You decide to start a juice cleanse. It’s going well until those intense cravings strike. Food is all you can think about. You begin to daydream of all the foods you can’t have. You give in... and suddenly, you are hit with deep regret.
If this is you, you are not alone. We asked our customers their biggest concern when it comes to cleansing. Their response: hunger.
Taking a break from solid foods is intimidating. And it’s the very reason why so many people never take the leap to try a cleanse or end up throwing in the towel early.
It’s time to pivot your thinking when it comes to cleanses. You don’t have to go hungry and you actually can eat while you cleanse...within reason.
Whether your goal is weight loss, upping your protein intake, or a detox, get results without dated dieting advice.
Nourish Your Body While You Cleanse
Debunking The Starvation Myth
I have been a holistic nutritionist for over 20 years. As a part of my education, I tried every cleanse and detox diet under the sun. And do you know which diets have the lowest success rates every single time? Diets that promote starvation.
One side effect of a super restrictive diet is a poor relationship with food. These diets are often unsustainable and only work short term. A juice cleanse is meant to kickstart healthy eating habits for the long haul, not promote unhealthy ones.
Eating on a cleanse has nothing to do with a lack of discipline. If you get hungry while trying a juice fast, it is because you’re human. Your body was literally designed to thrive on carbohydrates and calories—two things people heavily restrict in diet culture. You need them to feel full, fueled, and energized.
There is no “one size fits all” approach to a juice cleanse. Listening to your body is key here. Some people may not be hungry while cleansing, while others are. Either way, cleansing is not an opportunity to deprive or starve yourself. Read that again...Cleansing is not an opportunity to deprive or starve yourself.
Especially when there are so many foods that you can eat on your cleanse. And no...they won’t sabotage your weight loss or detox results.
Cleanse Cuisine: Nourish to Flourish
Trying a cleanse can be a challenge. Make your experience more enjoyable by adding in some extra calories and nutrients from cleanse-safe foods.
Fill your plate with simple, vibrant foods. Cleanse-safe foods consist of generous servings of raw fruits and vegetables.
Eat these foods as you become hungry—no need to restrict or deprive yourself here.
*Nutritionist Tip- If you’re working out while cleansing, you should be eating. Meal plan steamed potatoes as added fuel for your workout.
Simple Cleanse-Safe Meal Ideas
So, what can you eat on a juice cleanse? Here are some easy ideas:
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Easy-to-grab fruits like bananas, apples, & grapes (great if you’re on-the-go)
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Fresh fruit salad of fruits in season
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Raw veggies like carrots, celery, & bell peppers
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Cucumber slices sprinkled with sea salt
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Apple slices sprinkled with cinnamon
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Fresh vegetable salad topped with oil-free, fresh salsa for dressing
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Plain steamed vegetables (season with lemon & spices)
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Plain baked sweet potato
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Plain baked white potato
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Dark leafy green salads (use a lemon wedge as dressing)
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Lots of water & caffeine-free herbal teas
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Coffee with a clean (seed-oil & refined sugar-free) plant or nut milk & honey
Savory-Salsa Recipe
This savory salsa recipe is a fun, cleanse-safe option if you’re feeling something more than cold-pressed fruit or vegetable juices.
Ingredients
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12 Roma tomatoes diced
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2 small onions diced
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1 large jalapeno pepper de-seeded and diced
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1 handful of minced cilantro (optional)
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Juice of 1 lime
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Himalayan salt to taste
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Black pepper to taste
Directions
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Dice and combine all ingredients in a bowl, or to save time, skip the dicing and pulse all ingredients in a food processor.
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Enjoy with some raw vegetables or on top of a salad.
Pre-Cleanse and Post-Cleanse Advice
If you want to maximize your cleansing results, what you do before and after you cleanse can make all the difference. For the best cleansing results, follow this advice:
Before You Cleanse - Three days before you cleanse (or more), remove dairy, meat, and grains from your diet altogether. Try your best to follow a plant-based diet for the time being. This will help you transition into your juice cleanse with ease.
After you cleanse - There’s a lot more freedom post-cleanse. Incorporate a balanced diet full of whole foods. Eat as much raw fruit and vegetables as you want to. Healthy, gluten-free whole grains, like quinoa, are fair game—don’t be afraid to eat those healthy carbs.
This is when you can add animal products, like organic or pastured meats, to your diet. Raw nuts, seeds, nut butter, extra virgin olive oil, dried fruits, beans, and legumes should also be part of a post-cleanse healthy diet.
It’s important to keep drinking cold-pressed juices, even after you cleanse, as part of your daily regimen. Remember, juicing is not a quick fix but a pathway toward a healthy lifestyle.
Avoid the following - Avoid refined sugars and carbs, like bread, cakes, and cookies. These processed foods are riddled with junk and can actually cause weight gain and spikes in blood sugar.
Steer clear of enriched flours, gums, artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup, and added colors.
Experience the Health Benefits of a Juice Cleanse
Don’t let the fear of hunger hold you back from experiencing the many benefits that cleansing has to offer.
When you try a cleanse, not only can you lose weight, but flooding your system with fresh juice means you’ll be on the path toward a healthier you. Here’s why: cleanses can improve gut health and have detoxifying properties.
Gut Health
Gut health When you cleanse, you give your digestive system a break from hard-to-digest foods found in our heavily processed diets. Processed foods are full of refined added sugars, preservatives, hydrogenated oils, gums, and other not-so-good-for-you ingredients that can hinder your health goals, even in small amounts.
Juicing can improve overall gut health because fruits and vegetables are filled with nutrients that promote a healthy gut. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and enzymes that promote your overall health and well-being. And when juiced, you flood your system with concentrated forms of those benefits.
Detox
Another perk of cleansing is gentle detoxification. This happens through hydration, enzymes, and antioxidants.
When you are cleansing, you are drinking more fluids than you normally would. Being properly hydrated allows you to expel toxins through your urine. If you’re drinking water and juices, your frequency will increase naturally.
Enzymes found in fruits and vegetables that may naturally support digestion and help the body break down and absorb nutrients more efficiently [1].
Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, which can help neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals molecules can damage cells and contribute to aging and various diseases [2].
Embrace Wellness
As a nutritionist, I have watched trendy detox diets fail clients over and over again.
Instead of working against your hunger, I advise all customers at Raw Generation to feed their hunger pangs with cleanse-safe meals.
Forget unrealistic diets. Embrace nourishment. And get the results you want when you try any of our cleanses.
Now that we’ve debunked the hunger-strike myth, find a cleanse that suits your needs. We offer anywhere from 3-day juice cleanses to 10-day juice cleanses, and there is something for every wellness goal:
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The Skinny Cleanse® is excellent if you want to lose weight fast. It’s our #1 best seller for quick and effective weight loss.
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The Protein Cleanse is optimal if you work out. Crush your workouts while cleansing. Get in 42g of protein without the use of synthetic protein powders.
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The Lower Sugar*Detox Cleanse is excellent for detoxing and promoting gut health. It is made with yacon syrup, a naturally sweet root vegetable from South America, and a probiotic.
Find a Cleanse That’s Right for You Today
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