Juice Diet: A Review ★★☆☆☆

By R.Davies, PhD・Diet Atlas
Published June 08, 2026 | 3 min read

The juice diet, also known as a juice cleanse or juice fast, means consuming mainly (or exclusively) fruit and vegetable juices. Juice diets typically range from just a day to weeks at a time. During the diet, solid foods are replaced with freshly extracted juices or pre-prepared store-bought ones. They are often marketed as a way to ‘detoxify’ the body, promote quick weight loss, or ‘reset’ your eating habits.

The diet is based on providing concentrated sources of micronutrients, antioxidants, and other nutrients, while giving the digestive system a ‘rest’ from processing solid foods. Proponents of the diet claim this can help eliminate toxins, boost energy, improve skin appearance and promote weight loss. However, despite the claims, the human body already has sophisticated ‘detoxification’ built into it (i.e., liver, kidneys, lymphatic and immune systems).

Juice diets typically emphasise nutrient-rich combinations of fruits and vegetables. However, during the juice extraction process, most of the dietary fibre is removed, leaving behind a nutritious but fibre-less liquid. Common ingredients include leafy greens (kale, spinach, celery), cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage), fruits (apples, berries, citrus), and roots (carrots, beets, ginger).

Pros

Evidence supporting health benefits from juice diets is limited. Some short-term juice diets may produce temporary improvements in some health markers (e.g., gut microbiome, nitric oxide levels, and oxidative stress). However, there’s little quality evidence supporting any long-term health benefits.

Moderate consumption of 100% fruit juice (around 150-200 mL a day), as part of a balanced diet (i.e., not just a juice diet), does improve nutrition and has some (cardiovascular) health benefits. Fruit and vegetable juices do provide concentrated amounts of some specific micronutrients (e.g., vitamin C, folate, potassium, and various antioxidants). 

For people with poor baseline fruit and vegetable intake, juices may increase exposure to some beneficial plant compounds; however, this is really ‘juice supplementation’ rather than ‘juice diets’.

Cons

While providing certain vitamins and minerals, these diets lack essential macronutrients, including adequate protein, healthy fats, and, critically, dietary fibre. The juicing process removes nearly all fibre content from fruits and vegetables. Relying solely on juice results in poor nutritional balance and increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies.

Short-term weight loss, when achieved, typically results from calorie restriction and is rarely sustained after returning to normal eating (typical yoyo dieting). Excessive juice consumption is also linked to tooth decay, diarrhoea, poor blood sugar control, and increased risk of obesity.

Practical adherence to the diet (long-term) is usually poor due to limited food variety, high costs, hunger, and social barriers. Most people cannot sustain juice-only diets beyond a few days, and the restrictive nature makes them incompatible with normal social eating behaviour.

Commercial juice cleanses (the ones you buy or subscribe to) are expensive and inaccessible to many people. Safety concerns also include gastrointestinal issues, electrolyte imbalances, blood sugar fluctuations, and interactions with some medications. 

Prolonged juice fasts may cause fatigue, headaches, dizziness, and muscle loss. The diet is not appropriate for quite a few groups of people (e.g., children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, individuals with diabetes, or those with a history of eating disorders).

Bottom Line

A glass of 100% fruit or vegetable juice, as part of a varied whole food diet, is fine and may be good for your health. But, juice-only diets lack evidence for any health benefits beyond temporary weight loss and offer no advantages over consuming whole fruits and vegetables. 

In addition, they carry notable nutritional risks, are not sustainable, and offer few proven benefits beyond short-term outcomes from calorie restriction (which are only applicable for some people).

Sources

Beckett EL et al. Health effects of drinking 100% juice: an umbrella review of systematic reviews with meta-analyses. Nutr Rev. 2025 Feb 1;83(2):e722-e735. PMID: 38679915

Dennison BA. Fruit juice consumption by infants and children: a review. J Am Coll Nutr. 1996 Oct;15(5 Suppl):4S-11S. PMID:8892177

Henning SM et al. Health benefit of vegetable/fruit juice-based diet: Role of microbiome. Sci Rep. 2017 May 19;7(1):2167. PMID:28526852

Klein AV, Kiat H. Detox diets for toxin elimination and weight management: a critical review of the evidence. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2015 Dec;28(6):675-86. PMID: 25522674

Nguyen M et al. Consumption of 100% Fruit Juice and Body Weight in Children and Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. JAMA Pediatr. 2024 Mar 1;178(3):237-246. PMID: 38227336

Obert J et al. Popular Weight Loss Strategies: a Review of Four Weight Loss Techniques. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2017 Nov 9;19(12):61. PMID: 29124370

Sardaro MLS et al. Effects of Vegetable and Fruit Juicing on Gut and Oral Microbiome Composition. Nutrients. 2025 Jan 27;17(3):458. PMID: 39940316

Further Reading

Vegan Diet: A Review

Paleo Diet: A Review

Mediterranean Diet: A Review

Published: June 08, 2026

Lead Author: R.Davies, PhD, MRes, BSc, CPT, FHEA | Author Bio
Dr Davies is a physiologist specialising in human health, performance and nutrition.

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