Recently overindulged? Feeling sluggish? Or just not looking your best? Maybe your body needs a detox.
Meaning of detox
Well, when it comes to detox or commonly known as Detoxification – these diets claim to clean your blood and eliminate harmful toxins from your body.
Ideal foods for detox
Fortunately, many foods around can help counteract the effects of a toxic lifestyle. Whether you want to lose weight, feel more energised, improve your complexion or boost your mood, check out these top 5 foods to cleanse your body and boost your health:
Ginger
If too much fatty food or alcohol has caused problems for your digestive system, it may be worthwhile to add some ginger to your diet. Ginger is not only great for reducing feelings of nausea, but it can help improve digestion, beat bloating, and reduce gas. In addition to this, ginger is high in antioxidants and is good for boosting the immune system. To give your digestion a helping hand, try sipping on ginger tea or adding some freshly grated ginger to a fruit or vegetable juice.
Garlic
Garlic has long been known for its heart benefits, however, pungent food is also good at detoxifying the body. Garlic is not only antiviral, antibacterial, and antibiotic, but it contains a chemical called allicin, which promotes the production of white blood cells and helps fight against toxins. Garlic is best eaten raw, so add some crushed garlic to a salad dressing to boost its flavour and your health at the same time.
Beetroot
For those needing a quick health-boosting shot of nutrients, you can’t do much better than beetroot. Packed with magnesium, iron, and vitamin C, the vegetable has recently been hailed as a superfood due to its many reported health benefits. Not only is beetroot great for skin, hair and cholesterol levels, but it can also help support liver detoxification, making it an ultimate detox food. To enjoy its benefits, try adding raw beetroot to salads or sipping on some beetroot juice.
Cabbage
Many celebs have resorted to the cabbage soup diet to help them lose weight and get in shape quickly before a big event, however, cabbage is not only good for weight loss – it is also excellent detoxifying food. Like most cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli and sprouts), cabbage contains a chemical called sulforaphane, which helps the body fight against toxins. Cabbage also supplies the body with glutathione; an antioxidant that helps improve the detoxifying function of the liver.
Watercress
Like most green herbs and vegetables, watercress is an excellent health-booster and detox food. Firstly, watercress leaves are packed with many vital detoxifying nutrients, including several B vitamins, zinc, potassium, vitamin E, and vitamin C. Secondly, watercress has natural diuretic properties, which can help to flush toxins out of the body. To reap the benefits of this nutritious food, try adding a handful of watercress to salads, soups, and sandwiches.
Eat well, stay active
In addition to eating these foods, it is also important to stay active too – as a result, you can enhance your body’s natural detoxification system and improve your overall health by staying hydrated, consuming less salt, staying active, and following an antioxidant-rich diet.
