Disclaimer: None of the information in this article constitutes medical advice, and is just the opinion of the writer(s). We recommend that patients follow their doctor’s guidance in regard to juice cleanses.
Squeezed juice cleanse is a nutritional program that the brand suggests can cause weight loss, boost energy and provide a “deep tissue cleanse and nourishment allowing for healthier hair and skin.”
But are juice cleanses actually healthy, or is this another bogus wellness trend? Do juice cleanses cause weight loss? Does Squeezed use any unhealthy ingredients? And how does Squeezed compare to other popular cleanses like Inno Cleanse?
In this article we'll answer all of these questions and more, as we analyze the ingredients in Squeezed to give our take on whether or not it's healthy, and whether or not it's likely to cause weight loss.
We'll also explain why whole fruits and vegetables may be a healthier choice, discuss whether or not "cleansing" is unscientific, and compare Squeezed to other popular cleanses to pick our winners (and losers).
Key takeaways:
- We consider this "cleanse" to have healthy ingredients
- We do not consider Squeezed likely to cause long-term weight loss
- We do not currently recommend Squeezed Juice Cleanse
Ingredient Analysis
The ingredients in all six drinks in the Squeezed Cleanse are shown below:
image source: https://www.squeezed.com/
The good news is that this cleanse is formulated with entirely whole food ingredients, and is free of unhealthy additives.
Squeezed juices contain a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that the average American consumer may not be exposed to regularly.
Jicama, for example, is a root vegetable native to Mexico that’s been found in medical research to have potential benefits to weight and blood sugar.
Beet is included in several of the juices, and this vegetable was shown to reduce blood pressure and to reduce mortality rate for certain diseases in a medical review published in the Biomolecules journal.
Different plant compounds have unique phytonutrients and health benefits. Consuming a wide variety of fruits and vegetables can help optimize gut health beyond eating the same fruits and vegetables daily.
Overall, we consider the ingredients in Squeezed juice cleanses to be nutritious and healthy, although the plastic bottling is a slight negative.
Can Squeezed Cause Weight Loss?
As shown below, the Squeezed website suggests that their program can cause weight loss:
image source: https://www.squeezed.com/
While any dietary intervention that reduces calorie intake below baseline can cause short-term weight loss, we don’t consider juice diets to be an effective long-term weight loss strategy.
This approach reduces calories significantly below baseline and tend to cause a “rebound” effect where weight is regained.
An extensive medical review published in 2017 reviewed results from clinical trials on four popular weight loss strategies, one of them being juice diets.
The study authors found that juicing diets can be effective short-term because they restrict calories so significantly, but that they “tend to lead to weight gain once a normal diet is resumed.”
Our takeaway is that any diet, including fasting, that restricts calories below maintenance level will cause weight loss short-term.
This is not unique to “juice cleansing.”
However, we don't believe this is sustainable long-term nor does Squeezed publish any clinical evidence suggesting or proving their program is an effective long-term weight loss strategy.
Juicing vs. Whole Fruits & Veg
While we consider any juice derived entirely from fruits or vegetables to be healthy, we consider eating whole fruits or vegetables to be a healthier option than juicing.
Whole produce contains dietary fiber which blunts the blood sugar response to fruit intake and provides ancillary benefits to gut health.
As we documented in our recent review of Naked Juice, there is medical evidence that eating whole fruits has anti-obesity effects while drinking fruit juice does not.
There is also medical proof that whole fruit consumption can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while this effect may not occur with fruit juice consumption.
Eating whole fruits and veggies is generally a more cost-effective option as well.
Squeezed cleanses cost $39.99 for one day at the time of updating this article.
A consumer could easily purchase 5-10 servings of whole fruit for less than that price.
Is “Cleansing” Unscientific?
“Cleansing” is a term that is poorly defined in health circles, and we consider it to be generally unscientific.
The liver and kidneys detoxify and cleanse the blood efficiently, and we haven’t come across any medical evidence that drinking juices purifies the blood or body in any way beyond what the body already naturally does.
We will credit Squeezed for avoiding any health claims about “detoxification” on their site, but we would prefer if the brand just sold their juices without branding their products as “cleanses” because this suggests a health claim that is ill-defined.
A TedTalk with over 3.5 million views features a doctor explaining why cleanses aren't effective for "detoxing" the body:
Squeezed vs. Popular Cleanses
Here's how Squeezed juice cleanse compares to other popular cleanses in terms of potential efficacy and healthiness, in our opinion:
Inno Cleanse
This dietary supplement contains a bark powder which is clinically shown to cause liver injury.
Squeezed is the safer option.
Winner: Squeezed Juice Cleanse
Dr. Ming Tea
Dr Ming Tea is a popular "detox" tea brand.
As we documented in the above-linked article, this brand contains at least one active ingredient which is clinically shown to cause liver injury in some cases.
We consider Squeezed to be the safer and healthier choice.
Winner: Squeezed Juice Cleanse
Duck Flower Detox
This tea contains compounds which are risky to human health.
There are self-reported cases of serious injury.
Winner: Squeezed Juice Cleanse
Squeezed Juice Cleanse Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Whole food ingredients
- No unhealthy additives
- Nutrient-rich
- Better ingredients than most cleanses
- Healthier than some competitors
Cons:
- Unlikely to cause long-term weight loss
- Expensive
- Packaged in plastic
- Cleansing may not detox the body
