The Lemon Water Detox Diet: Analysis & Australian Dietary Guidelines

This report critically examines the lemon water detox diet, a popular cleansing method involving a concoction of lemon juice, water, cayenne pepper, and natural syrup, consumed for up to 14 days without solid food. The analysis contrasts the diet's purported detoxification benefits with scientific evidence and the Australian Dietary Guidelines. The report finds that the lemon detox diet does not effectively detoxify the body as claimed and may lead to lethargy due to insufficient nutrient intake. It emphasizes the body's natural detoxification processes through the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and kidneys. Recommendations include prioritizing hydration with plain water and consuming fiber-rich foods like fruits and vegetables for optimal body cleansing, advocating for a balanced and proven approach to health rather than relying on fad diets like the lemon detox water.

Running head: NUTRITION 1
Nutrition
Name
Institution

NUTRITION 2
INTRODUCTION TO NUTRITION
Lemon water detox
Introduction
The idea of detoxing the body is an idea everyone would love. It is believed that lemon
water flushes toxins out of the body. Lemon detox is considered to be a master cleanse.
Popularly used across the country especially among women, most people stay several days
without drinking anything but lemon-water concoction. The lemon detox diet plan takes 14 days
where the person detoxing is not allowed to use any solid food (Kim, Hwang, Ko, Na & Kim,
2015). For the 14 days, all that is taken is lemonade and salt water flush.
An accurate description of the diet
The mix of natural syrup includes; the Madal Bal natural tree syrup, fresh lemon juice,
cayenne pepper, and pure water. The Madal Bal natural syrup is believed to cater for energy
during the 14 days cleansing period since solid food is not consumed. The ingredient has
digestible carbohydrate and a high level of potassium. Pure water carries all the elements through
the body. It provides the person with an internal bath. Providing the transports for all the
domestic released wastes and toxins.
Most importantly the water given keeps the body hydrated during the detox period. The
lemon juice is believed to provide the cleansing value. It plays the role that the detergent would
play on a dirty cloth. Cayenne pepper is the final ingredient that is used in the making of the
lemon detox. Its purpose is to ensure that body metabolism is still optimal during the cleansing
period (Oates, 2015).

NUTRITION 3
An analysis of the diet against its ability to meet the Australian Dietary Guidelines
With all the praises detox water lemon has received in the past years, it will take a
surprise to report that lemon water detox does not play the role of detoxification like assumed by
many people. Body detoxing is a good thing, but using lemon is a wrong assumption.
Intermittent fasting can lead to body weight loss, but adding detox elixir will not lead to
detoxification. The fasting plan does not add any value to removing toxins from the body (Mitha,
Divya & Jain, 2016).
According to Australian dietary guidelines, lemon detox only ingests calories into the
body; it is for this reason that one on such a diet would feel lethargic and on edge and do not feel
anything near energetic. The same feeling that one would feel when they have a headache after
missing to take lunch (Vohra & Jasuja, 2016).
The taking of lemon detox on an empty stomach can be very misleading. No doctor can
prescribe a medicine for a patient and ask them to take the medication on an empty stomach. The
empty stomach detoxing of lemon juice is therefore misleading. Fasting to detoxify may not be
the best choice (Press, 2014).
A scientist explanation from a doctor would border the gastrointestinal tract; the digestive
tract is the point where the body removes the toxins from. Lemon water together with other
nutrients does not have the fiber necessary for the body to self-cleanse. The narrative that claims
that detoxification of the body is achieved through the lemon detox diet is not adding up (Dhar,
2018).
Recommendations about the lemon water detox diet
The body naturally detoxifies itself. The role of the gastrointestinal tract, liver, and
kidneys all help detox the body.

NUTRITION 4
The water added in the lemon is the healthy perspective of the detox. Adding water
during the lemon is ok. Water keeps the body hydrated so that toxic elements are released from
it. When feeling lethargic and there is need to detoxicate, drinking a lot of water would be the
perfect solution before picking any other forms of solution. Generally, taking fluids helps
detoxify the body (Press, 2014).
Another perfect way is to consume foods that are rich in fiber and other nutrients too.
Vegetables and fruits provide the body with fiber content capable of offering fiber assistance to
the kidney, gastrointestinal tract and the skin in charge of detoxification. To get a body cleanse,
it is advisable to use a balanced and proven approach that unproven fad in the name of lemon
detox water (Press, 2014).

NUTRITION 5
References
Dhar, S. (2018). Key to Greatest Fitness for healthy Body.
Kim, M. J., Hwang, J. H., Ko, H. J., Na, H. B., & Kim, J. H. (2015). Lemon detox diet reduced
body fat, insulin resistance, and serum hs-CRP level without hematological changes in
overweight Korean women. Nutrition Research, 35(5), 409-420.
Mitha, M., Divya, B., & Jain, S. (2016). Formulation and quality analysis of detox drink.
Oates, C. (2015). Cleanse for beautiful skin. Professional Beauty, (Mar/Apr 2015), 76.
Press, M. (2014). Juice Cleanse Recipes: Juicing Detox Plans to Revitalize Health and Energy.
Callisto Media Inc.
Vohra, P., & Jasuja, K. L. (2016). 15 days ‘water only fast’: a tough but a challenging personal
experience. International Journal of Scientific Reports, 2(10), 271-273.