What Is a Cleansing Diet & How Does It Work?

Toxins

A cleansing diet attempts to rid the body of its toxins. Many cleansing diets are liquid diets that disallow any solid food to be eaten during the dieting period. Liquids are drunk in high quantities to keep the toxins moving through the body. Many cleansing diets also seek to rid the colon of any waste material that has built up in the intestines---waste material that keeps toxins from leaving the body. The lack of solid foods keeps more waste from accumulating in the colon, while the liquid is drunk to wash away the waste and toxins.

Fiber

Some cleansing diets have high-fiber components, such as only eating high-fiber foods or taking fiber supplements during the cleansing period. Other cleansing diets include a high-fiber drink made with psyllium, which may be a ready-made high-fiber drink or one that is prepared by mixing a high-fiber product like Metamucil with water. The fiber is used to help to rid the colon of its waste material and to keep liquids moving quickly through the body.

Master Cleanse

The master-cleanse diet is one of the best-known of the cleansing diets. This diet allows no solid food for a minimum of 10 days. The dieter is required to consume large quantities of a lemonade drink that contains cayenne pepper, as well as lemons and salt. The master-cleanse diet often calls for a fiber supplement, because the lemon drink has no fiber and can cause the dieter to become constipated, rather than helping him expel extra waste materials.