Detox: Top Foods To Incorporate
“Detox” is and has been a buzz word for a while. It’s trendy, hip, cool and offers a quick way to beat the bloat, regain energy and boost mental clarity. And if you haven’t noticed, there’s certainly no shortage in cleanses, detox kits and liver protocols on the market!
Truth be told, keeping your liver happy, clean and functioning optimally doesn’t come from one juice cleanse, fast or lemon/cayenne pepper/maple syrup tonic featured in the Master Cleanse. To achieve health and vitality, you need to be supporting this organ on a DAILY basis.
Here are the top food to incorporate into your daily diet for liver support:
Cruciferous vegetables - from broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts and kale to cabbage and arugula, this category of vegetables promotes both critical phases of liver detoxification. Helpful for releasing toxins (from storage in the tissues of the body), these sulfur-rich vegetables also provide essential nutrients to actually get them OUT of the body (THE most important step). Cruciferous vegetables are also high in fiber, vitamin C and indole-3-carbinol, a compound that fights cancer and assists in estrogen metabolism.
From raw kale salads to adding steamed cauliflower into smoothies (a personal fav), there are many ways to incorporate this family of veggies into your diet. Note: if you have a thyroid condition, I recommend eating more cooked, rather than raw, cruciferous vegetables.
Lemon - although acidic in natural, lemon is actually incredibly alkalizing once processed through the gastrointestinal tract. Rich in vitamin C (a potent antioxidant), flavonoids and citric acid, lemons help boost the immune system, cleanse the bowels, support detoxification, aid digestion and prevent free radical damage.
Starting your morning with a mug of warm lemon water is one of the best things that you can do for your liver (and body). You can also add fresh lemon juice to smoothies, salad dressings and sauces or use it as a finishing touch on everything from cod and salmon to yogurt parfaits.
Bitter leafies - bitter foods stimulate the liver to produce bile, a substance that assists in fat digestion and nutrient absorption. Packed with vitamins A, C and K, antioxidants and minerals, bitter leafy vegetables, such as radicchio, endive, frisée, mustard greens, nettles, dandelion greens and arugula, also help reduce sugar cravings, strengthen the bones, and prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
These bitter leafies can be incredibly overpowering, so you only need a small amount to reap the benefits. I recommend adding at least 1 bitter element to your salads and/or soups. You can also sip on dandelion root or nettle tea which is great for the liver, kidneys and mitigating seasonal allergy symptoms.
Cilantro - with potent anti-inflammatory, anti fungal and antimicrobial properties and significant chelating abilities, this herb helps bind heavy metals such as mercury and eliminate them from the body.
Great in traditional Mexican dishes such as tacos, guacamole and pico de gallo, cilantro can also be added to green smoothies. Want to maximize this herb’s shelf life? Wrap unwashed cilantro in a slightly damp paper towel and place it in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator where it’ll keep for up to a week.
Beets - a potent blood purifier and cleansing agent, beets also stimulate bile flow and activate liver enzymes that support the liver and aid detoxification. This root vegetable is also rich in nitric oxide (NO), a compound that triggers vasodilation (widening of the blood vessels) which increases oxygen delivery to the brain, muscles and other cells of the body. Beets not only support the liver, heart and blood, they’re also a natural performance enhancer that athletes often use as pre-workout fuel.
Improve brain power and energy by drinking fresh beet juice. You can also steam, sauté or roast beets and add them to salads, smoothies or homemade hummus.
We live in a toxic world and our poor livers need all the support they can get. By adding more cruciferous veggies, bitter leafies, lemon, beets and cilantro to your everyday diet, you’ll start noticing better energy, mood and brain power with less inflammation, breakouts and cravings. Yes please!