9 + 1 amazing foods that will naturally help your fitness [Article]

9 + 1 Amazing Foods That Will Naturally Detox Your Body

This article will introduce you to ten foods which will naturally detox your body. If you drink a lot of fizzy drinks and mainly have potatoes as a side dish, this article is for you. You will find practical tips on how to cook and consume more healthy options. The article was originally published on bookculinaryvacations.com. I have added my personal experiences and comments to enhance the content for you.

Here we are at the beginning of a new diet. Maybe you are trying to lose weight because the doctor told you so? Maybe you want to get your six-pack to show for winter? Maybe you can not look at yourself anymore in the mirror without feeling uncomfortable? All reasons to start a new regime.

The good thing is there are foods which can help you without having to cut back too much on the intake. Some foods even actively detox your body. Here are some examples for you. Try this before you go crazy.

There are plenty of yummy options out there. In addition, they also detox and cleanse your body. Here are ten examples for your next shopping.

Dark Leafy Greens

Be honest, what did you really have with your last steak? The dark leafy greens or something a bit more palatable. When it comes to me I find it hard to resist the fries as a side. I will also have a chocolate brownie afterward.

Getting healthier starts with these little choices. You can still have the brownie, but maybe try dark leafy greens instead of the oily chips.

Dark leafy greens are perfect for delicious side and snack salads. They boost chlorophyll levels in the digestive tract. This helps the body to get rid of environmental toxins. Some good options are:

Watercress – contains 228% of the daily recommended dose of vitamin D per 100 grams
Chinese cabbage – a source of calcium and iron
Chard – prevents diabetes
Beet greens – contains 5 grams of fiber per serving
Spinach – a great source of iron
Radicchio – one of the best dietary sources of polyphenols
Lettuce – provides 100% of the daily dose of vitamin K
Parsley – packed with vitamin K
Romaine lettuce – packs high levels of folic acid
Collard greens – has cholesterol-lowering benefits.

Cucumbers

Cucumbers are next on the list. They make an excellent last minute snack when you expect guests together with a little dip. You can also fry them together with tomatoes and carrots for a quick hot pan. Just add some chili and you have a healthy snack.

Cucumbers are often overlooked in the kitchen. They support the digestive tract, cleanse the liver, help us stay hydrated, and reduce bloating and water retention.

Some even drink the juice of cucumbers to cure eczema and gout. The perfect mix of fiber and water is also said to help with constipation and kidney stones.

Carrots

Carrots combined with cucumbers are still a good snack with a dip as mentioned before. My mother always used to say that eating a lot of carrots is good for your eyes. Maybe that was her trick to get me to eat them when I was younger.

Carrots are full of Vitamin A. This is why they are said to help with your eyes. Vitamin A helps the liver to flush out toxins. It also reduces fat in the liver. The fiber helps to clean out your colon.

My mother has not been entirely wrong. Vitamin A is used in the retina of your eye. It is turned into a purple pigment which helps with night vision. Beta-carotene, on the other hand, slows down aging.

You can have a glass of carrot juice. If you don't like this, grate them and add them to a salad.

Beetroot

I have been introduced to Beetroot by my Irish wife. While it is fairly popular in Ireland it was not part of my upbringing in Germany.

Beetroot contains betaine. Betaine helps to regenerate cells in the liver. A healthy liver helps you to get rid of toxins faster out of your body.

Folic acid, manganese, and potassium can also be found in beetroot. All of these ingredients help to increase the numbers of white cells in your body. This makes you also more robust.

My wife uses beetroot mainly in salads to take away as snacks or in side dishes for dinner. You can also put beetroot into a mixer with carrots and apple to create a healthy smoothie/juice.

Lemons

Lemons are a good way of making your water more interesting. If you already try to consume more water get some lemons and put them in. Not the newest trick in the book and often overlooked.

As well as others citrus fruits lemons are great for the digestive system. They stimulate the body to release enzymes for digestion and vitamin C. Vitamin C helps to convert toxins into water-soluble forms. This makes it easier for your body to eliminate them.

