Food & recipes

Top 5 Detox Foods

Get your body back to its best

The festive season is well and truly over, leaving a lot of us feeling as limp as the now abandoned Christmas tree. Bad skin, extra unwanted pounds and fatigue are all fairly common at this time of year after weeks of partying and indulgence.

“Eating rich foods and drinking more alcohol than you’re used to can take their toll on your energy levels as well as your waistline,” says fitness expert George Choy (busyparentfitness.com). To help you revitalise your body and combat the effects of the last month, George has recommended the following foods and drinks.

1 WATER

Whether you’re trying to detox or not, water is key for good health and hydration so you should always be sipping it throughout the day. It offers a long list of benefits, such as carrying nutrients to our cells, helping with digestion, flushing waste and toxins out of our bodies and keeping the kidneys in good condition.

2 OMEGA 3

You can’t really go wrong with foods containing omega 3, which helps to reduce inflammation and protect the liver as well as working wonders for the skin and protecting it from sun damage. People tend to think of oily fish, like salmon, mackerel and sardines, to get their omega 3 hit, but if you’re not a fan of seafood then fear not. Other good sources include pasture-raised eggs and leafy green vegetables, or you can take a supplement.

3 LEMONS

It’s well known that a lot of celebs and health gurus (including our very own Jayney Goddard) start their day with a glass of lemon water, and with good reason. Lemons contain strongly alkaline minerals as well as high levels of magnesium, potassium and sodium, so the fruit has a powerful alkalising effect on the body. It also supports liver detoxification, helps to cleanse the intestines and reduces bloating.

4 BEETROOT

Beetroots are a powerful food for supporting liver function. They’re high in antioxidants and contain a range of nutrients that have been shown to help cleanse and detoxify the body. These include betaine, which helps the liver cells to eliminate toxins, and betalains, pigments with strong anti-inflammatory properties which encourage the detoxification process. Beets are also an extremely versatile vegetable – you can use them in salads, smoothies, veggie burgers and even cakes!

5 GREEN TEA

Here at Natural Health we love a cup of green tea, and we’ve got a shelf packed with all different kinds. Like beetroots, green tea is high in antioxidants and offers a wide range of benefits for the body, such as neutralising free radicals, improving digestion, burning fat and boosting immunity. Time to put the kettle on!

Article by

Emily McMullin

Article by

Emily McMullin