The Detox Diet refers to a process that helps the body eliminate toxic substances. It is not a novelty since, if we refer to the past, cures and even fasting retreats were made in ancient times.
In particular, the Detox Diet seeks to purify the body and has been shown to provide health benefits. Based on the intake of cleansing juices, this diet has regained popularity due to its apparent beneficial effects.
In the Detox Diet plan, the blends to consume are based on organic ingredients. Fruits, vegetables, cereals and superfoods are recommended to cleanse the body of toxins and increase the absorption of vitamins and antioxidants.
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How to do the Detox Diet
This diet consists of helping through different mechanisms so that the body can eliminate toxic substances, make the body work more efficiently and even lose a few kilos healthily.
Thus, doing the Detox Diet implies providing “extra support” to the organs that cleanse the body, such as the liver, kidneys, etc.; following this plan, the toxins accumulated daily through food are eliminated naturally.
Before starting the Detox Diet, preparing the body to optimize its cleansing effects is essential. To do this, the day before starting the detoxification plan, it is necessary to eliminate foods such as meats of all kinds, alcohol and coffee, which can be substituted for green tea. Ideally, follow a diet based on fresh fruits and boiled or raw vegetables.
There are different types of detox diets, from those that only last one day and are almost fast to those of 3 or 7 days that, in addition to detoxifying the body, help to lose weight.
For example, in a 3-day Detox Diet, the daily menu combines soups, creams and natural juices with solid foods such as raw vegetables and fruits, cinnamon or fish, a plan that helps make the diet more bearable and the body does not suffer if you are not used to doing semi-fasts only with liquids.
What to eat on the Detox Diet
Breakfast can be made up of an alkalizing juice (celery, cucumber, parsley leaves, lemon juice and pear or apple). At midmorning, a slice of whole wheat bread, some infusion and a fruit.
For lunch and dinner, the Detox Diet menus are light and based on fresh vegetables and fruits, seeds, and delicate sauces that add flavour without adding many calories. Vegetable-based soups that can be eaten with main meals are also allowed.
In the middle of the afternoon, you can eat fresh fruit or freshly squeezed fruit without sugar to avoid feeling hungry before dinner.
Note: It is necessary, before breakfast, to drink a glass of water with the juice of half a lemon and a teaspoon of ginger root zest if you follow a Detox Diet for several days.
Among the foods allowed in the Detox Diet are:
- Avocado.
- Cucumber.
- Carrot.
- Alfalfa sprouts.
- Berro.
- Col.
- Zucchinis.
- Celery.
- Tomato.
To flavour foods, you can use the following:
- Sesame seeds.
- Ginger.
- Soy sauce.
- Lemon juice.
- Cilantro.
- Parsley.
- She.
- Sea salt.
- Oregano.
Detox diet: Example of menus for three days
- Day 1
Breakfast
- One glass of alkalizing juice (2 celery stalks, one small cucumber, two kale leaves, parsley, juice of 1 lemon and one pear or apple).
Midmorning
- whole wheat bread, one slice.
- Fruit.
- One cup of red tea.
Lunch
- Sushi-salad (diced avocado, two small chopped cucumbers, one grated carrot, alfalfa sprouts, watercress, coriander, one nori seaweed sheet) one tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds).
- To dress the salad, one tablespoon of grated ginger mixed with one tablespoon of soy sauce and the juice of 1 lemon.
Mid-afternoon
- One carrot and one kiwi (in pieces or smoothies).
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- Zucchini soup, celery, coriander, parsley, tomatoes, garlic, sea salt and fresh oregano, all boiled with 4 cups of water.
- Day 2
Breakfast
- Fruit salad with skimmed natural yogurt and two tablespoons of oatmeal.
- One glass of soy milk.
Midmorning
- One handful of almonds.
- One glass of fruit juice.
Lunch
- Vegetable soup.
- Two slices of whole wheat bread.
- One small portion of fresh cheese.
Mid-afternoon
- One glass of detox juice (3 celery stalks, three small cucumbers and three carrots).
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- Chicken and pineapple salad.
- Day 3
Breakfast
- One serving of high-fibre cereals mixed with red fruits, oats and nuts.
- One glass of orange juice.
Midmorning
- One piece of fruit.
- One cup of green tea.
Lunch
- One grilled fish fillet with lemon juice and olive oil.
Sauteed vegetables with a tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds.
Mid-afternoon
- One glass of pineapple juice.
- One natural yogurt with pineapple chunks.
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- Lettuce and tomato salad with onion
- 100 grs. Of white cheese.
- One slice of whole wheat bread.
Variants of the Detox Diet
One of the variants of the traditional Detox Diet is the 21-day Detox Diet, a detox program only based on liquids, as it aims to cleanse the body of all kinds of toxins and lose some weight.
This 21-day detox diet only allows the following:
- Water.
- Homemade soups.
- Fruit juice.
- Fresh vegetable juices.
The idea is that during the 21 days, this detox diet lasts, they drink liquid every two hours and add menus of 1000 calories and approximately 20 grams of protein per day.
