Whenever I used to hear the word ‘detox,’ I would instantly picture Gwyneth Paltrow sipping an herb infused water while munching on a big bowl of kale for three days straight. Although that may be great for Gwyn, it’s not the most ideal way for the rest of us. People always ask what it means to detox, to which nutritionists or health gurus will answer by saying something along the lines of: it’s cleansing, purifying, ridding your body of free radicals. Basically they’re saying, “You know all that pizza you devoured after being at happy hour for five hours last night while that one guy kept blowing his smoke in your face? Yeah let’s get rid of that!” So I’ve compiled a list of some foods that will help detox, or boost, your health.
Let’s get started!
Apples
Apples are an amazing fruit. They’re packed with insoluble fiber, which is great for your digestion, and a soluble fiber called pectin that lowers cholesterol and soaks up any unwanted metals in the body. Super convenient and quick to eat on the go, they’re the perfect snack for busy collegiates who want to keep things simple and clean.
Tip: Slicing the fruit before heading out makes it super discreet to munch on during class. To keep the slices from turning brown, squeeze some lemon juice on them and they’ll stay fresh!
Broccoli
Wipe out the memories of your childhood traumas with this vegetable and start chowing down. Just one cup of broccoli has over 100% of your daily values for Vitamin C and K!
Named by doctors one of the healthiest foods in the world, broccoli is a powerful antioxidant that helps fight off cancer cells with a trio of phytonutrients that help activate cell growth and eliminate any toxins, like cigarette smoke.
Tip: Try dipping these little trees in some hummus. The fiber and protein will fill you up.
Ginger
A fun night of partying can quickly turn into a miserable morning of bloating and nausea…not exactly how you’d choose to start your day. Cure your poor stomach and reduce that puffy feeling by having some ginger. It’s been proven to help stomach distress better than over the counter medicine and is great for calming down any inflammation you have in your body. But it’s a bit spicy, so start off with a small amount!
Tip: Try adding a slice to a cup of tea or adding a chunk to smoothies to amp up the flavor.
Avocado
This popular fruit supplies a healthy amount of monounsaturated fats to your diet, which are key to keeping your heart healthy. It also contains glutathione, which helps to block absorption of certain fats in your intestines, so it’s waist-friendly too!
Tip: A little goes a long way. One-fourth of an avocado is usually the recommended amount by most nutritionists.
Cilantro
You may be used to eating it in salsa and guacamole and that’s about it, but this green herb is small but mighty. It specializes in clearing out heavy metals from your body that have accumulated from the foods you eat, like mercury in some fish. These metals can lead to thyroid problems, depression, and various cancers over time, so it’s best to kick them out now!
Tip: Chop some up and toss it in a salad for extra flavor. Or make some homemade guac and reap the benefits of two detox foods at once!
Now that you have an idea of how simple detoxing is, you can stop thinking about Gwyneth crunching a carrot mid-yoga pose, and enjoy the benefits for yourself!