I Tried a 21 Day Juice Cleanse: What Happened and What I Learned

Years ago, I decided to challenge myself to something I had never done before: 21 days of drinking fresh juice instead of eating my normal meals.

And yes, I actually made it all 21 days.

At the time, I documented my juice cleanse on YouTube because I wanted to share what was happening along the way, not just show a polished before and after at the end. I talked about the hunger, my cravings, how I felt, the changes I noticed and what happened as I got closer to day 21.

Looking back at that experience now is interesting because there are things I would explain differently today.

I can tell you exactly what happened to me. But I also know that something happening while I was juice fasting doesn't necessarily mean the juice fast caused it.

So this isn't an article promising that a 21 day juice cleanse will transform your health. It's my personal experience, what I noticed and what I learned from doing it.

Why I Tried a 21 Day Juice Cleanse

I wanted to see what would happen if I committed to juicing for an extended period of time.

Twenty one days is a long time, and I documented different parts of the journey on YouTube, including my first days, an update around day 10 and my experience at the end.

What surprised me was how much the experience changed from one week to another.

My hunger changed. My cravings changed. My energy changed.

And some things happened that I wasn't expecting at all.

The First Few Days Were the Hardest for Hunger

During the first part of the challenge, I was really hungry.

If you've ever dramatically changed the way you eat, you probably know how much your mind suddenly starts thinking about food.

And during those first five days, I wasn't dreaming about vegetables.

I was craving junk food.

But then something interesting happened.

As I continued the cleanse, those cravings began to change. During approximately the next five days, instead of craving junk food, I started craving salads.

I found that fascinating.

I wasn't intentionally telling myself that I should want healthier food. It was simply what I started wanting.

By the time I got farther into the cleanse, my cravings became much less noticeable.

What Changed After Day 10

Starting on day 11, I decided to add a fiber supplement to my morning routine.

One of the major differences between juice and a smoothie is that when you use a juicer, much of the fiber containing pulp is separated from the liquid. At the time, I was thinking a lot about the lack of fiber in what I was consuming, so I started mixing a packet of fiber powder into my morning water.

Back then, I described the fiber as helping to “clean” my digestive system.

Today, I wouldn't explain it quite that way. Fiber is important for digestive health and regularity, but it isn't literally scrubbing or detoxing your intestines.

I also felt that I lost more weight during the second part of the challenge after adding the fiber.

Could the fiber have been responsible?

I don't know.

I was already consuming a very restrictive juice only diet, so I can't separate the effect of the supplement from everything else that was happening.

My Hunger Eventually Became Much Easier to Manage

One of the biggest differences between the beginning and the middle of my juice fast was hunger.

During part of the first 10 days, I was very hungry.

During most of the next 11 days, I still experienced some hunger, but it was much milder.

Then, surprisingly, it started getting harder again near the end.

Around days 20 and 21, I became noticeably hungrier. I found myself drinking more juice and more water because I was trying to feel satisfied.

After almost three weeks, I was definitely ready to eat again.

Day 21 Wasn't My Best Day

You might expect the last day of a 21 day challenge to be the day when you feel amazing.

That wasn't my experience.

On day 21, I had a slight headache and felt unusually tired. I actually needed to take a nap.

I think that's important to include because before and after stories can make an experience look much easier and more glamorous than it actually was.

Juice contains nutrients from fruits and vegetables, but a juice only diet doesn't provide the same nutritional balance as eating a varied diet that includes whole foods and adequate amounts of protein, fat and fiber.

Twenty one days was a significant challenge for my body.

My 21 Day Juice Cleanse Results

There were several things I noticed during the challenge.

Some were expected, while others surprised me.

I want to be careful with the word results, though.

These are things that happened to me during those 21 days. That doesn't prove that juice fasting caused every one of them, and it certainly doesn't mean another person would have the same experience.

I Lost Weight

Yes, I lost weight during my 21 day juice cleanse.

