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Diet Safety: The 2-day Citrus Diet

By Megan Roth

“Citrus fruits have many health benefits, especially for weight loss.” They’re known to help burn fat and suppress appetite – perhaps that’s why many choose to use them as a diet aid.

Heck, some even choose to consume only citrus fruits as a sort of crash diet, so called ‘The Two-Day Citrus Diet” – which is exactly what it sounds to be: when on the cleansing diet, practitioners consume only citrus fruits and juices.

There are benefits to such a diet; for example, those on it are certain to get their daily intake of Vitamin C. In addition, they’re consuming high-fiber foods, which is an essential part of any weight-loss plan.

Yet, despite the obvious attributes to such a diet, it may also have negative effects.

Citrus fruits are highly acidic which generally doesn’t raise any issues in terms of health effects; however, the fact that acidic foods generally don’t do any damage when consumed in moderate amounts doesn’t mean they won’t have adverse effects when they are the only things being consumed. Because they do.

Take your teeth, for example. They take a direct hit as they come in direct contact with each and every food and drink you consume. Thus, frequent exposure often leads to the breakdown of enamel and can cause problems with cavities and tooth decay.

And that’s just how the acid affects your teeth. Don’t think it doesn’t go on to damage the rest of your body. Over-consumption of acidic foods can lead to acid reflux (the association is clear) and excessive mucus which is caused by the breaking down of your digestive linings; thus, limiting your body’s ability to ward against certain bacteria and making you more susceptible to certain illnesses and diseases.

Oh, and did I mention the effects over-consumption of acidic foods can have on your gallbladder and liver? Probably worth noting the fact that (slowly but surely) it causes them to deteriorate.

In addition, many users may experience literal ‘hunger-pains’ – though citrus fruits are natural appetite suppressants, many deal with headaches, muscle cramping, increased irritability and feelings of weakness when two-day-citrus-dieting. Makes sense, considering their caloric intake drastically decreases and they’re consuming essentially 0 percent of the RDA for protein and certain other nutrients.

And while your Vitamin C intake will be in great excessive of the RDA, it doesn’t mean your body is able to process all of it. Consuming 3000% of the RDA for Vitamin C everyday is essentially pointless considering that, past a certain point, it will just pass through your body without being absorbed (especially since your body doesn’t isn’t getting many of the other nutrients needed to aid absorption).

Diabetics should be especially leery; though citrus fruits contain natural sugars, it’s sugar none-the-less. Consuming mass amounts can have an adverse effect on glucose and other blood levels and can severely damage those who have blood conditions to start with.

And finally, an adverse effect the 2-day Citrus Diet shares with all other crash weight-loss plans: as soon as you go back to your normal lifestyle, the pounds will pack right back on.

As always, be leery – and be smart. While a crash diet may have you looking fab for the party next weekend, it’s long-term effects really aren’t worth the risk.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Megan Roth

Full post as published by Des Moines Personal Injury Lawyer on January 21, 2009 (boomark / email).