What foods can you eat when you’re on a detox diet?
Detoxification diets have become even more famous than ever. And they are still a buzzword for people who want to live healthily and shred some unwanted fats.
These diets are done in various ways. Some use whole foods to eliminate the toxins from their bodies, while others believe that unique products would help them.
The truth is, the body can flush toxins, and that shouldn’t require any expensive supplements or any magical diets. And you have the power to strengthen your natural detox process and system.
In this article, Cognitive Health and Wellness Institute lists down top ten foods for body detox with healthy benefits for happy and quality living.
How does detox work
Detox diets are yet to be proven effective. Some evidence shows that they indeed work in flushing toxins off your body is still undergoing studies; however, their sound effects on your being are understandable because they instill healthy eating habits in you.
We can attribute the effectiveness of a detox diet to the part where you have to eliminate highly processed foods from your diet for they have unhealthy fats and unnecessary sugar. Simply avoiding these from your plate would make you feel better, but it’s sometimes not that easy.
Hence, if you’ve decided to take this process to reinforce eating healthily, getting a signal from your doctor is essential in your journey. You should also be aware of the side effects, as this could significantly change your body. For instance, this kind of diet may need you to limit your protein or ask you to fast. Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are also a possibility.
That said, the principle of detox is removing solid foods or certain good groups from your diet that aren’t beneficial to the health of your body. It is giving your digestive system a break so that it can heal from past abuses and be more ready to absorb nutrients in the future.
How to detox your body in a day
Does a one-day detox diet exist? If you are afraid to commit to a long-term plan, your body can cleanse in a day. This short process will not only allow you to start heading towards a healthier eating track, but it will also jump you off to wiser food choices.
Your body will thank you for the chance to rest when detox happens. It’s going to be a significant break from blood-sugar spiking and difficult-to-digest processed foods.
Here are some basic reminders when in a one-day detox:
- Drink lots of water or lemon-infused water.
- Have green tea during the afternoon.
- Go low-carb, low-calorie, and avoid sugars.
- Eat brightly colored vegetables.
- Go for fruits and nuts for snack.
- Move and exercise.
Like any diet, there are no one-day miracles that can combat your cravings for food. It takes discipline to flush toxins out of your body. But, you can jump-start cleansing your body from day one alone.
Eliminating unhealthy food helps your body focus on nutritious and healthy ones instead. The one-day detox diet might be the push you need to go all out! That way, you can continue your healthier choices for more extended periods and on a more regular basis!
Best detox foods
A detox diet doesn’t have to be expensive. There are natural ways to do it without the fads and gimmicks. Yes, you don’t have to get confused with the sea of advertised products to do wonders with your detoxification efforts. All you have to do is look at your refrigerator.
What are the foods that would naturally aid your detoxification?
Lemon
There is a reason why people infuse lemon in their water, and it is related to detoxification. This citrus fruit contains high amounts of fiber and Vitamin C, which strengthen the immune system. Drink them and flush out toxins that will cleanse your liver, too.
The easiest way to consume lemon is to be in a water detox. Just be careful with the citric acid, for it may cause tooth decay. It would help best to drink in a glass or to use a straw. You can make this more creative by mixing your lemons with blueberries, ginger and fresh cucumber.
As a go-to fruit, lemon is also rich in antioxidants that fight off free radicals that may harm your body. This fruit also features an alkaline effect that restores the body’s pH balance, in turn improving your immune system. So, slice a lemon and incorporate it in your water from now on!
Avocado
Yes, avocados may have fats, but they are the good kind. They are the most flexible fruit that you can include in your detox diet. This fruit is rich in insoluble and soluble fiber, which is the best for your digestive system. This will ideally cleanse your colon too to carry the toxins away from your body.
This avocado is also a superfood! With the number of antioxidants this fruit has, your body will expel all the dangerous toxins in your body. On top of that, you’ll also get other benefits as avocados are filled with nutrients and almost 20 various types of vitamins and minerals that would keep you from many diseases.
Nuts
Going nuts is reasonable in detox! Take a look at almonds, for example! They have a high amount of fiber, calcium, and healthy fats in them, which would stabilize your blood sugar and flush away the impurities in your bowel.
The best thing about nuts is that they are easy to add to your detox diet. You sprinkle them in your food or swap them in some of your meals. If you are into green smoothies, you can add them with your refreshments too! For as long as you don’t abuse this food group, you’ll reap its benefits for your cleansing process!
Seeds
Seeds, just like nuts, are also high in fat-soluble fiber that are responsible for getting rid of toxins from your system. So, if you’ve heard of people detoxifying with Chia Seeds drink, they should make sense now. The same is also true with Hemp, which is another superfood that can detoxify your body.
The fiber in these seeds is the answer if you’ve been experiencing slow digestion or constipation. Regularly adding this to your diet is an excellent way to take care of your colon, and it’s going to help reduce inflammation as well.
This food group has always been the best for the gut. It absorbs water and plumps up, which flushes the toxins in your gut. If you’ve been having a hard time doing your business in the toilet, create a detox diet plan that is seed-friendly.
Garlic
Garlic’s “superpower” is the allicin, a compound in garlic, which helps fight against toxins. Also, it is beneficial in producing white blood cells in your body. Therefore, garlic’s triple benefits (antiviral, antibacterial, and antibiotic) make it a powerful detox food.