As the challenge progressed, I could see a noticeable difference.

But weight loss during a very restrictive diet isn't particularly surprising. If you're consuming significantly less energy than your body normally uses, your weight can decrease.

That doesn't make a juice cleanse a good long term weight management plan.

There is a big difference between losing weight during a fast and finding an eating pattern you can comfortably and healthfully maintain for years.

For me, the weight change was part of the experience, but it isn't the main reason I still find the challenge interesting.

My Food Cravings Changed

This may actually be one of the things I remember most.

At first:

Junk food.

Then:

Salads.

And eventually, very few strong cravings at all.

By the end of the challenge, I remember thinking about what I was going to eat after I finished and realizing that there wasn't anything I desperately wanted.

After spending so much of the beginning thinking about food, that was surprising.

I can't say that everyone who drinks juice for a certain number of days will experience the same thing. But it made me much more aware of how my own cravings can change.

Something Unexpected Happened With My Finger

This was probably the strangest thing I noticed.

For about two years before the challenge, I had periodically experienced numbness in my ring finger.

It would sometimes become numb while I was using my hands. I had tried massaging it, but that didn't seem to make much difference.

Then, around day 12 of my juice fast, I realized the numbness wasn't happening anymore.

Even when I did things with my hands, including sewing, my finger felt fine.

At the time, I naturally connected the change with what I was doing because it happened during the juice cleanse.

Looking at it now, however, I can't say that the juice fast fixed my finger.

Numbness can have many different causes, and two things happening at the same time doesn't prove that one caused the other.

But it was absolutely something I noticed during my challenge, and it was significant enough that I talked about it in my original video.

My Nails Didn't Chip or Break

Another little thing I noticed involved my nails.

Before the challenge, my nails would sometimes chip or break.

During those 21 days, I noticed that not one nail chipped or broke.

Again, I can't tell you that drinking juice caused this. Nail strength can be affected by many different things, and 21 days is a relatively short period of time.

But because I was paying such close attention to my body during the challenge, it stood out to me.

I Didn't Get Sick During the Challenge

There were times when I felt like I might be getting a cold, but I never actually became sick during those 21 days.

In my original video, I interpreted this as my immune system getting stronger.

Today, I wouldn't make that claim.

What I know is simply this:

I didn't get sick during my 21 day juice cleanse.

That doesn't prove the juice prevented an illness or strengthened my immune system.

I think it's important to be able to share something positive that happened without turning every observation into a health claim.

And Then Someone Complimented My Skin

This is still one of my favorite parts of the story.

On day 21, I went grocery shopping.

A woman came up to me and told me that I had such a beautiful complexion.

She had no idea that I was finishing a 21 day juice challenge.

After everything I had just gone through, that compliment felt especially good.

Was my complexion better because I had been juicing?

Maybe something about my routine contributed to how my skin looked, but I can't know that from one person's compliment. Skin appearance is influenced by hydration, skincare, nutrition, sleep, genetics, sun exposure and many other factors.

Still, the timing made me smile.

I had made it through 21 days, and on the final day a complete stranger noticed my skin.

I'll take the compliment.

Did the Juice Cleanse Detox My Body?

When I originally did this challenge, I thought about juice fasting differently than I do today.

Words like cleanse and detox were a normal part of how I described the experience.

Today, I'm much more careful with those words.

Our bodies already have organs and systems that continuously process and eliminate substances we don't need. There isn't good evidence that drinking only juice creates a special process that suddenly “flushes toxins” out of the body.

That doesn't mean I didn't notice changes.

Clearly, I did.

But noticing that my cravings changed, my weight dropped or my finger stopped becoming numb doesn't prove that toxins were leaving my body.

I think we can enjoy juicing without needing to make claims that go beyond what we actually know.

Juicing and Juice Fasting Are Two Very Different Things

This is probably the most important distinction I would make today.

I still like juicing.

