The Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Cleanse: What You Need to Know

A cayenne pepper and lemon cleanse, also called the master cleanse, is a modified juice fast that is often used for quick weight loss results. This cleanse involves consuming a concoction of lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup for a limited number of days, usually 10, then resuming a normal diet. Some sources claim that this cleanse detoxifies the body of unwanted waste and promotes weight loss.

Here’s everything you need to know about the cayenne pepper and lemon cleanse and its potential risks and benefits.

How Does the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Cleanse Claim to Work?

According to Down to Earth, the cayenne pepper and lemon cleanse rids the body of toxins, helping you shed excess pounds and leaving you feeling focused and refreshed. The cleanse is also said to reduce cravings for junk food, coffee, and soda.

What Can You Eat on the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Cleanse?

Because the cayenne pepper and lemon cleanse is essentially a modified juice fast, you are only allowed to have the following while on this cleanse:

• Water
• Lemon juice
• Maple syrup
• Cayenne pepper

These ingredients are mixed together and then consumed up to 12 times per day in place of any food that you would normally eat.

Potential Benefits of the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Juice Cleanse (and Why They May Not Last)

People may choose this cleanse to lose weight quickly and detox the body. While there is some evidence that this cleanse may help with both of those goals, the effects of this cleanse are not well understood, and research is severely lacking.

According to Mayo Clinic, there is little evidence to support the notion that juice cleanses actually detox the body. The liver and kidneys rid the body of toxins, and in most cases, they are naturally proficient at doing so.

Potential Risks of the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Cleanse

While there may be a few potential benefits of following this cleanse, these benefits would likely be short term and would not contribute to long-term changes in your eating patterns.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, detox cleanses can cause adverse side effects:

• Irritability
• Fatigue
• Vitamin and mineral deficiencies
• Dehydration, abdominal cramping, and nausea
• Diarrhea
• Kidney failure

Fad diets, such as this cleanse, severely restrict food intake, which limits the nutrients you get from food. And we don’t know if fad diets are safe or even effective, or if they increase the risk of various diseases.

Is the Cayenne Pepper and Lemon Cleanse Right for You?

While the motivation to try this cleanse is often founded in the desire for better health, this is considered a fad diet, and fad diets often promote quick, unsustainable weight loss, may severely restrict what you eat, may be harmful, and generally do not have long-lasting health benefits.

It’s important to talk to your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before starting any diet, so that potential benefits and risks can be discussed before jumping in.