22 Simple Fruit and Veggie Detox
Contents
First of all, let’s have some information about detox
What is Detox?
Detoxification or detox is a simple process of getting rid of toxins and other harmful or potentially harmful substances from the body.
Why Detox?
1. To remove toxins and harmful substances from your body
Toxins come from many sources and we are daily exposed to them. These include pollution, bad bacteria, preservatives, processed food, industrial waste, additives, chemicals etc. Sometimes, we cannot prevent ourselves from coming in contact with these toxins and some are even produced in our bodies (yeast) so the best thing to do is to detox.
2. To become more energized, active and healthy
Detox can help you to get rid of symptoms like problems with digestion, fatigue, headaches, fogginess, etc.
3. To lose weight
During a process of detoxification, you stay away from foods that make you fat and spike insulin. That is a great way to lose weight and keep fit, speaking of weight loss you may consider: 7-day 800 calorie diet meal plan, 5-day watermelon diet plan, extreme weight loss methods.
4. To Prevent serious diseases
Toxins cause many cancers and heart disease so regular detox helps your body to stay healthy by flushing out toxins.
5. To boost your immune system
Regular detox helps to make the immune system stronger. This is necessary to fight infection.
6. To give you healthy skin and prevent premature aging
Detox gets rid of environmental toxins that are responsible for some skin problems and it also helps the body get rid of heavy metal which contributes to the aging process.
7. To improve mental health
Detox helps to reset the body and this makes you be able to think and analyze more clearly and accurately.
During your detox, there are certain foods to avoid and certain foods to embrace so avoid alcohol, sugar, coffee, artificial sweeteners, fast food, gluten grains and flour, meat and meat products, etc. Instead, consume fruits and Green vegetables in any healthy form you choose.
22 Simple Fruit and Veggie Detox can eat during the detoxification process.
Asparagus
Asparagus contains glutathione. Glutathione is a compound that helps break down harmful compounds like free radicals and carcinogens. It is a useful detoxifying food because it has a lot of antioxidants which neutralize cell-damaging free radicals (this helps slow down the aging process). Also, asparagus aid with liver drainage. The liver is responsible for removing toxins from foods and drinks consumed so by helping with liver drainage, asparagus offers a lot of help to the body.
Artichoke
It helps purge the body of toxins by cleansing the liver and purifying the blood. Artichokes contain Cynarine and Silymarin, substances that detoxify the body. Artichokes protect the liver from its toxicity and the effects of pollutants and alcohol.
Collard Greens
Collard greens contain glutathione just like the asparagus. Collard greens increase glutathione levels in the body and it contains three important amino acids that help in liver cleansing, fat detoxification and immune system boosting.
Collard greens aid detox by increasing the acid binding of bile, this makes bile to easily bind to large lipid molecules and draw them apart. The leftover lipid molecules will then be removed from the body. This action helps to keep bad cholesterol build-up under control.
Beets
This is a vegetable which contains a lot of antioxidants and nutrients like pectin, Betaine and Betalains. These are important detoxifying agents. Betaine aids the liver cells to get rid of toxins, pectin is useful because it clears the removed toxins so they do not get reabsorbed into the body, while Betalains encourage the whole detox process.
Beets also improve liver function by thinning the bile so that it can freely pass through the small intestine. Urine may turn red, orange or pink but do not be alarmed –it is all part of the process.
Garlic
If garlic did not make this list, it would be a surprise because garlic has been used for so many things for so many centuries and yes, detox is one of those things.
Garlic contains vitamin C: a supporter of the immune system, sulfur: a mineral that eliminates toxins in the body, Allicin: a compound that has great antioxidants. All these are necessary for a good detox process.
Garlic flushes away toxins that accumulate in the body due to consumption of processed foods and exposure to environmental pollution. It also fights viruses and intestinal parasite in the body.
Dandelion
This is a plant that contains sodium, potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins A, C, K and B6.
Dandelions cleanse the liver and enable proper functioning of the organ. Dandelion is recommended for those who regularly eat processed food; it is high in antioxidants which help in the fight against free radicals (responsible for cell damage) and cleanses the digestive tract.
This plant is also diuretic. It makes it possible for the liver to get rid of toxins fast. It also purifies the bladder and kidneys by eliminating bacteria and ensuring good urine flow (this helps to reduce the risk of urinary tract infection).
The most effective way to consume dandelion is to put its dried roots into a mug and pour boiling water over it, then drink.
Tomato
Tomato contains lycopene. This is the red pigment that gives tomato its color. Lycopene contains antioxidants that protect the liver from damage that can be caused by free radicals, therefore allowing the liver to carry out its detoxification function.
During detox, tomatoes can be eaten cooked or raw because the lycopene is not destroyed by heat.
Brussels Sprouts
This is a vegetable that contains fiber, potassium, Vitamin B, Vitamin C, Choline and Manganese.
Brussels sprouts are high in sulfur; sulfur is good for removing toxins in the blood. Sulfur also helps to stimulate cellular enzyme systems needed for detox of substances that cause cancer.
Regular consumption of Brussels sprouts ensures that toxins are broken down and removed from the body safely.
