If you’ve been looking for a way to detox, you must have scrolled through social media feeds and read about juice cleanse or detox with fruit and vegetable juice which is one of the health trends currently gaining attention all over the world. Thailand, which is well-known for its varieties of fruits, is no exception. It’s even more convenient for those who want to try detoxing this way. To make your decision easier, here’s some information on various related aspects that we’ve put together for you.

Getting to know juice cleanse

Juice cleanse involves drinking only fruit and vegetable juice for a certain period of time such as 1 day, 3 days, 5 days or 7 days. Clean water is the only other thing that can be consumed during the period. It is believed that this method helps to cleanse the body's systems and also has other benefits such as boosting kidney function, helping the digestive system, losing weight, eliminating toxins, increasing energy, and others. However, there is limited research on these benefits. We must also consider whether this method of detoxing is suitable for our body.

The 7-day juice cleanse diet plan

We recommend the 7-day juice cleanse plan as an introductory experience for those who want to try detoxing with fruit and vegetable juice. The types and amounts of vegetables and fruits can be adjusted to meet the needs and preferences of each person. Our plan comprises three phases. The first 1-3 days comprise the preparation phase. Next phase is the detox phase which lasts 2 days. The final 2 days phase prepares the body to adjust to normal life.

·       Day 1: start getting your body ready by gradually reducing intake of forbidden foods and substances such as sugar, meat, dairy products, coffee, rice, alcohol and nicotine to prevent headaches or cravings during the detox.

·       Day 2: reduce the forbidden foods in larger quantities while increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.

·       Day 3: try to eat as little food as possible while increasing consumption of fruits and vegetables.

·       Day 4: start your detox day with 8 ounces (approximately 237 ml) of leafy green juice, followed by a variety of almond and berry smoothies. If you get hungry during the day, you can eat an apple. In the evening, you can have 8 ounces of vegetable soup (clear broth), 8 ounces of green leafy juice, and 8 ounces of mixed vegetable juice (carrot + beetroot + apple).

·       Day 5: start with 8 ounces of green leafy juice as usual, followed by coconut milk and pear smoothies, and finish off with a small vegetable salad without dressing. The evening begins with carrots and celery followed by 8 ounces of green leafy vegetables and 8 ounces of mixed vegetable and fruit juice (ginger + apple + cucumber).

·       Day 6: time to start adjusting your body to get ready to go back to normal with light meals such as porridge or soup.

·       Day 7: gradually add energy to your body by starting with a small amount of food and steadily increasing the amount.

Introducing passionfruit – popular fruit with several benefits

If you have consulted a doctor or are certain that you can try a juice cleanse, we recommend refreshing and nutritious passionfruit in your fruit and vegetable detox juice. Passionfruit is a citrus fruit with many medical benefits, including helping to treat epilepsy, asthma, high blood pressure, arrhythmia, insomnia, gastrointestinal diseases caused by anxiety, and others.

Varieties of popular fruits and vegetables for juice cleanse

Besides passionfruit, many fruits and vegetables are popular for cold extraction and juice cleanse. Fruits and vegetables we recommend include celery, kale, cabbage, cucumber, ginger, beetroot, kale, spinach, tomato, kiwi, apple, carrot, pear, strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, orange, pepper, and others.

Juice cleanse and precautions

Juice cleanse is a detoxing method that may affect our body with changes in the introduction of different nutrients into the body, especially those who need complete nutrition such as children, teenagers, pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, and athletes whose body needs higher energy and protein. To be sure you can detox with fruit and vegetable juice, you may need to consult your doctor who takes care of your overall health.

There are benefits but also harms

We all know that fruits and vegetables are beneficial to our health. However, when the body only receives nutrients from fruits and vegetables, there may be negative consequences. There are a range of opinions in the medical community as to why long-term juice cleanse is not recommended. Experts tend to recommend a more balanced diet.

Juice cleanse is just one way to detox or lose weight. There are many other ways that can be done depending on their availability and suitability for each person. You should study well before starting to practice one. That way you will be healthy, safe and worry-free.

Krungthai-AXA Life Insurance customers interested in healthcare can find many other on-topic articles at: https://www.krungthai-axa.co.th/th/health-advisories.

References

·       Medical News Today
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323136

·       Verywellfit
https://www.verywellfit.com/juice-cleanse-89120

·       Pobpad website
https://bit.ly/3r8mSQQ

·       Simplee Organic
https://www.simpleeorganic.com/how-to-drink-juice-efficiency/

·       MeJuice Thailand
https://bit.ly/3flTK67