Detox is the body’s natural process of neutralizing or eliminating toxins from the body. Our body performs detox processes by itself. However, certain foods can assist the process or even help speed it up.

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Here are 10 foods that help detox:

1. Green Vegetables

Green vegetables contain a green pigment called chlorophyll. Chlorophyll helps the body to get rid of harmful environmental toxins such as heavy metals, pesticides and smoke. It is also a powerful antioxidant, which aids liver detox.

Besides being high in fiber, green vegetables are high in vitamin A, C, E, iron, calcium and essential nutrients that aid in detox.

2. Citrus Fruits

Citrus fruits such as lemon, oranges and limes flush out toxins and jump-start the digestive system in the enzymatic process. Lemon juice aids the liver in its cleaning process while vitamin C converts toxins into digestive material and restores the body acid-alkaline balance. So, start the day with a glass of lemon juice in warm water.

3. Garlic

Garlic contains a chemical called allicin that reacts with the blood to create a product that is capable of killing off harmful bacteria and viruses. Garlic helps to stimulate the liver into producing detoxifying enzymes. So, add some cooked garlic into any dish to reap the benefits.


4. Broccoli

Broccoli is high in antioxidants that also stimulate the detoxification enzyme in the digestive tract. Broccoli shoot (sprout) is more effective than the fully grown vegetable.

5. Green Tea

Green tea contains catechins, which is a powerful antioxidant that improves liver function. Drinking green tea enables the fluid to flush the toxins from the systems.

6. Legumes

Legumes are beans. For example, mug beans are high in fiber, and antioxidants absorbing toxic residue on the side of the intestinal wall. They have been used in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years.

7. Raw Vegetables

Vegetables when eaten raw or in the form of juices, contains powerful antioxidants. They are high in sulphur content that help the liver to detoxify and purge harmful chemicals. Examples of vegetables that can be eaten raw are onions, carrots, artichoke, asparagus, cabbage kale, Brussel sprouts, cauliflower, garlic and beet.

8. Seeds and Nuts

Both seeds and nuts are high in minerals such as manganese, selenium and fiber, that increase the fighting power of the white blood cells and aid in detox.

• Seeds – flax, pumpkin, sesame, sunflower
• Nuts – almond and walnut

9. Seaweeds

Seaweeds or kelps come in many varieties. They are high in magnesium and iodine. The minerals help to burn off excess fat and remove excess fluid stored in the body. So, it helps to flush out toxins from the body via the excess fat and fluids.

10. Spices

Spices have powerful cleansing properties that help the body to remove toxins:

• Turmeric– contains curcumin, an anti-inflammatory agent and removes the body of bacteria, fungi and worms as well as accelerates the removal of toxins.
• Cinnamon– has natural cleansing actions that kill bacteria and fungi in the digestive tract.
• Cayenne pepper– cleanse the large intestine, kills worms and parasites as well as cleansing the sweat glands.

These are some of the examples of many wholesome foods that help in detox. Eat them regularly in your diet and you will find your body cells functioning at the optimum.

What other foods do you know that help in detox? Share with me in the comment box below!

_{This post was first published on Look Good Feel Great Always blog and has been reposted on Executive Lifestyle with the permission of the author.}

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