The plan is based on three principles:
- Rest
- Reduce
- Rebuild
However, following a seasonal liquid-based detox diet isn’t easy, but this 21-day plan can only be done once a year. On the contrary, detox diets of 3, 5 or 7 days are allowed once every three months.
Supplements are allowed on the 21-day detox diet as they help the
detoxification process, and the complete plan includes:
- Enzyme capsules.
- Herbal cleansing.
- Aloe Vera.
- Kidney cleansing.
- Body wraps.
- Detox baths.
- Physical exercise is a perfect ally of the detox diet in 21 days.
This type of detox and weight loss plan also recommends exercise, but only if it can be tolerated and always with the approval of your GP.
The list of recommended exercises is limited to the following:
- Walk.
- Yoga.
After completing the 21-day detox diet, the body will function more efficiently as the metabolism speeds up and the body releases the extra weight. But, it would be best to be careful when you start eating everything again because once the body is cleansed, it will not tolerate highly processed foods.
The recommendation is to return to eating normally, starting with raw and cooked vegetables and all green vegetables. As the body gets used to processing food again, others can be added, avoiding alcohol and coffee.
Contraindications of the Detox Diet
Like any food plan to detoxify and lose weight, the Detox Diet has contraindications. While it is true that it can help cleanse the body, it is also true that it can be risky for health if not done correctly and under the supervision of a nutritionist.
Among the contraindications of following the Detox Diet are the following:
- Pregnancy
It is not recommended to follow this type of diet during pregnancy because it is a time when nutrients should not be stopped.
- Diabetes
Considering that fruit juices have sugar (that of the fruit itself), it is not recommended that people with diabetes follow a detox diet.
- Hypertension
Considering that one of the side effects of detoxifying the body can cause a drop in blood pressure, as it increases diuresis and, therefore, more fluids are eliminated, causing a reduction in blood pressure, this diet is not recommended for those who are hypertensive.
Advantages and disadvantages of the Detox Diet
Benefits of the Detox Diet
- A Detox Diet helps the body detoxify and therefore makes the liver, kidneys and colon work more efficiently and healthily, in addition to losing weight because the consumption of hypercaloric foods is reduced to the maximum.
- Another advantage is that it strengthens the immune system as foods rich in vitamins C, A, and E and antioxidants such as selenium, lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene are consumed.
- It also helps to delay aging and degenerative processes, improving the quality of the skin and hair.
Disadvantages of the Detox Diet
- It is a very restrictive diet; many people suffer from “hunger attacks.”
- It can produce symptoms of tiredness.
- It can cause constipation.
Detox Diet Recipes
Following the Detox Diet is simple, but everything will be more accessible if you have some recipes. Here we share some easy and low-calorie recipes that can be included in a Detox Diet.
Whole protein shake
Adding blueberries provides a 100% natural, fresh smoothie with healthy fats and antioxidants.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of fresh blueberries.
- ½ cup frozen blueberries.
- ¼ lemon with skin (optional).
- One tablespoon of almond butter.
- Pumpkin seeds.
- Chia seeds.
- One teaspoon of hemp seeds.
- Two walnuts
- , ¼ avocado
- , ½ tablespoon of coconut butter.
- ½ cup of unsweetened almond milk.
- ½ cup of water.
Preparation
Place all the ingredients in a blender.
A process on high speed until smooth.
You can add a little more water to the shake consistency if the shake is too thick.
Detox Salad
An abundant, tasty salad where combining an infinite number of vegetables is possible.
Ingredients
- Arugula.
- Spinach.
- Red or green peppers.
- Celery.
- Mushrooms
- Carrot.
- Radish.
- Broccoli.
- Cauliflower.
- Cabbage.
- Onion.
- Artichokes
- Parsley.
- Dill.
- Cilantro.
- Mint leaves.
- ¼ avocado.
- Two tablespoons of walnuts.
- Two tablespoons of olives.
- 100 grs. Salmon.
- 100 grs. Diced chicken or turkey.
Preparation
Cut all the ingredients and place them in a bowl.
Prepare a dressing by mixing in a bowl the following ingredients that will flavour the salad: 2 tablespoons of tahini, lemon juice, one tablespoon of olive oil, and apple cider vinegar. Use it as a salad dressing.
Serve immediately to take advantage of the nutrients in the ingredients.
Detox Diet Videos
Here is an exciting video in which Dr. Lacosta comments on the properties and benefits of following a Detox Diet. And it also includes in its presentation some shakes that can be added to the detox plan.
Sources and References:
- Mikel García Iturrioz / Expert in Orthomolecular Nutrition
How to detoxify the body
- Skip Navigation LinksHealth Library
Discredited Detox Diets
- Scientific Repository of the National Institute of Health Department of Food and Nutrition
Nutritional benefits of detox juices: yes or no?
My name is Ellie Lauderdale, MD and I am USA based professional Nutritionist .
I am a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and board certified specialist in sports dietetics who is trained in integrative medicine. I have worked with hundreds of clients, from those suffering with chronic disease to professional and olympian athletes. My goal is to help optimize you from the inside so that you can feel, perform, and look your best on the outside.