//PICTURED ABOVE: Although there is no scientific research supporting the benefits of juices, Pressed Juicery advertises its juice cleanse options.

Are you considering a juice cleanse to detox or better your diet? Or do you want the perfect bikini body for summer and think a juice cleanse is the answer? Before you start consulting your local juice bar juicer, you may want to think about the dangers of juice cleanses and the effect they have on your body.

A juice cleanse is a type of diet that consists of only drinking juices made from fruits and vegetables in an attempt to lose weight and detoxify the body. Julia Haetzel, a freshman at Hockaday, is a juice cleanse tester.

“I just wanted to flush all the toxins and bacteria that accumulate in my body,” Haetzel said.

Around holidays like Christmas, New Years, and even summer, many people try juice cleanses to motivate them to eat healthier or prepare them for the abundance of unhealthy food they might eat soon in the future.

Juice cleanses, although they sound like a healthy choice to the customer, does more harm than good. Since you are not eating a well-rounded diet that includes fats, fiber, and protein, severe side effects are common such as headaches, dizziness and fatigue. Anne Rubi, a Hockaday Freshman, is another tester of a juice cleanse.

“At the moment I felt healthier and more energetic, but later it left me hungry and tired,” Rubi said.

On the other hand, juicers support the idea that your body can cleanse itself and that it is acceptable to feel discomfort. Gevena Mcgrew is the customer satisfaction specialist at Pressed Juicery.

“It’s natural to feel overwhelmed and uncomfortable,” Mcgrew said.

The critical nutrients that your body needs to sustain itself are left out during a juice cleanse.

Cleanses restrict the user to 1,000 calories per day, which is significantly lower than the approximate 2,000 calories most people require.

Furthermore, juicing fruits and vegetables eliminate the fiber in them. Eating the little amount of fiber in juices can leave the consumer very hungry.

“After a long day, I needed more than just juice,” Rubi said.

The body goes into starvation mode while on a juice cleanse. This means that the body will attempt to conserve calories by slowing down metabolism because the body does not know when it will be fed again.

There is no scientific research that juice cleanses provide short or long term benefits, but so far it’s not a healthy approach to eating.

Juice is the easiest way to get your blood sugar up and most juices have the same amount of sugar as sodas. For example, while a regular orange has a large amount of fiber, the juice from an orange is mostly sugar. The sugary juice is mixed into cleansing juices which diminishes the hope of weight loss.

Losing weight in a healthy way is a process and does not happen overnight. Cleansing does not offer a quick fix to a person’s weight or diet. Other than trying out a juice cleanse, there are ways you can lean out. Getting rid of processed foods and replacing them with fruits, vegetables and other healthy choices is a great alternative to a cleanse.

Remember: before you break out the juice to get the perfect summer bod, think of the dangers a juice cleanse may have on your body and health.

Story by Campbell Harris

Photo provided by Press Juicery