The Lemon Detox Diet

The Lemon Detox Diet

The Lemon Detox Diet, originally known as the Master Cleanse, has developed a cult following as consumers - mostly women - seek a quick weight-loss remedy.But is this master cleanse a master scam? Is this diet healthy for the body? Nutritionist Matt O'Neill says it is a starvation diet, and those that embark on it will gain back the weight, and more, as soon as they start eating. But herbalist Richard Carney says it is an excellent detox that provides fast weight loss and kick-starts a healthier lifestyle.

The lowdown
American naturopath Stanley Burroughs invented the Master Cleanse 60 years ago. It consisted of a cocktail of water, lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup. The formula was reinvented three years ago as the Lemon Detox Diet, the only difference being that the maple syrup was replaced with Madal Bal syrup, using sap from several species of palms.

During the cleanse, participants drink about eight glasses of this concoction daily for about 10 days. Laxative tea and salt water flushes are also taken. The company says the diet "works to ease and improve toxic and overweight conditions and lets the body cleanse itself naturally while you take a break from solid food".

Sweet or sour?
O'Neill, who conducted a scientific analysis of the diet, concludes: "It strips weight off, but there is a terrible, sinister downside." O'Neill says the diet is extremely low in protein, which results in loss of muscle mass. "Your metabolic rate is going to plummet. Chances are, when you go off the detox you are going to be fatter than when you started," he says.

Nutritionist Rosemary Stanton agrees, as does dietitian Susie Burrell, who says it is "quite dangerous" because it is not supplying the essential daily nutrients. But Carney says the detox is not long enough to cause loss of muscle or protein deficiency. "It's helped my clients achieve quick weight loss and kick-started lifestyle changes." He says his clients also report increased energy and improved digestion. He says the drink is consumed every two hours to ensure the body does not go into starvation mode.