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Foods that Detox the Body

Foods that Detox the Body

By Dr. Lesley D’Souza, ND

So last month we talked about the benefits of detox and how simple it can be to start.  Cleaning up the diet is essential to any detox program as well as incorporating certain foods to aid in the detoxification process.  Here are some of the top foods to help you detox:

• Green leafy vegetables: Kale, spinach, watercress, arugula, chard are all full of chlorophyll which not only aids the liver in detoxification but also helps the body eliminate harmful toxins that we are exposed to on a daily basis. Whether they are eaten raw, thrown into a broth or added to juices, leafy greens are important for detox.
• Citrus: Lemon, limes, oranges are extremely high in vitamin C, which helps flush heavy metals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and aluminum out of the body.  They also help to stimulate digestive processes.  To increase detoxification, start each morning with a warm glass of lemon water.
• Beets: Beets are extremely effective for liver detoxification. They help digestion and stimulate both the kidneys and lymphatic system.
• Fresh fruit: Full of vitamin C, fibre, nutritious fluids, and an endless supply of antioxidants, fruits are an important part of any detox program. Apples are great for detoxifying the bloodstream and supporting the lymphatic system. Pectin, a type of plant fibre found in apples, is especially helpful in maintaining healthy digestion. It helps prevent the absorption of toxic heavy metals, such as aluminum, mercury, and cadmium, in the intestinal tract and ensures they are quickly eliminated from the body.
• Garlic: This pungent bulb stimulates the liver in producing detoxification enzymes that help filter out toxins in the digestive system. Also, allicin, a compound found in garlic, is extremely effective in killing a variety of bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and parasites.
• Green tea: Green tea is high in catechins — a flavonoid — which speeds up liver activity and increases the production of detoxification enzymes.  Green tea is also packed full of antioxidants which help to wash toxins out of the body.
• Broccoli sprouts: Extremely high in antioxidants, broccoli sprouts can help stimulate the detoxification enzymes in the body.  The key component responsible for these actions is called sulforaphane and spouts can contain up to 100 times more sulforaphane than mature broccoli.  These small but nutritionally powerful veggies can be found at your local health food supermarket.
• Parsley: Parsley has a wonderful detoxifying effect on the bloodstream. It is beneficial for the health of the colon, lungs, liver, kidneys, and spleen.  It also provides the body with many vitamins and nutrients, such as vitamins A and C, as well as chlorophyll.

Along with consuming some of these foods, make sure you are hydrating your body with plenty of water which a very important part of detox!

Call Lesley at 416-231-9502 to get you on the path to a healthier body!