Cabbage
Cabbage provides potassium which is needed to reduce systolic blood pressure. Cabbage contains antioxidants and anti-inflammatory substances and cleanses the digestive tract.
It is a natural diuretic; it helps remove excess bodily fluids. Nitrogen and sulfur found in cabbage expel toxins from the body.
Avocado
Avocado is very good for you. It contains vitamins, minerals, oleic acid and glutathione.
Avocado contains dietary fiber, which cures constipation and helps bring about healthy bowel movements. When your body enjoys healthy bowel movements, there is no room for the buildup of toxins. Another important function of fiber is colon cleansing.
Glutathione, found in avocado helps remove waste products and toxins from the body by promoting better functioning of the liver. The glutathione found in avocado helps the liver to get rid of synthetic chemicals in the body.
Pineapple
This fruit contains a digestive enzyme called bromelain. Bromelain is a detox agent. It also contains Vitamin C, an antioxidant which protects the body from free radicals (damages of cells).
Pineapple contains manganese, a contributor in some enzymes which useful for antioxidant defenses and producing energy.
Apple
This is another powerful detox fruit because it contains fibers, vitamins, antioxidants and minerals like flavonoids, terpenoids and D-Glucarate, all useful for detox. It contains phlorizin, a substance that promotes the production of bile. Bile is used by the liver to remove toxins from the body. Apple contains the fiber pectin which helps remove metals and additives from the body.
Ginger
Ginger helps the liver to flush out waste and toxins. It stimulates the colon to keep it free from toxins. It also increases bowel movement and prevents mucus from entering into the digestive system.
Ginger is unique in this list because you can use it to bathe; it enables you to sweat out, thereby getting rid of toxins through your pores.
Grapefruit
Like tomatoes, grapefruits contain lycopene which fights free radicals in the body.
Grapefruit slows down the first phase of detox in the liver but this is not a bad thing because too many toxins such as fumes and pesticides can cause induction leading to the massive production of damaging free radicals in the body, that is if the second phase of detox cannot keep up. Consumption of grapefruit slows down phase one of detox so that phase two can catch up in time to prevent hyperactivity.
Grapefruits also contain natural acids which act as skin cleansers and potassium which help in cellular cleansing. All these lead to tighter and toned skin.
Lemongrass
This is a herb with great detox benefits. It is a natural diuretic and possesses a lot of antioxidants. As a diuretic, it increases the frequency and volume of urine, and this helps to effectively remove toxins and other wastes from the body, it generally helps create a cleaner body system by detoxifying the pancreas, liver, bladder and kidney.
Lemon
Lemons contain high amounts of vitamin C needed for the body to make glutathione, the body cleansing agent. Glutathione makes sure that phase two detox of the liver keeps up with phase two detox. This reduces the negative effects of harmful toxins in the environment.
Lemon can be consumed to stimulate the release of enzymes and convert into a water-soluble form, toxic substances so that they can easily be expelled from the body.
Blueberries
Blueberries are highly nutritious fruits that are good for detox. They contain Phytonutrients (Proanthocyanidins ). Blueberries support liver functioning, and this, in turn, aids the detox process in the body.
Consuming blueberries have been found to slow liver disease progression by the World Journal of Gastroenterology.
Celery
Celery can be used for detoxification. Celery contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, C, calcium, potassium etc. it is an excellent blood cleanser, it can be used to remove some substances found the smoke of cigarette in the body and there are many compounds within celery that are anti-cancer; they are capable of removing cancer cells from the body.
Cranberries
Cranberries are rich in many vitamins and minerals, including Vitamins C, K, E and K, dietary fiber, copper etc. It contains phytonutrients that act as antioxidants. Unsweetened cranberry juice greatly reduces bad bacteria in the urinary tract which cause Urinary Tract Infection. A combination of the juice and water cleanses the kidneys and intestines in which toxins have accumulated.
Seaweed
Seaweed is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and antioxidants like Vitamin C, selenium, sodium alginate, iron and zinc. They can help fight the tissue damage caused by free radicals.
A study carried out by McGill University, Canada found that seaweed removes heavy metals and radioactive chemicals (like strontium) in the body by binding to them and forcing them out of the body.
It contains sodium alginate which eliminates toxins in the digestive tract by absorbing them.
Broccoli
Broccoli contains high levels of vitamins and fiber and glucoraphanin. A John Hopkins University study found that broccoli contains a chemical called Sulforaphane, a chemical that can cause human genes to produce antioxidant and detox enzymes. These enzymes turn on toxins and eliminate them easily.
Broccoli helps the body to expel toxins and chemicals that come from environmental pollutants. the best way to consume broccoli is raw.
Broccoli Sprouts
Broccoli sprouts are more beneficial than normal broccoli because they contain more Sulforaphane and more Glucoraphanin. Glucoraphanin protects the body against toxic pollutants by increasing its ability to get rid of them.
Broccoli sprouts contain phytochemicals which break down into D-glucarate, sulforaphane and Indole-3-Carbinol, all of which are very important substances for detox.
You have been informed about what to detox with, these simple fruits and veggies detox list which are available to you so go ahead, use them one after the other or combine them to ensure a healthier, detoxified you. Good luck!
References