Lemonade Diet for Weight Loss: Does It Work?

The Lemonade Diet for weight loss is a modified juice fast diet that claims rapid weight loss. It's also popularly known as the Master Cleanse Diet.

This plan involves excluding all solid foods and the consumption of homemade sweetened lemon beverages for ten days in a row. In this article, we will discuss the nutritional facts and steps to start the lemonade diet for weight loss.

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Lemonade Nutritional Value

A glass of lemonade containing one lemon contains:

• 10.6 calories
• 18.6 milligrams (mg) of vitamin C, or 21% of the Daily Value (DV)
• 9.6 micrograms (mcg) of folate, or 2% of the DV
• 49.4 mg of potassium, or 1% of the DV
• 0.038 mg of iron, or less than 1% of the DV
• 0.01 mg of vitamin B1, or 1% of the DV
• 0.01 mg of vitamin B2, or 1% of the DV
• 0.06 mg of vitamin B5, or 1% of the DV

It can be observed from the table above that lemon juice isn't a good source of B vitamins. The calorific value of lemon juice is also negligible, which is why the lemonade diet for weight loss is recommended if you want to shed some excess fat.

Check out this list of low-sugar fruits to include in your diet.

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How to Start the Lemonade Diet for Weight Loss?

As this liquid-only diet can be tough for most people, it's recommended to get into this diet over a few days:

• Days 1 and 2: Gradually cut out processed foods, alcohol, caffeine, meat, dairy, and added sugars. Start including raw fruits and vegetables.
• Day 3: Initiate a liquid diet by including healthy smoothies, pureed soups, and broths, along with fresh fruit and vegetable juices.
• Day 4: Drink only water and fresh-squeezed orange juice. You can add maple syrup for additional calories. Drink herbal tea before bed.
• Day 5: Start with the main plan of the lemonade diet for weight loss.

Lemons have anti-inflammatory properties (Image via Unsplash/Moritz Nie)

Learn more about the 21-day smoothie diet.

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Recipe for Lemonade Cleanse

According to the guidelines set out by the lemonade diet for weight loss, the lemon-maple-cayenne beverage is the master drink for detox.

The standard recipe includes fresh lemon juice, maple syrup (for added calories), cayenne pepper, and water. The ratio of each ingredient can be altered as per your fitness goals.

The standard recipe for a lemonade cleanse drink is:

• 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons (40 grams) of pure maple syrup
• 1/10 teaspoon (0.2 grams) cayenne pepper (can be altered as per taste)
• 8 to 12 ounces of purified water

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Getting Back to Your Regular Diet

After ten days, you need to gradually get out of the lemonade diet for weight loss and start introducing solid food. You can follow the following plan:

• Day 1: Consume fresh-squeezed orange juice on the first day.
• Day 2: Add vegetable soups and purees on the second day.
• Day 3: Introduce fresh fruits and vegetables on the third day.
• Day 4: Introduce solid foods, especially freshly cooked and unprocessed ones.

You can also try out the olive oil and lemon juice cleanse.

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Benefits of Lemonade Diet for Weight Loss

Lemons are nutritious and a rich source of antioxidants (Image via Unsplash/Cristina Anne Costello)

Lemons are citrus fruits native to the Mediterranean region. Lemonade is a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, including ascorbic acid. Lemons are also rich in flavonoids, which are strong antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.

Lemonade can keep you hydrated throughout the day. Antioxidants play an important role in the prevention of oxidative damage to our cells by free radicals. Hundred grams of lemon juice contains 38.7 mg of vitamin C, which is 43% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for men and 52% of the RDA for women.

The lemonade diet for weight loss can help our body to produce carnitine. This compound helps in transporting fat molecules throughout the body and helps in fat loss.

Learn how drinking lemon water can improve your health.

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Bottom Line

The lemonade diet for weight loss is considered an easy and simple detox plan to lose weight. However, a liquid-based diet for ten days can deprive you of several nutrients. Consult your health professional before starting this diet.