Skinny teas, 7-day juice cleanses and fad diets, you’ve probably seen it all. With all these products and solutions boasting promises of cleansing toxins and weight loss, whether they actually work or not is truly debatable.
Instead of spending hundreds of dollars on solutions that don’t promise results, why not stick to these five detox foods to your diet that actually works?
The Top 5 Detox Foods:
1. Apples – It’s true what the old saying says, “an apple a day keeps the doctors away”. That’s how good it is, due to its high amounts of fiber pectin, which protects against metabolic syndrome, improves intestinal activity, and helps detox meals and additives.
2. Avocados – A superfood rich in healthy fats and glutathione, which helps detox and cleanse the liver from synthetic chemicals. Avocados are also rich in oleic acid, according to an article by the Huffington Post, which lowers cholesterol and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, the article also highlights the fact that women who consume oleic acid have a lowered risk of getting breast cancer.
3. Broccoli – Another food rich in glutathione, broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables such as brussel sprouts actually help extend your life, according to researchers from the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Shanghai Cancer Institute in Shanghai, China.
4. Carrots – These delicious vegetables are also rich in glutathione, but are also packed with beta-carotenes, which is a carotenoid that your body converts to vitamin A. Carrots help maintain your vision, helps control the production of protein, and regulates cell growth.
5. Garlic – This popular seasoning is actually one of the best detoxifiers out there, boasting several health benefits, such as reducing cholesterol, helping with hypertension, and having antimicrobial properties. Garlic is antiprotozoal, antiviral and antifungal. Perhaps having some garlic breath may be worth it, after all.
Detoxifying the body takes some time by cleansing impurities from the blood and liver. Adding to your diet is one important part of it, but so is knowing what to avoid. During detoxing, eliminate coffee (yes, you read right), alcohol, cigarettes, and refined sugars for a period of time, and try stress-reducing activities such as jogging or yoga.
For best long-term results, try adding more green vegetables and fresh fruits to your diet permanently, and avoid processed foods and saturated fats.
