The Master Cleanse detox diet, also known as the Lemonade Diet was created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941 and made popular by Peter Glickman through his book Lose Weight, Have More Energy and Be Happier in 10 Days, which promotes Burroughs' regimen to a modern audience.[1]
The Master Cleanse is said by Stanley Burroughs to eliminate toxins and congestion that have built up in the body.[2] Supporters of the Master Cleanse have credited it with helping them lose weight, increase energy, and even alleviate some chronic diseases.[3]
The Master Cleanse involves eating no solid food and drinking a mixture of fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper, and grade B maple syrup for a minimum of ten days, although it is not uncommon for people to stay on the cleanse for longer periods of time. In addition, to help elimination, cleansers drink a cup of herbal laxative tea each evening and a saltwater drink or another cup of laxative tea each morning.[2][3]
Recently, the cleanse received media attention as a result of being embraced by some celebrities. The singer/actress Beyoncé did it for 10 days and lost 22lbs (9kg) for her role in the 2006 movie Dreamgirls.[1] Howard Stern's cohost Robin Quivers claims to have lost 73lbs using the Master Cleanse.[4]
The Master Cleanser (lemonade diet)
Read about the most powerful and effective cleansing regimen today. Stanley Burroughs created the nutritional formula for this cleanse and it has been tested all around the world since 1940 as the most successful of any cleansing program of its type.
Quoting from Stanley Burrough's booklet:
"At last the basic cause of disease is no longer a mystery. The basic cause is the habits of improper diet, inadequate exercise, negative mental attitudes, and lack of spiritual attunement which combine to produce toxic conditions and malfunction of our bodies. Nothing can compare with its positive approach toward perfection in the cleansing and healing field. Nothing can compare with its rapidity and completeness. It is superior in every way as a reducing and body conditioning diet. As the originator of this superior diet, I humbly and yet proudly offer it to you, confident that you will receive vigorous good health from its use."
Chapter 2 (beginning at page 16) The Lemonade Diet from the booklet "The Master Cleanser" by Stanley Burroughs.
Purpose:
To dissolve and eliminate toxins and congestion that have formed in any part of the body.
To cleanse the kidneys and the digestive system.
To purify the glands and cells throughout the entire body.
To eliminate all unusable waste and hardened material in the joints and muscles.
To relieve pressures and irritation in the nerves, arteries, and blood vessels.
To build a healthy bloodstream.
To keep youth and elasticity regardless of our years.
When To Use It
When sickness has developed - for all acute and chronic conditions.
When the digestive system needs a rest and a cleansing.
When overweight has become a problem.
When better assimilation and building of body tissue is needed.
How long and how often?
Follow the diet for a minimum of 10 days or more - up to 40 days and beyond may be safely followed for extremely serious cases. The diet has all the nutrition needed during this time. Three to four times a year will do wonders for keeping the body in a normal healthy condition. The diet may be undertaken more frequently for serious conditions.
How To Make "The Master Cleanser"
(I have doubled the recipe that is in the booklet.)
4 tbsp lemon (or lime) juice (1 lemon)
4 tbsp genuine maple syrup (the darker the better)
1/5 tsp cayenne pepper (red pepper) or to taste
10 to 12 oz. water (spring or purified) (hot or cold)
Combine the lemon juice, maple syrup, and cayenne pepper in a container.
Add the water and stir.
Use fresh lemons (organic if possible) or limes only, never canned lemon or lime juice nor frozen lemonade or frozen juice. The maple syrup is a balanced form of positive and negative sugar must be used, not some "substitute." There are three grades of maple syrup. Grade A is the first run - mild in taste, sweet and with less minerals that the other grades. It is more expensive and less desirable but it may be used. Grade B is the second run with more minerals plus more maple taste. It is more suitable for the diet and is less expensive. Grade C is the third run with even more minerals and still stronger taste of maple and slightly less pleasant for most people, although acceptable in the diet. It is lower in price. As Grade C is less expensive it can be used as an excellent sweetening agent in preparing foods. The strong maple flavour blends very well.
The Maple Syrup 
The maple syrup has a large variety of minerals and vitamins. Naturally the mineral and vitamin content will vary according to the area where the trees grow and the mineral content in the soil. These are the minerals found in average samples of syrup from Vermont: sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, phosphorus, sulphhur, chlorine and silicon. Vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, and C, nicotinic acid and pantothenic acid are also present in the syrup. Information on the need and effect of these properties will be found in the Biochemistry in the back of the book, "Healing for the Age of Enlightenment."
