February 3, 2022, 3:09 am | Read time: 8 minutes

What would the start of the new year be without resolutions and challenges? Especially during the holidays, we indulge to the fullest, often eating beyond hunger and skipping the digestive walk because of dessert. To ensure the New Year’s resolution of a healthier self succeeds, a juice cleanse is often recommended. But does it really help? I dared to try the juice cleanse myself.

Why I Wanted to Do a Juice Cleanse

In early January, my Instagram feed was full of people drinking juice. I was intrigued and wanted to challenge myself. Can I do it? How will my mood be? How will my body react? I didn’t really want to lose weight but rather do something good for my body, detox it. I hoped for the often-mentioned “glow” that is supposed to improve the skin and create a radiance from within. And also for an insight after the cleanse–though I wasn’t sure what that would be yet.

How Does a Juice Cleanse Work?

A juice cleanse usually lasts 3 to 7 days. During my research, I came across numerous providers and quickly realized: A guided juice cleanse is primarily one thing: expensive! Prices for a 7-day complete package can go up to 140 euros. It’s also possible to press the juices yourself every day. However, I lacked both a juicer and the motivation.

Eventually, I opted for a 5-day protein cleanse. The price of 89 euros (one of the cheapest on the market), the organic label, and the sustainability convinced me, as all juices come in glass bottles. Without much preparation, I started the challenge.

Also interesting: Centrifugal Juicer or Slow Juicer – Which Is Healthier?

Day 1 in the Juice Cleanse Self-Experiment

Even before the cleanse, I had a fixed eating rhythm. For two years, I have been having my first meal only after 3 p.m. So, I can fast. On the first day, I strictly followed the recommendations and started with the first juice at 9 a.m. It tasted very good. Since my body isn’t used to food at this time, I felt slightly dizzy. At noon, I tried the second juice, which I liked even more. In the afternoon, I slowly became tired. Although I had already drunk 4 juices, I was very cold and felt weak. After a clear, hot vegetable broth, I felt significantly better. With the last two juices, I went to bed not hungry but unsatisfied. First day done!

Day 2 – The Hunger Feeling Is Absent

After yesterday, I decided to start with the juices later to drink them at shorter intervals towards the end. This method made fasting easier for me. Still, I noticed my energy level dropped rapidly again from 4 p.m. Additionally, I had more intense headaches. However, the strong hunger feeling and the desire for food were absent. I had no problem cooking for my roommates.

Also interesting: Is Orange Juice Really a Fattening Agent?

Day 3 – Headaches as a Constant Companion

When I woke up, I felt for the first time how empty my stomach was. To counteract the energy loss in the evening, I drank my first juice at noon, so I had more juices in a row towards the end of the day. The headaches didn’t really go away either. In the evening, I was worried I wouldn’t make it through a planned meeting, as my energy level was at its lowest at that time. With vegetable broth and juices at shorter intervals, it turned out to be a nice evening! At night, I dreamed of food for the first time and woke up with a feeling of hunger.

Day 4 – Banana Smell Where There Are No Bananas

I thought it would feel normal after the third day, but the opposite was true! For the first time, I really felt pain because my stomach felt so empty. Additionally, I had something like withdrawal symptoms. I smelled bananas, even though there were none in the house, thought of foods like broccoli and dishes like leek soup–without knowing how my thoughts jumped there. I had planned a small workout, but my body wasn’t capable of more than a short, light yoga session.
After working on university projects all day, I would have loved to reward myself with a nice meal–just like my roommate did. However, I sat next to her and sadly drank my (delicious) juice.

Also interesting: Is Celery Juice Really That Healthy? Experts Explain

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Day 5 – Dinner with Friends

I had no problems getting through the day. I don’t know if it was because the end was so near or if my body had gotten used to it. Neither headaches nor stomach pains plagued me throughout the day. In the evening, I was invited to a friend’s house for dinner–I had already told her about the juice cleanse. While she and my other friend ate pasta with vegan mushroom cream sauce, I drank my juices and a clear vegetable broth. I can proudly say that it didn’t bother me at all, and the evening was still very nice.

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After the Juice Cleanse

You’re supposed to take it very slowly. I somewhat followed the recommendations. At noon, I ate a slice of bread, later had yogurt with fruits, and for dinner, potatoes and sauerkraut. I immediately noticed that I was well-satisfied, even though the portions were smaller than before the juice cleanse. I continued this for the following days.

Also interesting: Does a Juice Cleanse Really Benefit Health?

Conclusion on the Juice Cleanse Self-Experiment

Weight loss was not a goal I pursued with my juice cleanse self-experiment. Still, I was curious about what happened on the scale before and after. During the days, my weight fluctuated by one or two kilograms. So, I can’t say that I lost weight through the juice cleanse.

Initially, I thought I would have to struggle more with myself during the juice cleanse to get through it, but it was easier than expected. What really bothered me was my lack of energy. The “glow” didn’t appear for me. My skin wasn’t better than before, and especially due to my lack of energy, I felt anything but radiant.

On the positive side, I noticed that I listened to my body more afterward. I ate more slowly, partly because I wanted to enjoy it and partly to ensure I didn’t overwhelm my stomach. Even small portions filled me up, which wouldn’t have been enough before.

Also interesting: Raw Food Diet – What’s Allowed, What’s Not?

»I Would Not Buy Ready-Made Juices Again

In my opinion, 90 euros for 5 days of juice is a lot of money. Although they are organic products, as a student, I wouldn’t buy them again. I enjoyed all the juices, but some were too sweet for my taste. I would have preferred more vegetable content. If I were to repeat the cleanse, I would try the self-pressed juice option. This way, you not only save money but can also create your own concoctions.

Who the Juice Cleanse Is Suitable For

After my self-experiment with the juice cleanse, I can say that it is particularly suitable for people who tend to eat “recklessly” and no longer appreciate food properly. After the cleanse, you eat more mindfully, appreciate the food, and feel that food provides energy in addition to enjoyment. This insight may also help with a dietary change from a less healthy lifestyle to a much healthier diet. Even though it’s mainly about the mental attitude, you cleanse your body and feel motivated to continue treating it well. I would caution against seeing the cleanse as a diet for weight loss, as for healthy weight loss, you should change your diet long-term and not hope for results in such a short time.