But having a glass of freshly made juice as part of your normal diet is completely different from consuming only juice for 21 days.

You can make a simple cucumber, celery, apple and lemon juice in the morning and still eat normal meals.

You can enjoy carrot juice.

You can add greens.

You can experiment with ginger, citrus and different vegetables.

You don't have to stop eating food to enjoy fresh juice.

If you're new to it, my Juicing for Beginners: How to Start, What to Juice and Easy Recipes to Try article is a much better place to begin than attempting a 21 day fast.

Is Juice Better Than a Smoothie?

Not necessarily. They're simply different.

With traditional juicing, much of the fiber containing pulp is removed.

With a smoothie, you're generally blending the whole edible fruit or vegetable, so more of that fiber remains in your drink.

That doesn't automatically make juice “bad” or smoothies “good.” It means they serve different purposes and have different nutritional characteristics.

I'm going deeper into this in my next article, Juicing vs. Smoothies: What's the Difference and Which Is Better?

Would I Recommend a 21 Day Juice Cleanse Today?

When I finished my challenge, I was excited.

Really excited.

In my original video, I encouraged everyone to try the challenge and see what it could do for them.

Today, I would change that advice.

I would not tell everyone to do a 21 day juice fast.

Twenty one days without normal meals is a significant dietary restriction. Depending on what you're drinking, a juice only diet can be inadequate in protein, fiber, fat, calories and other nutrients your body needs.

It may also carry additional risks for people with certain health conditions or nutritional needs.

So while I'm happy to share what happened to me, I don't think my personal experience should become someone else's medical or nutritional advice.

If someone is considering an extended juice fast, especially one lasting anywhere close to 21 days, I think that's something to discuss with a qualified healthcare professional who understands their individual health situation.

Would I Do It Again?

This is where looking back becomes interesting.

I don't regret doing the challenge.

It taught me a lot about myself.

I learned that my cravings could change dramatically. I learned that hunger wasn't constant. I became much more aware of what I was consuming and how my body felt.

I also proved to myself that I could finish something that was very difficult.

But I don't think I need another 21 day juice fast to enjoy the things I like about juicing.

Today, I'm much more interested in simple habits that can actually fit into everyday life.

Making fresh juice can be one of those habits.

Going without normal food for three weeks doesn't have to be.

What I Learned From My Juice Fast

Looking back, I think it's possible to talk about an experience like this without making it either miraculous or meaningless.

I lost weight.

My cravings changed.

My nails didn't chip or break.

The numbness I had been experiencing in my finger disappeared during the challenge.

I didn't get sick.

Someone complimented my complexion.

And on the last day, I was hungry, tired, had a headache and needed a nap.

All of those things can be true at the same time.

What I can't tell you is that drinking juice for 21 days caused every positive thing I noticed.

And that's probably the biggest difference between how I talked about the challenge then and how I would talk about it today.

I'm still glad I documented it because now I can look back at exactly what happened rather than trying to remember how I felt years later.

And I still enjoy fresh juice.

I just don't believe you have to take everything to the extreme to do something good for yourself.

Sometimes a glass of fresh juice can simply be a glass of fresh juice.

And that's enough.

Watch My 21 Day Juice Cleanse Experience

In the video, you can see me talking about the experience immediately after completing the challenge, including the changes I noticed between days 11 and 21.

Continue Reading

Next, read Juicing for Beginners: How to Start, What to Juice and Easy Recipes to Try if you'd like to start making fresh juice at home without doing a juice fast.

Then read Juicing vs. Smoothies: What's the Difference and Which Is Better? to understand one of the biggest differences between the two: what happens to the fiber.

This article shares my personal experience and is provided for general educational purposes only. It isn't medical or nutritional advice. Extended fasting and highly restrictive diets may not be appropriate for everyone. Talk with a qualified healthcare professional before making a significant dietary change, particularly if you have a medical condition, take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a history of disordered eating.