Juice cleanses have become an extremely popular trend in the last few years, with many people using them as a way to detoxify their bodies and kickstart their weight loss. These detox programmes boast huge lists of benefits for the body, mind and soul! People claim that doing a good detox can result in glowing skin, reduced bloating, better sleep, increased energy and mental clarity!

Understandably, though, there are concerns about the safety of these cleanses, particularly if they are done for extended periods of time or without proper medical supervision. I have to admit that when my friend told me they were doing a Melbourne juice cleanse, I was pretty sceptical at first. Not eating solid food for days felt like something that would make me feel worse, not better! However, after seeing the positive results this detox had on my friend, I thought it was worth considering. So I dug deep into my safety concerns and made some interesting discoveries that I want to share in this blog, in case anyone else was wondering the same questions!

In this article, we will explore what a juice cleanse involves, the risks of doing a juice cleanse, how you can avoid them and learn how to incorporate them into our lives safely!

First off, let’s get a clear picture of what juice cleanses involve. Put simply, a juice cleanse involves drinking juices made with only fruit and vegetable juices for a set period of time to detox your body and remove excess toxins. During this time, you will be drinking only these natural juices and cutting out all other food and drink such as tea, coffee and alcohol. 

It is claimed that a cleanse can help to support your body’s natural detox process, clearing your diet of refined foods, sugar, caffeine and other substances that can damage your body and cause health problems.

The period of time that you carry out your cleanse will depend on your health goals and how much experience you have with juice cleansing. We will talk more about choosing the safest cleanse length for you later in this post!

Just like any other health treatment or medicine, it’s important to check the risks before committing to anything! So are there any significant health risks when doing a juice cleanse?

A good Geelong juice cleanse will usually be very low in calories, which can lead to rapid weight loss. If you don’t need to lose weight, then it can be a risk factor, as you could end up at an unhealthy weight after your detox. Even if weight loss is your goal, the results of your cleanse are usually not long-lasting after you have finished the programme, as weight simply returns when you eat normally again.

Insufficient calorie intake can also be a risk factor, leaving many people feeling weak with low blood sugar and a lack of energy (which is the opposite of what we want to achieve with a detox!)

Some juice cleanses may be high in sugar, which can cause a spike in blood sugar levels and lead to insulin resistance over time. This is especially true for juices that contain a lot of fruit, as fruit is naturally high in sugar.

Another serious risk factor is juice safety! that if someone drinks unpasteurised juices, it could lead to them getting sick from bacteria.

So if juice cleansing carries risks, does that mean we shouldn't bother with them at all? Not necessarily. Juice cleanses can still be healthy and efficient ways to reach our health and fitness goals, but ONLY if they are done in a safe and manageable way!