Everything You Need to Know Before Starting a Juice Cleanse in 2022

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Juice cleanses (along with fresh juices in general) have become a go-to ritual for health nuts and regular folks alike. Cold-pressed juices can be packed with vitamins, minerals and nutrients and can be a great dietary supplement for getting in fruits and vegetables. They’re taken up by many people looking to lose weight, but they’re most often used as a ‘reset’ button that supposedly detoxes the body. Some health nuts swear by them, while other dieticians and nutritionists warn of their potentially negative and dangerous health impacts.

If you’re thinking of trying a juice cleanse in 2022 or are curious about the science behind them, you’re in luck. We’ve consulted numerous health experts on the benefits, pitfalls and misconceptions about juice cleanses in the health world today. The consensus? Juices are healthy when consumed alongside protein and healthy fats as part of a well-rounded, sustainable diet. Juice cleanses? Not so much.

If you’re hellbent on trying one out, though, we’ve highlighted our picks for the best juice cleanses of 2022 below, but keep reading to learn more about the health benefits and risks of juice cleanses as well as how to prepare for one if you decide to go for it.

Read More: The Best Juicers of 2022

Editor’s Note: Some quotes have been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

The Best Juice Cleanses of 2022

1. Best Overall: Raw Generation 3-Day Juice Cleanse — $127.99 on Amazon

2. Runner Up: Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2 1-Day Cleanse — $34.50/Day on Pressed Juicery

3. Best Hybrid Cleanse: Sakara Level II Detox — $450.00 on Sakara

4. Best Variety: Suja Organic Juice Cleanse — $99.99 at Suja Organic

5. Best for Beginners: Juice Generation 3-Day Cooler Cleanse — $174.00 on Juice Generation

6. Best 1-Day Cleanse: Super Detox Me 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse — $139.99 on Amazon

7. Best for Travel: Cleanse on the Go 3-Day Detox — $68.95 on Amazon

8. Best Superfoods: Lemonkind 3-Day Metabolism Booster Cleanse — $139.99 on Amazon

2. Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2

RUNNER UP

Best For: Great tasting juices that vary in flavor profile and texture, freshest juices

Number of Juices: 6 per day; choose how many days you buy and customize the length of your cleanse

Pressed Juicery has become one of the biggest fresh juice brands in the country. They’ve succeeded because they make simple, healthy, and, most importantly, tasty juices. This cleanse is their most popular because it’s effective for pros yet approachable enough for beginners. SPY Senior E-Commerce Editor Taylor Galla has done a juice cleanse from Pressed before, and while she couldn’t finish it due to her lack of willpower, the juices were delicious and packed with nutrients.

Pros:

• Can choose the length of your cleanse
• Juices come in inventive, unique flavors
• Each juice is made for a different time of day and contains varying amounts of healthy fat and protein, so you don’t starve yourself

Buy: Pressed Juicery Cleanse 2 $34.50/day

6. Super Detox ME 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse

BEST 1-DAY CLEANSE

Best For: A quick cleanse that includes snacks, so you’re not left starving or unsatisfied

Number of Juices: 6, plus two superfood snacks

One-day cleanses are great if you’re too busy to take on a three- to seven-day cleanse. These flash-cleanses are ideal for flushing out the weekend’s toxins on Sunday and getting energized for the week ahead. Our favorite one-day cleanse is this Super Detox Me cleanse from Lemonkind. The day consists of six juices and two superfood snacks, keeping you satiated and energized. This manageable approach makes it great for first-time juicers and casual dieters. And best of all, this cleanse won’t make you run to the restroom constantly.

Pros: 

• Only lasts a day, so you’re not committing to a radical diet shift for multiple days in a row
• Includes snacks
• Juices come in portable, flexible packs that are easy to travel with

Buy: Super Detox ME 1-Day Hybrid Cleanse $139.99

7. Cleanse On The Go 3-day Detox

BEST FOR TRAVEL

Best For: Those who travel and need a cleanse they can carry with them onto an airplane

Number of Juices: 21 juices, 7 per day

Another great powder detox is this one from Cleanse On The Go. It’s well-priced ($70 for an entire three-day cleanse) and includes 21 packets of instant juice. Over the three days, you’ll drink seven juices a day that detox and naturally provide energy to get you through the process. The package is also highly-rated on Amazon, with cleansers loving the easy-to-use packets and weight-cutting results. This makes it a great option for cleansing while traveling, commuting or anyone who will be out and about during the three days.

Pros:

• Easier and lighter to carry with you than liquid juices
• Packets are easy to use and mix with water
• Can use the packets to supplement your diet as opposed to strict cleansing because the powder form won’t go bad as easily

Buy: Cleanse On The Go 3-Day Detox $68.95

8. Lemonkind 3-Day Metabolism Booster Cleanse

BEST SUPERFOODS

Best For: An affordable juice cleanse that includes superfoods

Number of Juices: 24 juices total, 8 per day

This cleanse from Lemonkind boasts a hefty serving of different superfoods in each juice. The 3-day cleanse pack comes with 24 juices ready to drink and infused with ingredients like chlorella, Alphonso mango, carrot ginger, turmeric, blueberry, cinnamon, and chia juices. The cleanse includes eight juices a day (designed for drinking one about every two hours) that are easy to follow and delicious enough to stick to. The juices contain high levels of Vitamins A and C and antioxidants for immune system support, and all of the mixes contain no additives. This is a woman-owned business that’s been certified organic and is FDA-approved.

Pros:

• More juices than other cleanses, so you eat more often throughout the day
• Juices come in flexible, portable pouches that are easier to pack and carry
• Unique, delicious flavors

Buy: LEMONKIND Metabolism Booster 3-Day Cleanse $139.99

Are Juice Cleanses Healthy?

