Our bodies have a built in natural detox system all of their own, but it never hurts to help detox your body with foods that will also promote your health. I’ve compiled a list of the top ten body detox foods which you can use to create recipes for your detox diet. You can eat them as part of a raw food detox diet, or juice them for a range of delicious detox drinks.
When buying fruit and vegetables, organic produce is always better for you that non organic if your budget can stretch that far. If not, non organic will be OK, as these foods can be used for a very healthy 7 day detox program and as part of your ongoing detoxification regime.
1. The Power of Apples
Apples are a great source of vitamin C but also contain a nutrient called quercetin. Quercetin is an antioxidant that also has the power to help reduce fat and bad cholesterol levels.
Apples also have a compound called pectin, which is a fiber present in citrus fruits and berries. Pectin has chelation properties as it binds to heavy metals such as mercury and lead, and helps your body excrete them. It is also good for helping your body get rid of various food additives and toxins like tartrazine. This toxin has been shown to be linked to conditions and diseases like asthma, migraine and hyperactivity, especially in children.
2. Avocados
Apart from anything else I think avos taste great - the fact that they are good for you is even better. Avocados contain a nutrient called gluthathione, which is a powerful antioxidant. It combines with fat soluble toxins, particularly alcohol, and makes them water soluble.
As with most functions within our bodies, as we age the levels of naturally occurring glutathione start to decrease. Apart from other things, this is one of the reasons hangovers get worse in our older years - as there’s not as much glutathione to help eliminate the alcohol from the drink we consumed. Increased levels of glutathione have also been shown to improve overall health and help reduce conditions such as arthritis.
3. Artichokes - A Natural Liver Detoxer
Artichokes are a great tasting zero-fat, zero-cholesterol veg that provide a wealth of vitamins and minerals and phytochemicals including vitamin A, B6, Niacin, folic acid, chromium, potassium, iron and calcium. One powerful detox benefit of artichokes is its ability to increase bile production in the liver. More bile means the body is able to transport more toxins to the bowel for excretion - so a great food for a natural liver detox.
Artichokes are also packed with powerful antioxidants, and are a great food for liver detox. In some European studies, tests showed that where free radicals have damaged the liver, this damage is greatly reduced with the use of artichoke extracts.
4. Beetroot - A Vampires Second Worst Enemy.
Beetroot is another fat-free vegetable, with very low calorific content and very high fiber content. Throughout Europe, beetroot is seen as a powerful anti-carcinogen, and can help increase the amount of oxygen our bodies can absorb by up to 400%.
You can eat beetroot as part of a raw food detox diet, though personally I prefer to juice them with carrots, apples and oranges. It has a low GL so it is digested and converted into “useable energy” very slowly which helps to stabilize your blood sugar levels.
5. Cruciferous or Brassica Vegetables
The range of cruciferous vegetables are known to have anti-carcinogenic properties by helping our body to destroy carcinogens. These vegetables include Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Spinach, Brussels Sprouts, Radishes, Cabbage, Watercress and several others.
These vegetables contain a nutrient called glucosinolates, which help the liver to produce vital enzymes.