When life hands you lemons, should you DETOX IT...?

LEMON DETOX DIET

What is it?

The Lemon Detox Diet is a globally renown celebrity raved about diet which consists of consuming a lemon based drink as a substitute for meals, for a period of time.  The drink contains; madal bal natural tree syrup, water, cayenne pepper and lemon juice. The diet retails for $160 for a 14-day kit ("The Lemon Detox Diet", 2017), however many people attempt to recreate the drink at home.

The diet claims to help you:

-                   Lose weight;

-                   Remove toxins from your body;

-                   Improve your energy levels and increase your self esteem; and

-                   Promotes glowing skin and shiner hair.

                ("The Lemon Detox Diet", 2017) 

There are three diets which the company provides; the Full Body Cleanse (recommended for best results), the Relaxed version and the 50:50 version.

Full Body Cleanse:

This diet consists of consuming the provided Lemon Detox Drinks as a substitute for all solid foods for a period of 14 days. ("The Lemon Detox Diet", 2017) It recommends the dieter to consume; in addition to the diet drinks, a minimum of 2 litres of water daily. For optimum results it directs you to drink the provided laxative tea at night just before bed and the supplied sea salt water when you wake up.  

 The Relaxed version:

The relaxed version is created and directed at people that would struggle to eliminate solid foods completely from their daily diet. As an alternative, the dieter would consume approximately 2-3 glasses of the provided detox drinks for breakfast, consume a healthy lunch (including a salad, wrap, etc) and then drink 2-3 glasses of the detox drinks at dinner.  ("The Lemon Detox Diet", 2017) In addition, you also consume 1-2 litres of water daily. As per the Full Body Cleanse version, this diet requires the dieter to consume the sea salt water drink for breakfast and laxative drink for dinner.

50:50 Version:  ("The Lemon Detox Diet", 2017)

The 50:50 version of the detox diet is much friendlier to the more dieter. It allows you to have a more balanced diet by offering the dieter the how much and how often they replace their meals with the provided lemon detox drinks.

ANALYSIS OF DIET: PROS AND CONS

The Lemon Detox Diet is seen as the celebrities “preferred” detox diet. However, this diet is highly criticised by dieticians, nutritionists and health specialists.

PROS	CONS
Lemons are very high in Vitamin C resulting in an improved immune system.	You are not meeting your daily nutritional recommendations.
Rapid weight loss.	Is a form of starvation.
	Reduces the amount of energy consumed by the body.
	Not consuming a variety of foods and nutrients.

                                                                         (Moore, & Moore, 2017)

The Australia dietary guidelines consist of five individual goals which need to be achieved when considering a diet. The Lemon Detox Diet does not meet any of these guidelines indicating a vital warning sign of an extremely unhealthy diet. The first three guidelines which consist of; choosing foods which meet your energy needs, consuming a variety of food from all 5 food groups every day and to limit intake of foods high in sugars. The Lemon Detox Diet does not follow these guidelines as it predominantly eliminates or restricts the consumption of solid foods from the daily diet. The detox drinks contain syrup which are extremely high in sugars and as such do not address guideline 3 which requires to limit the intake of foods containing saturated fats, added salt, added sugars and alcohol. ("Australian Dietary Guidelines (2013) | National Health and Medical Research Council", 2017)

Due to the few ingredients consumed via the Lemon Detox Diet; in particular the Full Body Cleanse version, it will be extremely difficult if not near impossible to meet the recommended nutrient reference values of any ages group. Lemons predominantly contain vitamin C, citric acid and water.  ("Australian Online Diet and weight loss club. Lose weight for good!", 2017) . They not include macronutrients which are essential in a well balanced healthy diet and lifestyle. ("Nutrient Reference Values | Nutrient Reference Values", 2017) needed to meet the recommended nutrient reference values.

References:

Australian Dietary Guidelines (2013) | National Health and Medical Research Council. (2017). Nhmrc.gov.au. Retrieved 3 May 2017, from https://www.nhmrc.gov.au/guidelines-publications/n55

 Australian Online Diet and weight loss club. Lose weight for good!. (2017). Calorieking.com.au. Retrieved 3 May 2017, from http://www.calorieking.com.au/

Moore, S., & Moore, S. (2017). Pros and Cons of the Lemonade Diet. LIVESTRONG.COM. Retrieved 3 May 2017, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/250423-pros-and-cons-of-the-lemonade-diet/

Nutrient Reference Values | Nutrient Reference Values. (2017). Nrv.gov.au. Retrieved 3 May 2017, from https://www.nrv.gov.au/

The Lemon Detox Diet. (2017). Lemondetox.com.au. Retrieved 3 May 2017, from https://www.lemondetox.com.au/