A nutrition expert has issued a health warning about a beverage said to help detox and cleanse the body. Taking to his YouTube channel, which has 13 million subscribers, Dr Eric Berg, DC explained how the ‘healthy’ drink could actually be doing more harm than good.
Dr Berg is a healthy keto and intermittent fasting specialist and is the founder of Dr Berg Nutritionals. He is also the author of several well-being books, including Get Healthy First and The Seven Principles of Fat Burning.
In a video titled: “Viral Health Tips You Need to STOP Now”, the doctor helped viewers distinguish between “actual health hacks and fake health trends”. One drink he says isn’t as good for your body as some might claim is ‘The Master Cleanse’.
This is where you combine lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and maple syrup, which he warns: “Won’t cleanse your body but will mess with your blood sugar.” Lemon juice has many health benefits, including keeping you hydrated, helping with digestion, boosting the immune system, and lowering blood pressure.
It can also keep blood sugar in check as it has a low glycemic index (GI) and is rich in soluble fibre, which slows down digestion and reduces glucose spikes. The vitamin C in lemons may help lower fasting blood sugar levels and prevent or manage type 2 diabetes. Citric acid in lemons decreases the conversion of starch to sugar, which is known to reduce blood sugar spikes.
Meanwhile, cayenne pepper contains a blood sugar-lowering compound called capsaicin. It activates certain receptors in the body to stimulate insulin secretion and can help regulate glucose metabolism.
Maple syrup, the third ingredient, serves as a natural sweetener and is a popular choice for those looking to steer clear of refined sugar. It boasts a much lower glycemic index compared to refined sugar, white sugar, corn syrup, and brown rice syrup.
Why can the drink do more harm than good?
But it should be used carefully as Dr Berg warns it could actually ‘mess up your blood sugar’. In his video, the health expert said: “The master cleanse combines lemon juice, cayenne pepper and maple syrup – and yes, I did this long ago, having this idea that I’m going to cleanse and purge all these toxins in my liver.
“But that’s not the best way to cleanse. It’s a great way to create a lot of blood sugar issues. If you’re doing this cleanse for three days, like I did – I ate nothing and drank nothing but a gallon of this mixture every single day – the sugar in the maple syrup kept me from converting into ketosis.”
He also said the drink kept him in a sugar-burning mode, where his blood sugars were “up and down”. He added: “I was craving sugar throughout the day for three days.”
What are the best ways to reduce high blood sugar?
Explaining what to do instead, he said: “A much better way to do a cleanse would be to just eat healthy foods, especially cruciferous foods to provide the enzymes for the liver to slowly detoxify chemicals throughout the body.” Cruciferous foods include:
- arugula
- bok choy
- broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- collard greens
As recommended by the NHS, the best ways to keep blood sugar at a healthy level are eating a balanced diet, ditching sugary and starchy foods, drinking plenty of water, getting enough quality sleep, quitting smoking, limiting alcohol, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight. Also, take any diabetes medicine you’ve been prescribed, as your doctor or care team advises.
Symptoms of high blood sugar usually come on gradually and may only start when your blood sugar level gets very high. Common signs include: feeling very thirsty, peeing a lot, feeling weak or tired, blurred vision and losing weight.