The Master Cleanse isn’t a miracle diet or a magic weight-loss solution; it’s a fast. And in case you didn’t get that the first time: The Master Cleanse is a liquid fast.
The entire concept of the Master Cleanse—even under its alternately marketed spin-offs like the Lemonade Diet —boils down to no food for an extended period, and the drinking of a homemade elixir. The Master Cleanse drink includes nothing more than water, lemon juice, real maple syrup and cayenne pepper, of which you are to drink six to 12 glasses daily.