Your Guide to Popular Juice Cleanses

Detoxes and extreme diets like the Master Cleanse can be controversial, but advocates say juice cleanses made from raw fruits and veggies are safe as long as you check in with your doctor first and keep it to three days at a time.

“Many people turn to cleanses because they feel off—they’re bloated and sluggish, dependent on caffeine and junk food cravings, breaking out,” says Stephanie Middleberg, a New York City-based registered dietitian. “When you eliminate toxins from your system, your entire body feels better and reacts both internally and externally.”

Glenn Braunstein, MD, professor and chairman, department of medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, and other experts say our bodies have built-in detoxifiers and don’t require “cleansing.” Most also warn that no one should expect lasting weight loss.

But detoxes may shift you away from bad habits (like too much coffee, alcohol, and fatty foods) and help foster healthier habits after you're done, says Cathy Wong, naturopathic doctor and an American College of Nutrition–certified nutrition specialist.

Your move: Try your own

home-grown cleanse using juices and smoothies. Or spend more for the convenience of some of the country’s most popular brands.

• BluePrint bottles 100% USDA certified organic juices using a high-pressure, heatless procedure that extends freshness for up to 13 days in a fridge.
• Plans: One, two, or three days, six juices per day, starting at $65
• Celeb sippers: Blake Lively, Ashley Greene, Olivia Wilde, Bethenny Frankel, Ginnifer Goodwin, Sarah Jessica Parker
• “When juicing, you lose out on some of the fiber content found in whole fruits and vegetables,” Middleberg says. “But a benefit of juicing is that it gives your digestion system a break from working so hard to process a large meal.”

RELATED: 5 Things You Should Know About Detox Teas

• Cooler Cleanse juices are bottled using a hydraulic press, a machine that squashes an entire fruit or vegetable into a pulp.
• Plans: One, three, and five days, six juices per day, starting at $58
• Celeb sippers: Salma Hayek (cofounder alert!), Demi Moore, Sharon Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio, Rachel Zoe, Oprah Winfrey

• Thanks to a cold-press process called the Norwalk method (it kills fewer nutrients than traditional, heat-based ways to extract juice), Liquiteria drinks made in New York City may contain three to five times more vitamins, minerals, and enzymes than other brands using a different procedure. Shelf-life is the same, lasting up to three days when refrigerated.
• Plans: One, three, five, and seven days, four to eight juices per day, starting at $33. “Cleansing coaches” can help you choose the plan best for your lifestyle and goals.

Celeb sippers: Alec Baldwin, Daniel Craig, Ryan Gosling, Rachel Weiss, Collin Farrell, Chloe Sevigny, Jake Gyllenhaal

“I’ve heard of the Norwalk method, but I honestly don’t know if it does actually produce a better quality juice,” Middleberg says. “It just sounds like they’re using an extra fancy juicer.”

RELATED: A Cleanse That's Good for You

Nearly 20 pounds of USDA certified organic produce gets cold-pressed into a day's allotment of Project Juice's cleanses.

Plans: One, two, three, four, and five days, six bottles per day, starting at $75 per day.

Ritual Cleanse Celeb Sippers: Kim Kardashian, Sofia Vergara, Camila Alves, Kris Jenner

“I love drinking smoothies before or after hitting the gym. These Shred drinks should be OK, too, as long as they have an adequate amount of protein and carbs to replenish and repair muscles afterward,” Middleberg says.

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