New University 2/18/08

Master Cleanse: Diet Fad or Diet Fab?
BY LOUISE LAO
VOLUME 41, ISSUE 18 | FEB 18 2008
Beyonc� did it for a movie role, celebrities do it in order to slim down for an event and people must do it all the time when they have their jaw wired shut: They go on a liquid diet. Drinking nothing but protein shakes and smoothies for days or even weeks doesn't sound very appetizing, but what about a mixture of cayenne peppers, lemon juice and maple syrup? This particular diet, the Master Cleanse, is infamous for helping Beyonc� lose 20 pounds for the movie 'Dreamgirls.' However, others use it to simply cleanse their bodies, not just to lose weight.

Third-year civil engineering major Alex Welsh represents the latter reason. Instead of using the Cleanse as a weight-loss method, Welsh intended to detoxify his body by drinking nothing but the Master Cleanse cocktail consecutively, for 10 days. Welsh claims it was 'The longest 10 days of my life.' Weight loss, he adds, was 'an unintended result � probably the only thing you really realize right away.'

Welsh lost about 10 pounds doing the Cleanse, which sounds impressive, but many experts say that people who use this diet gain the weight back within a few weeks. Welsh states, 'If you want to lose weight really fast you could do it. ... Supposedly, the only kind of weight you lose is what your body doesn't need, like fat or toxic material,' he added. In other words, you should not expect any dramatic changes and, if you do, there's a good chance that the weight will inch its way back on you.

So what are the pros and cons of the Master Cleanse diet? Welsh likes the fact that 'you only have to worry about fixing your food one time,' because he would mix six to 10 glasses a night for the following day. On the other hand, times without the drink were tough. 'You have no energy unless you drink the drink. � Once you drink [it], that's how much power you're going to have. If you don't drink the drink, then you're really tired.'

When asked about doing the Cleanse again, Welsh states he would only do it once a year, instead of the recommended three to four times per year. On the contrary, Heidi Rom, a second-year humanities undecided major, said her friend often repeats the Cleanse, which had an unfortunate effect: 'She lost 10 pounds in two weeks, but the weight didn't stay off. � It's like a yo-yo.'

When asked about the Master Cleanse, most students were divided about its effectiveness as a diet. Diana Kang, a second-year international studies major, said she would try the Cleanse for weight loss. 'I would only do the detox diet if I wanted to get skinny for an event.' Heather Harden, a second-year biological sciences major, would not do the Cleanse at all, because 'basically you would just be losing water weight and you wouldn't be taking the weight off in a natural way, so it would not be beneficial to your health.' As for its detoxifying abilities, Harden said, 'I think there's other beneficial ways to detox, like taking antioxidants.'

Like many experts, Harden agreed that antioxidants play a key role in a healthy diet. In 'Harper's Bazaar,' Naturopathic doctor Roni DeLuz recommended drinking 'two berry juices (try blueberries, pomegranates and a�ai berries), two vegetable juices (try broccoli, spinach and carrots) and a pureed-veggie soup each day.' If a liquid diet isn't for you, no one can ever go wrong with a healthy diet of 'fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains and fish,' according to New York nutritionist Lauren Slayton.

In essence, the Master Cleanse diet can be an interesting and effective experience to detoxify one's body, but weight loss is a long-term process. If you're considering the Master Cleanse for weight loss purposes, try good old-fashioned healthy eating and exercise.