The short answer to ?What to eat on the Master Clean Diet? is pretty simple: All solid foods are forbidden for the duration of the cleanse, usually lasting 10 to 14 days. Breaking the fast and resuming a healthy diet is to be done slowly over the course of a few days, beginning with fruit juice, gradually adding fresh fruit and vegetables or homemade vegetable soup and broth. However, it is important to understand why such drastic measures are need for the cleanse if you choose to do it.

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The History of the Master Cleanse

The Master Cleanse Diet has been receiving increased attention lately. It should be noted that this diet is not intended to be a weight-loss diet, though one may indeed lose weight on it. It is a cleansing diet/fast that is supposed to rid the body of toxins and cleanse the intestinal tract and colon.

Created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941, The Master Cleanse Diet (also known as The Lemonade Diet, The Maple Syrup Diet, and The Cayenne Pepper Diet) claims to rid the body of toxins and reduce cravings for tobacco, alcohol, soda, coffee and junk-food by eliminating pesticides, prescription medications, chemical fertilizers and heavy metals from the body, though these claims have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Criticism of The Master Cleanse

One criticism of The Master Cleanse Diet is that it lacks many essential nutrients, including protein, which may result in headaches in the short-term, as well as dizzyness, light-headedness and irritability. It is claimed that these symptoms pass as the cleansing process removes toxins from the body.

What to Expect During The Cleanse

The diet involves consuming only fresh lemonade or limeade made from fresh lemon or lime juice, purified spring water, organic grade B maple syrup and cayenne pepper, drinking 6 to 10 glasses of the concoction per day. Each glass contains about 110 calories of sugar carbohydrates. An herbal laxative tea is consumed each night and a quart of salt water made from sea-salt is consumed every morning, resulting in several liquid bowel-movements throughout the day.

How to Make The Master Cleanse Diet

The lemonade is prepared by mixing 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed organic lemon or lime juice, 2 tablespoons organic grade B maple syrup, which is darker and contains more nutrients than grade A, and 1/10th of a teaspoon cayenne chili pepper into 8-10 ounces of hot, purified water. It is recommended that 6-12 glasses of the lemonade be consumed daily, with those wishing to lose weight drinking the lowest recommended amount, and those wishing merely to detoxify drinking the maximum. The only other food allowed during the cleanse is plain water and mint tea.

After The Cleanse

When coming off the cleanse, it is important to make the transition back to solid foods gradually over the course of several days to minimize discomfort and gastro-intestinal distress.

On days 1 and 2 after the cleansing diet, drink several 8-ounce glasses of orange juice, sipping slowly to avoid stomach upset. On day 3, drink orange juice in the morning, eat some fresh, raw fruit for lunch and a raw green salad for dinner. One may also consume homemade vegetable soup or broth. On day 4, one may return to their normal diet, although Burroughs recommends that people continue to drink the lemonade concoction once a day at breakfast.

The Validity of The Master Cleanse

Health experts disagree wether or not the claims of detoxification made by the adherents of The Master Cleanse Diet are supported by medical research, and though such claims have not been evaluated by the FDA, most health professionals agree that a cleansing fast of a few days is not especially dangerous. People with chronic health conditions should consult their physician before starting The Master Cleanse Diet.