Vitamin C also helps to battle anemia. The citric acid of lemons supports the absorption of iron from plants. If you were to have a salad with lemon induced water it is a one-two punch to detox your body. Other fields lemons can be helpful for are heart disease, kidney stones, reducing cancer risk and weight loss.

If you don't like the taste of lemon in your everyday drinks use them instead of vinegar for salads.

Artichokes

Artichokes are great for good antipasti. Serve them together with some cheese and cold meats on a platter. Put oil and balsamico on them and voila, you have made a sophisticated Mediterranean dish with minimum effort.

Artichokes help in the production of bile. Bile purifies and protects the liver. Wehn you start with artichokes try the pickled ones first. Out of the listed superfoods, artichokes can be an acquired taste and are not as straightforward as lemons and carrots to prepare.

If you are not up for cooking try a pizza with artichokes on top instead. At least someone else has to do the work then when you are just starting out.

Cabbage

Cabbage is high in sulfur and vitamin C. Based on this it helps to purify your blood and removes toxins in the process.

My wife likes to serve cabbage with German sausages and a sauce cream. The cabbage has been cooked in the pan for a while before serving up.

In addition to vitamin, C cabbage has a high concentration of iodine. Iodine helps your nervous system to function properly. Vitamin is also in this "kraut" and keeps the skin, eyes, and hair healthy. If you have a lot of muscle aches after squat day, have some Sauerkraut. It is a good source of lactic acid which helps to minimize muscle pain.

If you mix cabbage with carrots and leafy greens you get a powerful detox salad. Swap the vinegar with lemon to make it tastier and you already have 4 out of our 10 superfoods in one serving.

Garlic

Garlic also helps to detoxify your body as it stimulates the liver to produce enzymes. These enzymes filter toxic residues from the digestive system. The sulfur compounds in garlic prevent organ damage from heavy metal toxicity. Studies have shown that a high dose of garlic can reduce the number of days sick with the cold or flu by 61%. TO finish things off garlic has a positive impact on blood pressure and cholesterol.

When I make any dish with minced beef I never skip the part of the process where I add fresh chopped garlic and onions. It is pretty easy to do and often overlooked as it adds more chopping to the cooking process. If you are annoyed by chopping, get a food processor for these tasks.

The smell of garlic can be off-putting. Avoid it when you plan to go to a social occasion.

Apple

Apples are a further stimulant of bile. They are also full of fiber which helps your digestive system. The B-complex vitamins maintain red blood which keeps your nervous system in good health.

Little known fact is that the acidity of apples can damage your teeth. Rather than having them as a snack, include them in your meals instead to lower the risk.

My grandmother always gave me a glass of milk, a glass of orange juice, one apple and a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Some might debate the value of this combination, but it worked. I ate all of it.

Again, the good old salad is your go-to place. Combine cabbage, apples, carrot, and beetroot for a strong, well-balanced experience.

Tea

Tea is a great legal stimulant which people drink all over the world. I and my wife have lived for many years in Ireland and that does not come without a fair share of tea.

The UK and Ireland are amongst the biggest tea drinkers in the world. Here is a list with some surprises on them:

Black tea is usually the go-to default. Recently a whole industry of alternatives teas has sprung up imitating the approaches of Starbucks. Especially in Berlin, you can see that Mate and other products find broad interest.

If you want to try something else go for dandelion or green tea. Dandelion filters toxins and waste from the bloodstream. Green tea is full of antioxidants. The green alternative also has proven effective for weight loss.

Make it a habit to swap 2 or 3 cups of water a day with tea. Maybe even rotate the different variants.

Conclusion

Diet is a big factor in your well being. I personally underestimate it a lot and find it hard to stay away from sugar and junk foods. During the week I try to be good. The weekends are reserved for socializing. There is when I get some alcohol or sugar. You only live once.

This article was originally written by Cris Puscas. Cris Puscas is a contributing writer at BookDetoxRetreats.com. Passionate about Mediterranean food and countries, she loves to discover healthy vegan recipes to try.