Cleansing Foods for Detox Diets

To begin a healthful diet for weight loss, a detox diet, or a juice fast, is a great way to jump-start your body.  A brief fast or limiting your diet for 3-5 days to only cleansing foods and juices will maintain balance, create energy, and help to remove cravings for unhealthy amounts of starches and junk.

Does a detox diet work?

You might lose weight on a detox diet, because they’re usually very low in calories.  But the idea that your body needs strict fasting to get rid of toxins is not proven.  Your organs and immune system handle those duties, no matter what you eat.  However, many types of foods have minerals that block fat absorption and speed up the cleansing process of your digestive system.

A strict water-only fast is harsh on the body and we don’t recommend that.  Rather, it’s easier (and sometimes more effective) to limit yourself for a few days to juices and foods that help cleanse and detox the body naturally. Eating a mix of raw foods, among those listed below, and juices (preferably from your home juicer) will help to create balance in your body but responsibly and safely.

Cleansing foods with detoxifying properties

Deciding which foods to eat during your “cleanse” can be tricky.  Foods with insoluble fiber, such as raw vegetables, and diuretics like green tea, promote speedy digestion and “flush” the GI tract. These foods are generally considered the best foods for a cleansing diet.

You don’t have to eat kale all day and wash it down with lemon water.  Plenty of deliciously satisfying foods have surprising detox properties that will help you boost your energy levels and cleanse your body at the same time.

During your detox period, work these foods into your cleansing diet to satisfy cravings and keep your energy level up.  Recommended period is from two to five days.  Once completed taper in meats, and other foods, slowly.

Artichokes contain antioxidant plant compounds called caffeoylquinic acids, which are used to treat hepatic (liver) disorders because they stimulate bile flow. Bile helps the body to digest fats, and efficient bile flow clears the system of potentially inflammatory substances contained in fatty foods.

Avocado provides heart-healthy monounsaturated fatty acids and glutathione, a compound that blocks the absorption of certain fats by the intestines that cause oxidative damage.  Their fiber also helps to cleanse your colon.

Beets are among the few edible plants that contain betalains (also betacyanins), plant pigments that give some beets their deep red color.  Betalains promote cell structure, repair and regeneration, especially in the liver–the body’s primary detox center. Plus, it’s full of magnesium, iron, zinc and calcium to help flush out toxins.

Broccoli is one of the cruciferous vegetables, which are named for their cross-shaped flowers and known for powerful antioxidant properties. Science has shown that a diet rich in cruciferous veggies reduces the risk of certain cancers.

Collard greens increase bile acid binding, which makes it easier for bile to bind to large lipid molecules and pull them apart. Leftover bile acids are then excreted from the GI tract normally, taking leftover lipid molecules with them. Bile acid binding therefore helps to keep “bad” cholesterol in check.

Dandelion root acts as a diuretic by increasing urine production.

Dill and fennel are plants rich in vitamins and anti-inflammatory chemicals.  Dill contains chemicals that help with the activation of glutathione, a liver antioxidant that attaches to free radical molecules and disarms them. Fennel is rich in Vitamin C, which has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Fennel is also high in fiber but low in calories–an ideal cleanse food.

Green tea is richer in antioxidants than white, black, and oolong teas, even though they all come from the same plant. The caffeine in green tea also gives this energizing drink a diuretic effect, which helps to alleviate bloating by counteracting water retention.

Kale is filled with fiber and sulfur, both great for detoxifying your body and keeping your liver healthy. It’s also low in calories, high in fiber and has zero fat. It’s  filled with  many nutrients, vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and magnesium. For those hard-core cleansing diets simply juice it, and drink. Or, if you’d like to try cooking with kale there are many tasty kale recipes to try.

Lemon, like all citrus fruits, is rich in antioxidant Vitamin C.

Milk thistle is one of the frequently researched plants in association with promoting liver detoxification. Milk thistle contains a mixture of polyphenolic compounds that assist liver cells in removing toxins from healthy blood cells.

Onion and garlic are both members of the allium family of vegetables, which provide pungent flavors to foods. These plants contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione, one of the liver’s strongest antioxidants. As a result, onion and garlic have powerful anti-bacterial and immune-boosting properties.

Other fresh veggies are a good source of glutathione-essential for detox of liver pathway. Fresh vegetables can also provide excellent sources of insoluble fiber.  Crisp, raw veggies are highest in this sort of fiber.

Wheat grass is a vitamin and mineral-rich grass commonly served in powder or juice form.  It is a powerful detoxifier, and liver and blood protector. The enzymes and amino acids found in wheatgrass are said to protect us from carcinogens like no other food or medicine. It strengthens our cells, detoxifies the liver and bloodstream, and chemically neutralizes environmental pollutants.

Yogurt that contains probiotics supplies healthy bacteria that fortify the GI tract’s natural flora, aiding digestion and boosting the body’s natural immune responses.  Plain, low fat or non-fat is best.

Brazil Nuts are packed with selenium – key to flushing mercury out of your body.  Beyond that, nuts are great to munch on during a cleansing diet when trying to avoid other greasy or sugar snacks.

Goji Berries can be used in recipes in place of raisons to boost your vitamin C and beta-carotene intake. Vitamin C can help remove waste from your body, while beta-carotene improves liver performance.

Seaweed in your smoothies, or simply eaten right out the box if you like, will help to cleanse your body of lead, cadmium and the radioactive chemical strontium. As an added bonus, seaweed is full of iodine, which is a natural metabolism-booster.

Onions are brimming with sulfur-containing amino acids, which efficiently detox the liver. Raw onions deliver the most health benefits, so whip up a batch of tasty bruschetta with dinner tonight.

Sesame Seeds eaten on their own or enjoyed in a tasty tahini sauce will help protect your liver from alcohol and other toxins.

Basil in your salad can be a nutritional powerhouse? Basil has anti-bacterial properties, and it’s full of antioxidants to protect the liver.

Ginger spikes your metabolism and flushes out waste.  Plus, a recent Columbia University study found that eating more ginger just might keep your appetite in check.

Pineapple may be thought of as a tasty item for desert but it also contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that helps cleanse your colon and improve digestion.

Cinnamon boosts your metabolism, is full of iron, calcium and manganese, and makes almost anything taste better.  Manganese, according to many experts, is great for helping your body process fatty acids and keep blood sugar levels stable.

Apples each day will keep the doctor away, but they’re also a detox superstar.  They’re nutrient-rich, plus they contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps remove food additives and metals from your system.  Eat them raw, or as apple sauce for added affect.

Fennel a root vegetable that tastes like licorice and it’s packed with dietary fiber that will help you flush out toxins and boost digestion.

Parsley is not just for a garnish anymore!  Parsley boasts plenty of beta-carotene and vitamins A, C and K to protect your kidneys and bladder.

So what should you avoid?

During any cleansing, and detoxifying period avoid these foods for at least a week.  If you indulge in these more than a tiny bit restart the clock and begin your cleansing period again.

• Refined sugars and junk foods – sodas, cookies, candy, ice cream, sugary yogurts, etc.
• White flour – white breads, pastries, pretzels, etc.
• Most “diet” foods – foods labeled light, or sugar free
• Heavy cooking oils – corn oil, canola oil, and peanut oil
• Snack foods heavy in oil and salt – chips, salted nuts, cheesy crackers, etc.
• Alcohol

Don’t simply cut yourself off from all foods, but choose from a variety of foods that help cleanse the body during your detox period.  During your detox period be sure to get lots of sleep, and workouts should be done with moderation.  After 3-5 days of your detox it’s best to taper in meats, and restricted foods, slowly.