Adding in detoxing foods to your diet can help to increase your energy, eliminate toxins from your body, jumpstart a new healthy eating habit & curb food addictions. Plus, if you’re thinking about losing weight and boosting your metabolism, eating nutritious, healthy foods is a great first step.
Add these 10 energizing detox foods to your grocery cart:
1. Green leafy vegetables
Kale, spinach, mustard greens, etc., are a great way to cleanse your body and fortify your meal with healthy vitamins and minerals. Eat them raw, throw them into a broth, or juice them with celery and carrots. The chlorophyll contained in these veggies helps to fight environmental toxins such as heavy metals and pesticides, and protects the liver.
2. Lemons
Real, fresh lemonade is the ideal way to flush toxins from your body. Be sure to use whole lemons, not powdered lemonade. Use stevia as a sweetener instead of sugar; 1 teaspoon of sugar depletes your immune system for 5 hours, so avoid it whenever possible. The vitamin C in lemons helps convert chemicals into a water-soluble form that’s easily flushed through the kidneys and out of the body.
3. Dark skinned berries
They’re full of antioxidants to boost your immune system and your energy. These berries are also excellent for your vision and your circulation, and they are a delicious addition to a fruit smoothie or your breakfast cereal.
4. Watercress
These peppery green leaves are rich in minerals, and have a diuretic effect that helps cleanse the kidneys. Throw a handful into your salad or soups.
5. Garlic
A nutritious addition to salad dressing, sauces, and entrees, garlic not only activates liver enzymes, but also lowers cholesterol, improves circulation, fights infection, and lowers your risk of cancer.
6. Green tea
This antioxidant-rich tea is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity to boost detoxification, and also helps to reduce your risk of some cancers. Bonus: green tea stimulates your metabolism for healthy weight loss and energy.
7. Broccoli sprouts
These little sprouts pack 20 to 50 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than regular broccoli. Add them to salad or sandwiches for a flavorful detox boost.
8. Cabbage
This vegetable activates the two key detoxifying enzymes in the liver. Coleslaw, anyone?
9. Flax seeds
The seeds of the flax plant are rich in fiber, and also contain omega-3 oils to help with cholesterol, brain function, skin health, and so much more. The fiber in flax seeds binds up toxins (cholesterol too) and helps clear them from your body. Add ground flax seeds to your breakfast shake, or have flax-fortified cereal for breakfast.
10. Sesame seeds
These seeds help to protect liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the rich sesame seed puree that’s used many Middle Eastern dishes, and is an ingredient of hummus as well.
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