Some uninformed operators of the sugaring of the maple syrup do use formaldehyde pellets, run through polyethylene tubing but there are many more that don't. Search out and demand the kind not using formaldehyde.
Dozens of letters weekly, from around the world highly praise the many superior benefits of the lemonade diet: Thus, we must conclude that since it does so much for so many it is truly The Master Cleanser. The following is a quote from one of the letters: "I tried the lemonade diet with exceptionally beneficial results."
The Lemon 
The lemon is a loosening and cleansing agent with many important building factors. The ability of the elements in the lemon and in the maple syrup working together creates these desired results.
Its 49% potassium strengthens and energizes the heart, stimulates and builds the kidneys and adrenal glands.
Its oxygen builds vitality.
Its carbon acts as a motor stimulant.
Its hydrogen activates the sensory nervous system.
Its calcium strengthens and builds the lungs.
Its phosphorus knits the bones, stimulates and builds the brain for clearer thinking.
Its sodium encourages tissue building.
Its magnesium acts as a blood alkalizer.
Its iron builds the red corpuscles to rapidly correct the most common forms of anemia.
Its chlorine cleanses the blood plasma.
Its silicon aids the thyroid for deeper breathing.
The natural iron, copper, calcium, carbon, and hydrogen found in the sweetening supplies more building and cleansing material. It truly is a perfect combination for cleansing, eliminating, healing, and building. Hence, supplements are not needed during the diet and may actually interfere with its cleansing action.
Blend a part of the lemon skin and pulp with the lemonade in a blender for further cleansing and laxative effect. (Note: commercially grown lemons may have had their skins dyed with yellow colouring and may have been subjected to poisonous insect sprays - be sure to peel off the outer skin if you cannot get uncoloured, organically grown lemons.) The properties in the lemon skin also act as a hemostatic to prevent excess bleeding and to prevent clotting internally should there be any such prevailing condition. (Don't worry - normal conditions will occur during the menstrual periods.)
The Cayenne Pepper
Adding cayenne pepper is necessary as it breaks up mucus and increases warmth by building the blood for an additional lift. It also adds many of the B and C vitamins.
Will It Make Me Feel Bad or Weak?
In the cleansing process, some people experience a tremendous stirring up and may even feel worse for several days. It is not the lemonade that causes the trouble, but what the lemonade stirs up in the system that causes our dizziness and other disturbances. Vomiting may occur under certain conditions; increased pain may be felt in the various joints of the body; dizziness may develop on certain days. If weakness develops at any time, it is the result of poisons circulating through the bloodstream rather than a lack of food or vitamins. This diet gives a person all the vitamins, food, and energy necessary for the full ten days or longer in a liquid form. Rest and take it a little easier if you have to - although most people can go about their regular business without difficulty. Keep right on with the diet; don't give up or "cheat" be eating a little food or you may destroy the benefits.
Even though the lemon is an acid fruit, it becomes alkaline as it is digested and assimilated. It is, in fact, our best aid toward proper alkaline balance. There is no danger of "too much acid."
Alcoholics, smokers, and other drug addicts will receive untold benefits from this diet. The chemical changes and the cleansing have a way of removing the craving and the many probable deficiencies. Thus the desire for the unnatural types of stimulants and depressants disappears. The usual cravings experienced and suffered in breaking away from drugs, alcohol, and tobacco no longer present themselves during and after this diet.
It is truly a wonderful feeling to be free from slavery to these many habit-forming and devitalizing elements of modern living. Coffee, tea, and various cola drinks, as habit-forming beverages, also lose their appeal through the marvels of the lemonade diet.
Another Cleansing Aid: Internal Salt Water Bathing
As it is necessary to bathe the outside of our bodies, so it is with the inside. Do not take enemas or colonics at any time during the cleansing diet or afterwards. They are unnecessary and can be extremely harmful.
There is a much superior method of cleansing the colonic tract without the harmful effects of customary colonics and enemas. This method will cleanse the entire digestive tract while the colonics and enemas will only reach the colon or a small part of it. Colonics can be expensive while our salt water method is not.
