Top Detox Foods

Doing a strict cleanse is not an easy commitment, in fact it requires both time and energy that sometimes you may not have to spare. Whether its a job with long hours, family commitments or even just a busy social life, we often find ourselves trying to fit cleansing programs around a busy lifestyle that just doesn’t leave time for anything else.

The good news is that you don’t need to embark upon a full cleansing program to get the benefits of a good detox. A few simple changes to your diet can lift your energy levels, improve your skin and keep you healthy, without having to take time off work or stick to the discipline of a strict eating plan.

This list of top detox foods is a collection of the best detoxifying foods that you can easily add to your diet. Some other lists might contain rare fruits from South America or Africa that can only be found in expensive health food stores. We think that’s unnecessary - you can find all you need in your local supermarket and it doesn’t need to cost you a fortune. All these foods are easy to find, tasty, and can be incorporated into many simple recipes. So print this page, take it out shopping with you, and fill up your refrigerator with these super-healthy, nutritious foods!

Lemon Juice

That slice of lemon added to your soda is much more healthful than you think. Lemon juice contains a number of alkalizing minerals such as calcium, magnesium and potassium. It is also rich in vitamin C, a powerful anti-oxidant that supports your immune system. Lemon juice is great for a detox because it stimulates bile production in your liver, helping your body to remove toxins more efficiently. It will also help to flush toxins from your lymphatic system.

Adding lemon juice to your diet is the easiest thing in the world. Every morning, before breakfast, just squeeze half a lemon into a glass of warm water and drink it. This will help to get your liver and lymphatic system functioning properly before you start your day. Additionally, lemon juice is always a zesty addition to salads, grilled vegetable, fish, chicken and many other foods.

Apples

Here’s another simple and healthy food that you should be eating. Apples contain pectin, a fiber that cleanses the body of toxins, cholesterol, heavy metals and other contaminants. Pectin is also one of the best natural sources of fiber, with an ability to add bulk to your stool, reducing transit time in the intestines. Apples also contain very high amounts of flavanoids. These antioxidants counteract free radicals from environmental pollutants and other toxins that could otherwise cause cancer and other diseases.

Most apples are grown in an environment with high levels of pesticides, so make sure you give them a good scrub before eating. Even better, buy apples from your local organic store. Try to eat whole apples rather than juicing them, otherwise you’ll lose the benefit of all that healthy fiber.

Artichokes

Although you may not have cooked with it before, this plant is a detox powerhouse. It contains a chemical compound named cynarin that stimulates bile production in your liver. In one study, artichoke extract showed an increase of bile production by 127 percent half an hour after one dose. It also stimulates the liver to regenerate cells, increasing its effectiveness and enabling it to recover faster. Cynarin also improves digestive issues such as bloating, heartburn, intestinal pain and gas. It works as a mild laxative and will help to keep things moving in your intestines!

You can add artichokes to salads and dips, or simply grill them and serve with olive oil. If you are not a big fan of artichokes, artichoke extract is also available in supplement form.

Broccoli Sprouts

You probably know broccoli as the superfood of the brassica family of vegetables, but what you may not know is that broccoli sprouts are truly life saving. They contain large concentrations of a phytochemical named glucoraphanin, in fact 20 times more than in fully grown broccoli. When you eat broccoli sprouts, your body turns this glucoraphanin into a cancer-preventive chemical named sulforaphane. Studies have shown that sulforaphane has a remarkable ability to neutralize carcinogens in the body, preventing cancer. It can also found in the other Cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, bok choy, kale, and collards) but in smaller amounts.

Broccoli sprouts make a wonderful addition to any salad. Even better, how about using them in combination with some other foods on this list? For the maximum detoxing effect, try a salad of beetroot, artichoke, apple and broccoli sprouts, with lemon juice and olive oil drizzled on top!

Seaweed

This sea vegetable is part of many programs for purifying and cleanse your body. Seaweed is higher in minerals and nutrients than most land vegetables. It contains alginic acid which can remove heavy metals, radioactive poisons and other trapped toxins from your body. Seaweed also contains antioxidants and provides a good dose of fiber to fight constipation. It also has potent antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.

Seaweed is also a potent source of iodine which is a natural thyroid booster. One of the most important functions of the thyroid gland is regulating body metabolism and energy expenditure.

You may not be eating seaweed regularly right now, but its actually an easy food to add to your diet, great with noodles or in salads. Try to eat a variety of different seaweeds to get the maximum benefit. A good Kelp extract supplement is also a potent source - you can find this in your health food store.

Blueberries

Blueberries rate very highly in antioxidant activity compared to other fruit. In fact you’ll see them on most lists of superfoods. They contain potent antioxidants, named anthocyanins, that gives them that beautiful blue color. The anthocyanins protect your body from free radicals in your bloodstream, and can help your immune system to fight off serious diseases. Blueberries also help to stabilize blood glucose levels and can reduce belly fat. A potent kick of nutritional benefits loaded with antioxidants.

One easy way to get a good dose of blueberries is to add them to smoothies. You can buy them in bulk when they’re cheap in the Summer, and store them in your freezer. Or try adding them to your favorite healthy muffin or pancake recipe.

Watercress

Watercress has been in the media spotlight lately, especially when British model Liz Hurley revealed one of her beauty secrets - eating lots of watercress soup. It has an abundant supply of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, not to mention fantastic healing properties for common ailments. Research has shown that watercress contains an important cancer-preventing compound named phenylethyl isothiocyanate. This chemical blocks the protein (Hypoxia Inducible Factor) that supports blood vessel growth in cancer tumors. That’s not all though. Watercress also contains even more Vitamin C, gram for gram, than you’d find in an orange!

This lively leaf makes a wonderful addition to salads, soups, or a veggie sauté. You can also try this recipe for Liz Hurley’s watercress soup.

One medium sized onion, finely chopped
3 pints of vegetable stock
Two potatoes, diced
Three bunches of watercress, chopped

Saute the chopped onions for a few minutes in a little vegetable stock. Then add the two diced potatoes and the rest of the vegetable stock, and bring to the boil. Next, add the chopped watercress, then blend everything in a food processor.

Beetroot

The collection of natural chemicals that give beetroot its red color are named betalain pigments. They contain antioxidants that have been shown to reduce cancer rates in people who regularly consume them. The betalain pigments also have liver-supportive capabilities - they help regenerate liver cells and increase bile flow.

Studies have shown beetroot contains high amounts of nitrate that dilates blood vessels and lowers blood pressure. This also helps increase the amount of oxygen circulating throughout the body, a characteristic that is particularly beneficial for cognitive function in your brain. So beetroot can literally give you a sharper mind - we can all use a bit of that!

When it comes to beetroot you need to be a little careful where you buy it. Many supermarkets stock genetically modified (GMO) beetroot that may not have the same beneficial impact on your organs as regular beetroot would. Buy organic if you can, or otherwise be sure to check the labels very carefully and buy non-GMO. Another option is to purchase some beetroot powder at your local health food store and add it to your juice or smoothies.

---

---

Related articles

Weight Loss Cleanses | Beauty Cleanses | Master Cleanse | Fat Flush
Juice Cleansing | Recipes | Model Detox Diet | Colon Cleansing