WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Warning about juice cleansing

January 10, 2012

Chad Kawalac wanted to lose weight and feel better. So he gave up cooked food for 10 days; blending raw, organic fruits and vegetables like kale, cucumber and pear for his meals.

"To me it felt very intuitive. What's it gonna hurt? Ten days of eating fruit and vegetables is certainly not going to be any worse than 10 days of fat ice cream," he said.

Kawalac felt groggy and tired when he started fasting, but he lost several pounds and on day seven he felt energized.

"Today I feel absolutely incredible. I really, really do," he said.

Doctors like Alejandro Junger, the founder of the Clean Program, recognize the nutritional benefits of a well-planned juice fast or cleanse. They say a liquid-only diet can give the digestive system a much-needed rest, and restore energy.

"Modern life has people eating 24/7 and therefore digesting 24/7. Digestion is a process of the body that takes a lot of energy," Junger said.

But many doctors say just consuming juice isn't enough because our bodies need to break down solid food.

Cardiologist Furquan Tejani of Downstate Long Island College Hospital warns juicing can throw off our digestion and how we get our nutrients, electrolytes and sugar.

"They may be filled with nutrition but a lot of this nutrition is being absorbed in the wrong place," Tejani said.

But Kawalac says juicing gave him a fresh start.

"I just feel so much better," he said.

And he vows to make it a regular part of a balanced diet.

Experts say you should speak to your doctor before starting any juice fast or cleanse.