Directions: Prepare a full quart of luke-warm water and add two level teaspoons of uniodized sea salt. Do NOT use ordinary iodized salt as it will not work properly. Drink the entire quart of salt and water first thing in the morning. This must be taken on an empty stomach. The salt and water will not separate but will stay intact and quickly and thoroughly wash the entire tract in about one hour. Several eliminations will likely occur. The salt water has the same specific gravity as the blood, hence the kidneys cannot pick up the water and the blood cannot pick up the salt. This may be taken as often as needed for proper washing of the entire digestive system. If the salt wash does not work the first time, try adding more or less salt until the proper balance is found; or possibly take extra water without the salt. This often increases the activity. Remember, it can do no harm at any time. The colon needs a good washing, but do it the natural way - the salt water way.
It is quite advisable to take the herb laxative tea at night to loosen, then the salt water each morning to wash it out. If for some reason the salt water cannot be taken in the morning, then the herb laxative tea must be taken night and morning.
How To Break The Lemonade Diet
Coming off the lemonade diet properly is highly important - please follow the directions very carefully. After living in a semi-tropical and tropical climate for many years, I find that people have increasingly turned to a raw fruit, nut, and vegetable diet. Following is the schedule for people who normally follow such a natural vegetarian diet.
FIRST and SECOND day after the 10 day diet:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. The orange juice prepares the digestive system to properly digest and assimilate regular food. Drink it slowly. If there has been any digestive difficulty prior to or during the changeover, extra water may be taken with the orange juice.
THIRD day:
Orange juice in the morning. Raw fruit for lunch. Fruit or raw vegetable salad at night. you are now ready to eat normally.
For those who have characteristically lived the unnatural way of meat, milk, refined and devitalized food, it may be best to change over as follows, gradually adopting the raw fruit, nut and vegetable diet:
FIRST day:
Several 8 oz. glasses of fresh orange juice as desired during the day. Drink it slowly.
SECOND day:
Drink several 8 oz. glasses of orange juice during the day - with extra water, if needed. Some time during the afternoon prepare a homemade vegetable soup (no canned soup) as follows:
RECIPE FOR VEGETABLE SOUP
Use several kinds of vegetables, perhaps one or two kinds of legumes, potatoes, celery, carrots, green vegetable tops, onion, etc. Dehydrated vegetables or vegetable soup powders may be added for extra flavour. Okra or okra powder, 
Have this soup for the evening meal using the broth mostly, although some of the vegetables may be eaten. Rye wafers may be eaten sparingly with the soup, but no bread or crackers.
THIRD day:
Drink orange juice in the morning. At noon have some more soup; enough may be made the night before and put in the refrigerator. For the evening meal eat whatever is desired in the form of vegetables, salads or fruit. No meat, fish, or eggs; no bread, pastries, tea, coffee, or milk. Milk is highly mucus-forming and tends to develop toxins throughout the body.
(Milk, being a predigested food, has been known to cause various complications in the stomach and colon, such as cramps and convulsions. The calcium in milk is difficult to assimilate and may cause toxins in the form of rheumatic fever, arthritis, neutitis, and bursitis. The resulting lack of proper digestion and assimilation of the calcium allows it to go into the blood stream in a free form and it is deposited in the tissues, cells, and joints where it can cause intense pain and suffering.)
FOURTH day:
Normal eating may be resumed, but the best health will be retained if the morning meal consists of our type of lemonade or fruit juice; and, of course, if a strictly fruit, vegetable, seed and berry diet is followed. If, after eating is resumed, distress or gas occurs, it is suggested that the lemonade diet be continued for several more days until the system is ready for food.
Recap of the steps to be taken in the diet: Be careful to read the entire instructions so that the diet will be of the best benefit to you. First prepare yourself mentally to follow in detail the entire directions and continue as long as is needed to make the necessary changes. One of the best signals of the completed diet is when the formerly coated and fuzzy tongue is clear pink and clean looking. During the diet it becomes very badly coated. The night before starting the diet take the laxative tea. In the morning take the salt water (or) laxative tea (see page 18 for details). This should be done each night and morning during the diet - rare exception - if diarrhea develops. When diarrhea is ended then continue above directions. Now the lemonade formula (see page 14 for details or page 16 if diabetic). Breaking the diet. Be absolutely sure you follow the directions very carefully to prepare your body for normal eating (our way). Do not over eat or eat too soon. Serious problems (nausea) can occur if detailed directions are not followed.