Some studies show a correlation between garlic intake and lower signs of toxicity, particularly causing blood pressure and headaches. It can also have health benefits, especially for women, on estrogen deficiency and bone health.
Garlic is high in antioxidants which primarily support mechanisms in your body to protect against oxidative damage. (Free radicals form when there’s oxidative damage; hence, cell damage may progress. Consequently, this could advance the ageing process.) Additionally, garlic’s antioxidant properties may prevent the risks of Alzheimer’s disease.
Turmeric
Curcumin, an active ingredient in turmeric, aids in reducing the risk of cancer and inflammatory bowel diseases. Don’t like turmeric’s taste on its own? Make a turmeric juice mixed with orange and carrot to make it more delicious.
This is a good detox food because curcumin aids in repairing damage in cells. Its properties can decrease the production of amyloid deposits or plaques. Curcumin is an effective and potent anti-inflammatory known to show no significant side effects.
Blueberries
Blueberries are great for detox as they act as antibiotics to prevent infections. One such example is inhibiting the build-up of bacteria in the urinary tract. These fruits are one of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods with natural healing effects to avoid tissue damage.
Sometimes, your body may feel adverse effects from chronic inflammation that you can eat blueberries to alleviate pain and other symptoms. They also block toxins from passing through the barrier between your blood and brain.
Blueberries are low in calories but highly nutritious. They have antiviral properties plus are rich in fiber, vitamins C and K, and manganese. These fruits are also 85% water, so you have a good source of hydration while enjoying nutritional benefits.
Beets
Beets are considered detox foods for their ability to aid in cleansing your liver. These root vegetables have phytonutrients, also called betalains, which can lower the risk of liver damage and inflammation. They help lower blood pressure, thereby, reducing risk of cardiovascular diseases, too.
They are a good source of potassium, consequently, helping with muscle and nerve function. Beets are often recommended to enhance sports performance, particularly, for athletes. For instance, you can have beetroot juice after a morning run or as your go-to drink to increase your repetitions in every workout routine.
When you make beet juice, it is one of the healthiest drinks for you. You can even make a flavorful soup with beets as the key ingredient plus other vegetables. This is a good mixture for liver cleanse. Your liver needs to detoxify chemicals and toxins to avoid hormonal imbalance and boost your energy.
Additionally, beets can help improve your cognitive function. The large amounts of nitrate and antioxidants in beets contribute to good blood circulation to your brain in areas crucial to cognition.
Cilantro
Cilantro works as a detox agent due to its antimicrobial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic properties. There is a process called chelation which is a common way to remove body toxins. Cilantro leaves, in particular, bind to heavy metals removed through excretion away from your body.
Heavy metal poisoning may show signs of poor memory, chronic fatigue, and digestive issues such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Because cilantro has chelation benefits all on its own, it’s a great option to prevent autoimmune diseases and the like.
You can add fresh cilantro to almost any food, whether raw or cooked. For your detox diet, you can blend olive oil and lime juice with fresh cilantro. Voila! You can use this as dressing for your salads and vegetables.
Green tea
You might disagree about the inclusion of green tea in your detox diet. Still, this spot belongs to this powerful antioxidant that would help your body produce detoxification properties that will flush away the toxins in your body. This drink doesn’t only function this way; it also boosts your immune system so that you don’t get sick quickly.
The natural polyphenols in your system actively support your regular detoxification. These compounds have an impact on your liver, which is the body’s detox organ, and they also have antioxidants that fight off free radicals.
Full body cleanse detox
To eliminate toxins from your body, you may need to make a more holistic approach. Thus, you will need to follow a specific diet and make lifestyle changes. It’s a well-planned process where you must do fasting, strictly stick to a diet plan, use supplements, etc.
In some cases, your doctor may also recommend colonic irrigation, the use of laxatives, and doing a sauna bath. You must limit your exposure to toxins in any environment during a whole body cleanse detox.
The thing is, your body has an efficient detox system on its own naturally. However, for some people who may have medical conditions, detox can be helpful. It is highly advisable to seek medical advice first so you can be guided accordingly.
For example, one of the most visible effects of detox is weight loss. Because you are restricting your calorie intake, this is generally expected. But, every person reacts to detox differently. The effects of detox should be favorable and specific to your body type and nutritional needs. That way, you can do the whole process safely.
One of the best ways in doing a whole body cleanse detox is drinking large amounts of water, juices or teas. However, for some, this could be dangerous if it leads to electrolyte imbalance.
Go simple. Every single step goes a long way. For instance, Stop vices first such as smoking and drinking. Tobacco and alcohol should be flushed away from your system. Then, you can stimulate your body by eating more vegetables and antioxidant-rich foods to aid in removing toxins.
You can’t have a full-body cleanse detox while keeping bad habits. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is vital. Even simple changes at home, such as maintaining clean and well-ventilated rooms and to help reduce your exposure to toxins.
Are you ready to detox your body and have a healthy and sustainable way of living?
References:
https://www.ecowatch.com/15-best-foods-for-detoxing-your-body-1882157131.html
https://www.realbuzz.com/articles-interests/nutrition/article/top-10-detox-foods/
https://www.narayanahealth.org/blog/detox-foods-detoxification-is-an-essential-part-of-optimal-health/
https://www.patientfirst.com/blog/9-foods-to-naturally-detox
https://www.eatthis.com/best-foods-instant-detox/
https://foodrevolution.org/blog/detoxifying-foods/