Jumping Into the Juice Cleanse Craze — What It’s Really Like, Expert Tips and More Cleansing Truths

Recently a friend casually asked: “How often do you go on a juice cleanse?” My answer: I actually never have. I’ve practiced intermittent fasting combined with exercise five to six times a week, largely to keep my weight in check, for years. Every day, except for occasional holidays, I eat within an eight-hour window and fast for 16 hours while drinking copious amounts of water. But the world of juice cleanses is new to me.

Obsessed with beauty and wellness, I’ve been told that a juice cleanse, also known as a detox or reset, can give your skin a temporary boost in radiance, flooding it with hydration. Drinking juices high in beta-carotene and vitamin C can support collagen production and help keep free radical damage at bay. And because you’re consuming only juice and lots and lots of water during a cleanse, your body is eliminating excess sodium from processed foods. Which means you might see a decrease in facial swelling and inflammation, albeit temporarily.

I asked registered dietitian and longevity specialist Melanie Murphy Richter about the real benefits and side effects.

“When you do a structured fast, your body shifts from burning glucose to burning fat and producing ketones,” Richter says. “That shift is powerful. You get improvements in insulin sensitivity, clearer thinking and a real reset in hunger cues. The deeper benefit is cellular.

“Fasting activates autophagy, which is essentially your cells cleaning house. And it lowers IGF-1, a growth factor tied to aging. That’s where the longevity angle comes in.”

Convinced it wasn’t harmful, I headed to Sustain Juicery in Bellaire (also known in two locations as JuiceWell, which are set to reopen in CityCentre and Greenway Plaza soon) to meet owner Wen Qin and learn more. Now, understand we’re not talking just any juice, like the sort filled with all kinds of preservatives to keep them shelf stable, procured from your local supermarket.

Rather we’re concentrating on those cold-pressed from a combination of fresh fruits and vegetables that Qin squeezes daily with produce he notes is “organic when possible and local when available.”

Which Juice Cleanse Is Right For You?

While health devotees seek out Sustain Juicery for a one to seven day cleanses (which cost anywhere from $60 to $420), I decided to start modestly and try a one day cleanse. With plans to return for a three day juice diet after a family cruise to Alaska where I’m sure to indulge quite a bit.

“Whether you try a one day cleanse or a seven day, I’d want you to do the length you can actually tolerate,” Qin says. “Remember, during a juice detox you’re giving your digestive system a break. Eating fruit and vegetables will be easier for your body to digest, and consuming six 16-ounce juices daily, you’ll be showering your body with nutrients.”

While Win has created a beginner, intermediate and pro series of fasts based on a balance of nutrient values, because it was my first time, I made it clear I needed to steer clear of any concoction that tasted like lawn clippings, or I wouldn’t make it through even a day. Happily, my six 16-ounce selections — each bottle has the astounding equivalent of three pounds of fresh produce in liquid form — were very palatable and included juices labeled Pineapple Sunrise, Turmeric Tonic, Supreme Being, Sweet and Sour, Awakening and Revival.

The juice cleanse started with Awakening, aptly, on the morning of my fast. Made with a blend of kale, spinach, parsley, collard greens, beets, celery, habanero pepper, ginger and lemon, I downed the entire bottle in no time and actually enjoyed the purple-tinged elixir. My favorite turned out to be the Pineapple Sunrise whipped up with pineapple, apple, orange, cucumber, mint and chia seeds. On the sweet side, it felt like a reward.

“The first one to two days can be uncomfortable with mild headaches, fatigue and hunger.” Ritcher says. “That’s normal and temporary. Some people feel dizzy if they’re used to eating frequently. These resolve as your body adapts. The important caveat: people with diabetes, pregnant women, or anyone with a history of disordered eating shouldn’t fast without medical supervision.”

If you, like me, feel the urge to cheat, be it due to a mild headache or a pang of hunger, Qin has advice for that too.

“Because I won’t be by your side to coach you, if you’re going to cheat on your juice, don’t eat a burger,” he says. “Don’t eat some kind of processed food. Have an apple. Eat a banana. You might feel tired and get a headache. Take a nap. Rest. Don’t focus on it. If it’s your first time and you’re not confident, try it on a day that your work is easy, where you can relax.

“Then when you’re good at it, you can extend the fast on your busiest day, eliminate all those unnecessary decisions of what to eat and when.”

Making it through my one day trial is motivating me to move on to a three day cleanse.

“Here’s where I’d gently push back on juice fasting,” Ritcher says. “A juice cleanse and a structured five day fasting mimicking protocol are very different things. The research supports five days as the sweet spot. Long enough to shift your metabolism meaningfully, short enough to be safe and repeatable.

“Doing it cyclically, maybe three to four times a year, seems to stack benefits without the downsides of chronic restriction.”