A juice fast, which is essentially a short-term abstinence from solid food and a diet consisting of only raw vegetable and fruit juices, is a system being promoted by natural health professionals worldwide. One of the main benefits of a juice fast is weight loss. By limiting your caloric intake without depriving your body of essential nutrients and minerals, you’ll speed the weight loss process.

Tips for Doing a Juice Fast

To make your juice fast as worthwhile as possible, here’s what the experts recommend:

• Do your juice fast in the spring, or at the very least during the warm months. Your body will be more apt to lose weight during these times.
• To really kick-start your juice fast, begin to eliminate unhealthy habits and foods—caffeine, nicotine, white flour, fast and processed foods, sugar, dairy—from your life 7-10 days before you begin the juice fast. Add in lots of beans, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes.
• When juicing, try to choose only organic fruits and vegetables to avoid agricultural chemicals like pesticides, insecticides, and fertilizers that can harm your body.

Just remember: if you’re pregnant or nursing, or if you are a diabetic, a juice fast is not recommended. Other cleansing methods such as diet-specific detoxes would be more suitable for you. Before beginning a fruit detox diet, consult with your doctor first, especially if you are on any medications or have any medical problems.