First off, let’s clarify what we mean by a juice cleanse. A cleanse is typically a 2-5 day period where you only consume juices. Some may just be fruits and vegetables; others may include healthy fats like nuts and avocados. Regardless, a cleanse typically means you’re primarily consuming juice for an extended period.

For the most part, the nutrition experts we interviewed were not supportive of juice cleanses as a long-term strategy for healthy living.

Kristian Morey, a Registered Dietician at the Endocrinology Center at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, MD, explains that “Juices are often made of healthy ingredients — fruits and vegetables — which are essential components of good nutrition. But in and of themselves, they do not provide your body with all essential nutrients.”

“Relying solely on juiced fruits and vegetables also neglects another nutrient your body needs — protein. For your body to continuously rebuild and repair its tissues, it must have a constant source of amino acids to pull from. If your body isn’t getting them from the food you’re eating, it’s going to get them from your own muscles. As we lose muscle mass, our calorie-burning capacity lowers, making it harder and harder to lose weight.”

Can Juice Cleanses Help You Lose Weight?

Since we’re willing to bet very few people opt into a temporary diet consisting of just squeezed fruits and veggies for fun, the next question becomes: do juice cleanses help you lose weight? Again, the consensus among the hand full of health experts we talked to was no.

Dr.  Josh Axe, D.N.M, C.N.S, D.C and founder of Ancient Nutrition explained that “Cleanses are unlikely to lead to long-term weight loss because they don’t teach you how to sustainably stick to a healthy, balanced diet. They might lead to some initial weight loss, but the weight is likely to return once someone resumes their normal diet.”

He explained, “Only drinking juice for several days will also result in calorie deprivation that ultimately leads to a slow down of your metabolic rate. Once your metabolism drops, this makes it harder to lose weight in the long run.”

Alicia Galvin, R.D for Sovereign Laboratories, agreed, explaining that juice cleanses are “a short-term solution. Initially, you may lose a lot of water weight, but as soon as you start eating again, you will likely gain back that fluid.”

Morey also shared that there’s very little evidence that juice cleanses help your body “detox” effectively.

“There is little evidence that juice cleanses actually detoxify the body. Claims about cleanses are often vague and provide inconsistent information about what detoxification even is. What is scientifically proven to remove the toxins you consume from your body? Your liver and kidneys.”

What Are the Benefits of Juice Cleanses?

While none of the nutritionists listed outright benefits of juice cleanses, they did explain that juice in and of itself can have nutritional benefits when consumed as part of a healthy diet overall.

Morey explained, “Juices can provide several B vitamins, as well as vitamins A, C, E, and K (depending on the fruits and vegetables used).”

Dr. Axe noted that “fresh pressed juices offer vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and enzymes such as vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoids and others.”

Many recommend making juice a part of your nutritious meal rather than the whole thing or even the main course.

Juliana Tamayo, a nutritionist at Fitness Clone, shared some advice she offers her weight loss clients. “A green juice that has added probiotics, antioxidants, and protein can be a great way to get your vitamins, minerals, and fiber on a busy morning or as a pre-workout snack.”

“I recommend juices for clients that are lacking vegetables and fruits in their diets, however, I focus on adding them as a snack and accompanied with a source of protein. Having a juice by itself is harmful because it raises blood sugar levels almost immediately; they can also be very high in sugar and additives, and in most cases, the fiber will be lost after all the processing.”

Does all this mean you shouldn’t do a juice cleanse? Absolutely not. Now that you have all the information you need about the nutritional benefits and potential downfalls, you can make an informed decision based on your diet, body and health goals.

How Juice Cleanses Work

Juice cleanses typically come in one-, three- or seven-day packages but go as high as a 10-day package for real pros. Each day consists of several juices often tailored to different times of day (i.e., an energy-boosting blend for breakfast and a relaxing juice before bed). Some juice cleanse programs also suggest incorporating light vegetarian or vegan meals.

How to Pick a Juice Cleanse

There are dozens of juice cleanse programs to choose from, so you’ll need to research a few before deciding. We’ve combed the web for some of the best juice cleanses, but there are still some decisions you’ll need to make before choosing.

The first choice is easy: how long do you want your juice to cleanse? The typical length is three days because it’s effective but not too challenging. One-day cleanses are great for beginners or anyone who wants a quick detox on a Saturday after a stressful week. Seven- and ten-day cleanses should only be used by people who’ve done a cleanse before.

You’ll also need to decide if you want ready-to-drink juices sent to your door, prefer to juice your own fruits and vegetables or powder packets that you mix with water, orange juice or nut milk. There is also the option of a completely DIY juice recipe book. Of course, if you choose the latter option, you’ll need to invest in cold-press juicers or similar appliances.

How to Prepare for a Juice Cleanse

The last piece of the puzzle is preparing for a juice cleanse. I would not recommend diving headfirst into three days of no eating with no prep whatsoever. None of the SPY editors are doctors or medical professionals, but we recommend talking to one before embarking on a cleanse to ensure it’s a healthy choice for you and your body.

To prepare for a cleanse, you’ll want to embark on a pre-cleanse to prep your body so you don’t end up with uncontrollable cravings, sickness or lethargy. You’ll probably experience some of these regardless, but to give yourself the best shot at success, especially if you’re a newbie, it’s best to cut back on certain things 2-5 days before your cleanse starts.

This list includes caffeine, processed foods, animal products in general and refined sugar. You should also start eating more fruits and vegetables and drinking more water. Sound straightforward? Don’t worry, it is.

You should also be prepared to have less energy during your cleanse since your food intake is much lower. Working out strenuously or pulling all-nighters might not be possible, so schedule your life accordingly.

Ready to take the plunge? We’ve included the 12 best juice cleanses for weight loss (and any other health goal) in the shopping guide above.