
Lemonade detox drink
Lunch
Drink Lemonade detox drink with baked beans and carrot in a small serving
Evening Snacks
Lemon juice with green tea
Dinner
Drink lemonade detox, some tuna salad or cucumber or tomato salad
Bed Time
Have a lemonade detox drink. Continue to phase 2 by having a good night’s sleep
During day 3, fewer solid foods are added to the diet chart. The tuna and veggies salad will offer your body some amount of nutrition your body needs in a day. The lemonade now begins working as a cleanser and also tells the brain that there is no more food required and needs fat burning.
Why This Works
Useful Tips:
Eat watermelon or one apple. It will make you feel full. If you feel hungry, then drink some fat-free milk.
Phase 2 – The cleansing lemonade diet and 10-day weight loss
Image SourceDay 4 – Day 13
It is the difficult phase of this diet. You only need to drink the lemonade six times a day. You cannot eat any other solid food or other liquid food. If you feel hungry, consume water. You will possibly feel fatigued as this is a very low-calorie diet. If you feel sick, do not continue this phase.
Begin with the phase 3 diet chart.
Why This Works
The lemonade will help to kick-start your weight loss in the body. It is a low-calorie diet, but the maple syrup, cayenne pepper, and lemon will offer enough quantity of minerals and vitamins. Since you will not be consuming carbs or fat your body will get nothing to store.
The already stored fat will be used as energy, which will also help in weight loss.
Useful Tips:
Take as much rest as possible for you. Since you are following a low-calorie diet, try to store as much energy as you can. Do not take the stress and drink sufficient water.
Phase 3
The day 3 ease-out time in which solid foods are re-introduced into your diet.
Day 14
Breakfast
Eat one apple and lemonade drink
Pre-Lunch
Have one small bowl of low-fat yogurt
Lunch
One orange and lemonade detox drink
Evening Snacks
Eat four almonds with green tea
Dinner
Eat one banana and lemonade detox drink
Bed Time
Drink lemonade detox
Why This Works
Gradually Solid foods are added back into your diet. Ensure that you regain your normal routine of eating solid foods slowly. Suddenly adding more calorie consumption may cause harm as your body will not be able to process the food that fasts.
Useful Tips:
Avoid overeating and let your body heal and do not work out.
Day 15
Breakfast
Drink lemonade detox with one slice of toasted brown bread and one glass of low-fat milk.
Pre-Lunch
Drink 1 glass of watermelon juice.
Lunch
Eat one small serving of yogurt dressing and vegetable salad with a lemonade detox drink.
Evening Snacks
Lemonade detox drink
Dinner
One small portion of grilled fish or chicken or grilled vegetable sandwich and lemonade detox drink
Bed Time
Lemonade detox drink
Why This Works
The veggies and fruits will offer your body the right amount of nutrients required. A protein source, like fish or chicken, or lentils, will assure that your muscles get strong.
Useful Tips:
It is still good not to exercise. You can go on a short walk. Avoid overeating. The watermelon juice is necessary and you should not avoid it.
Day 16
Image SourceBreakfast
Eat one fruit and lemonade detox drink
Pre-Lunch
Eat 4 almonds.
Lunch
Eat one small or medium bowl of lentils (boiled) and lemonade detox drink
Evening Snacks
One digestive biscuit and green tea
Dinner
Chicken clear soup, one small bowl of vegetable and lemonade detox drink
Bed Time
Lemonade detox drink
Why This Works
On the last day of phase 3, you can consume up to 1600 calories. As this is not scientifically nutritious, being more in glycemic index, high in sugar, and glycemic load, may hinder your blood glucose regulation and lead to fatty liver. It provides a good number of fruits, veggies, and protein sources so that you can restore your strength. All through this, the lemonade will help to purify your body and keep a check on body weight.
Useful Tips:
Skip any fattening foods, no matter how tempting you might feel. You can get a cheat day once a week. If you begin munching on junk food right away, you will restore weight faster, and possibly, you will gain extra weight. Try a fruits snack.
How To Make the Lemonade Detox Drink?
What You Need
- Water
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup (Grade B)
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
How To Prepare
- In a glass Add lemon juice
- add the rich maple syrup
- Include a pinch of cayenne pepper
- add water and stir well.
What To Eat During This Diet?
Image SourceFruits – orange, Apple, grapefruit, watermelon, grapes, kiwi, and melon
Vegetables – beetroot, tomato, Spinach, carrot, capsicum, beans, gourds, lettuce, eggplant, onion, cabbage, broccoli, and squash
Herbs – mint, coriander, thyme, dill, and rosemary
Nuts – Walnuts and Almonds
Protein – sprouts, Lentils, fish, turkey, soy, chicken, tofu, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds
Beverages – buttermilk, Fruit juice, and green tea
What To Avoid During This Diet?
Image SourceFruits – plum, dates, Ripe mango, apricot, sultana, papaya.
Vegetables – butternut squash, Pumpkin, and potato.
Nuts – hazelnuts, Cashew, and peanuts.
Protein – pork and Beef
Beverages – sweetened, Alcohol, sweetened fruit juice, and carbonated drinks.
Role Of Exercise During the Lemonade Diet
The lemonade diet will offer you 600-700 calories every day. It is best to skip any difficult exercise routine during this time. Your body will not get enough energy to balance it. You may feel fatigued and weak. However, you can do some stretching workouts and yoga to manage blood circulation.
Best Part of Lemonade Diet
Image SourceThe best part of this diet is that you have a slim body fast and also have gorgeous skin. Low calories keep you in weight check and store fat as energy to do different functions. The ingredients of the lemonade diet quickly provide minerals and vitamins to your body. Also, this diet adds solid foods before and after the lemonade diet phase. It helps your body to slowly get utilized to low food.
