06 Sep Five Foods For Detox
So here’s the truth! There is no magical food or supplement you can take – regardless of what your friend, the internet, says – that can detox your body. There is no special unicorn detox diet, like going low carb or going high fat, that will rectify your toxin problem. The jury is out! But what we will say, is there are foods for detox that if taken on a regular basis, will be a deciding factor in a successful detox.
Think of it like this, you want to lose weight and keep the weight off. Your best bet is to start slow and keep a steady pace consistently overtime to keep the weight off. The same rules apply to detoxing.
So, we have compiled a helpful list below with five essential foods you should leave room for on your plate for a virtually toxin-free lifestyle.
Best Foods For Detox
Cruciferous Vegetables
These babies really shine in the detox world and are conveniently enough, some of the most common vegetables out there. We are talking about broccoli, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, bok choy, cabbage, kale, collards, arugula, radish, turnips, etc. We love cruciferous veggies and if you’ve done a dry urine test with us then you know why. Cruciferous veggies impact phase 1 and phase 2 of your liver’s detoxification and help metabolize/balance hormones, like estrogen.
They are also heavily researched in cancer prevention, specifically hormone-sensitive and estrogen-related cancers. They really do loads of aiding when it comes to detoxing since they also contain chlorophyll, which boosts detox capacity. So, make sure you are getting a variety of these specific veggies multiples times a day!
Prebiotic Foods
When you think of detox you might automatically think of your liver, but we should not forget our gut when detoxing, which is why prebiotics are so essential. We are talking about foods like artichokes, asparagus, green banana, green banana flour, leeks, beans, onions, garlic, oats, etc. These foods are what your gut microbes eat to help support your good bacteria and supply energy to the cells that line the colon. They also create short-chain fatty acids, which are very beneficial for intestinal health in your large colon.
Gut health is pertinent to your phase 3 detox, which is the final phase of releasing toxins out of the body. Make sure to not skimp on these essentials.
Fruits, Vegetables & Herbs
These foods are pertinent for obtaining antioxidants. This is especially necessary because when you are detoxing it can get dangerous when toxins leave your liver in Phase 1 to go into Phase 2. You want to make sure your body is loaded with antioxidants to protect you from free radicals that naturally occur in detoxification. These antioxidants are mainly found in fruits, veggies, and herbs so make sure your plate is filled with them.
Chlorella
Chlorella is single-celled, green freshwater algae. Sounds yum, right? Because chlorella has a hard cell that humans can’t digest, you have to take it as a supplement to reap its benefits. Taking this supplement is important for liver health, which in turn is optimal for detoxification. They are all connected!
But chlorella is the perfect supplement to take because of your exposure to heavy metals. People can get exposed to heavy metals through pollution or certain jobs such as mining. Or sometimes chemicals found in food like dioxin. Chlorella is effective in removing these heavy metals and other compounds from the body. Get to eating you algae, folks!
Sulfur Vegetables
Sulfur vegetables are essential for a process called sulfation, which is one of the processes in phase 2 detox that toxins go through. There are generally a handful of different pathways — methylation, sulfation, and conjugation — and each toxin has its own pathway to go down. So when you eat foods like green onions, onions, garlic, cruciferous vegetables like broccoli you are consuming sulfur which is vital for this phase 2 detoxification process.
This is not an end-all-be-all detox list. It’s important to assess how much of these foods you are eating and thinking about how you can incorporate them into your diet. As stated before, your everyday lifestyle and dietary habits are going to be the deciding factor for a successful detox, not some magical pill or fad detox plan. Your detox and healing process will have peaks and valleys. But, what’s important is to keep going and never give up. We are here to help you!
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