Benefits Of Lemonade Diet
Image SourceThe benefit of the lemonade diet is often given in the form of rapid weight loss. To keep it in a good way this program helps the body to regain its balance of elements and manage its optimum weight. Those who are not overweight lower their weight between 2-3 kgs, and those who are underweight regain the balance of the body’s metabolism. The process would have taken more time if the body had to burn the extra fat.
Weight loss is another effect, the primary effect being the detox of organs by reducing calorie consumption. Moreover, the body removes fat deposits. It is in the period of calorie consumption. It is in the course of this purification that the skin and hair get restored.
Detoxification will allegedly remove arthritis, body warts, stomach troubles, and asthma. Besides, cayenne pepper and lemon juice will remove extra fat from the body, causing rapid weight loss during the diet. They also help the lymphatic system of toxins.
The maple syrup consists of all the nutrients that the body needs to function during this time. It is good for your skin, heart, hair, and digestive system.
Other Benefits of Lemon
Aids indigestion
Image SourceThe acid helps to break down foods. That is why there is more of it in the stomach. The lemon’s acid may be very helpful in supplementing stomach acid levels, which tend to lower as aging.
Helps you stay hydrated
Image SourceMany people do not keep proper hydration. Everyday lemon water habit is an easy way to start right. Clear urine is a sign of keeping your body hydrated.
Weight-loss friendly
Humans are creatures of habit. Ponder the effect of replacing your morning latte or OJ with lemon water. Not only one time, but maybe 20 times for a slim waistline.
Prevents oxidation
Lemon consists of phytonutrients, which save your body against ailments. These phytonutrients have strong antioxidant properties, which stop cell damage from oxidation, the same mechanism that causes rust.
Provide a healthy dose of vitamin C
Image SourceHalf lemon juice in water will include around 6 calories in the diet. Additionally, you will have more than 6th of everyday vitamin C, which require to save us from cell damage and repair injury.
Provides a potassium boost
Potassium is necessary for body functions. It is important for transporting nutrients, communication between nerve and muscle, and blood pressure regulation. Vegetables and fruits are important sources of potassium.
Helps prevent kidney stones
Image SourceLemon water helps to stop painful stones in those who have low urinary citrate. More essentially, raised fluids to help to stop dehydration, which is common for kidney stones.
Slow down Age-Related Decline
Vitamin C is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants help to stop cell damage occurred by oxidative stress. There is continued research about the possible effect that antioxidants can cause the aging process. There is some proof that they may help to enhance skin health or even help to stop some diseases linked with aging.
Improves Eye Health
Image SourceResearchers are analyzing whether higher consumption of vitamin C can help to treat or stop age-linked macular degeneration and cataracts common causes of vision decline in older people.
Helps Immune Function
Vitamin C has been indicated to play an essential role in boosting immune function. And while some individuals take vitamin C supplements or utilize lemons to stop or manage the common cold treatment, research regarding its effectiveness has some results.
Some large research has shown that consuming a vitamin C supplement of around 250 mg every day may help some particular populations lower the common cold duration.
May Help Prevent Some Cancers
Antioxidants like lemons are being analyzed for their good impact on cancer.
According to the National-Cancer-Institute, promoted levels of antioxidants may stop the types of damage from free radicals linked with cancer growth. Free radicals are chemicals that can lead to cellular damage in the body. Exposure to some environmental toxins such as cigarette smoke may raise the free radicals in your body and even lead the body to make extra free radicals.
How to enjoy lemon water
Image SourceJust squeeze half of a lemon into one glass of water.
Don’t forget the peel
Get the rich nutrients by adding lemon zest and use in cooking or baking.
Will it hurt my teeth?
Scientifically, lemon acid can harm teeth enamel, but you are diluting it here. As long as you do not make a habit of sucking lemons all time.
Side Effects of Lemonade Diet
This diet can lead to weakness and fatigue.
The beverage does not have fiber, proteins, fat, carbohydrates in the body. This diet causes to slow down metabolism in the body to save energy as the mixture adds less energy.
It may cause weight gain if this
diet is followed for more time.
It will weaken your immune system.
You may feel mood swings and get it difficult to concentrate.
Dos & Don’ts
Image SourceDos
It is essential to remove caffeine before starting the diet to skip unpleasant withdrawal effects.
Check with your physician before you begin this diet.
Get good rest and sleep well.
Drink enough water.
Follow all the phases.
Do some exercises, such as stretching.
Don’ts
This diet should not be followed for more than two weeks.
Do not begin with Phase 2.
Avoid added sugary drinks
Avoid starchy foods in phases 1-3
Avoid stress
The lemonade diet is the best cleanse plan to remove flab instantly. A person who is on the lemonade diet might take some days to recover from weakness, fatigue, and possible light headedness. A good idea is to gradually add more vegetable and fruit consumption to gradually get the body back to the normal digestive cycle without leading to vomiting, nausea, or stomach upset. If you are looking for long-term weight loss, this diet plan is not helpful. Also, it is always suggested to choose a diet plan that does not starve to lower some pounds. Eating the healthy and right amount and working out will help to lower weight more healthily.
However, if you are looking for some safe solution to weight problems, the lemonade diet is helpful. Following a very low-calorie diet plan with some liquids may reduce metabolic rate, which is a warning sign. The lemonade diet is a fad diet that may provide a temporary quick fix. However, it is not a permanent solution. Make sure to talk with your dietitian before following this diet.