The 20 Best Detox Foods for a Spring Cleanse
We’ve all heard the term “spring cleaning”. But as great as it feels to tidy up and organize your house after winter, it can also feel wonderful to detox your body. After months of less sunlight, more days inside, more time in front of the tv, and probably more processed foods, spring is the perfect time to reset and recharge.
Whether you want to lose weight, boost your immune system, help your body cleanse toxins, or simply feel better, a spring cleanse is an excellent way to get ready for the warmer months.
The 20 Best Cleanse Foods to Rejuvenate, Detoxify, and Recharge Your Body for Spring
Try adding these 20 cleanse foods to your diet regularly to help naturally detoxify, shed winter pounds, and recharge your body in preparation for spring and summer.
1. Avocados
Avocados are high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These satisfying, indulgent fruits also contain glutathione, a potent nutrient that supports liver detoxification and helps block carcinogens.
Try adding diced avocado on top of your omelet or fajitas, serve it as creamy guacamole, or mix it into smoothies.
2. Lemons
Lemons are notorious for their detoxification properties. As the most alkaline-forming food, lemons support the liver, help flush away toxins, and supply the body with a high dose of vitamin C.
One of the easiest ways to add lemons to your spring detox is by drinking a glass of lemon water each morning. Simply squeeze the fresh lemon juice into a glass of water and drink up to help alkalize the body, natural detox, and stabilize the body’s pH levels.
3. Almonds
With their high fiber content, almonds are a delicious way to promote the removal of impurities and keep blood sugar levels balanced. Almonds also contain protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals, including magnesium, calcium, and vitamin E. They make a perfect grab-and-go snack so you can stay healthy even if you are busy.
4. Grapefruit
Grapefruit is well-known for its fat-burning properties. It can also help support a healthy immune system, lower cholesterol, and nourish the body with important vitamins and minerals. Try eating half a grapefruit before a meal to see if it helps you eat less overall.
5. Pineapple
Got a craving for something sweet? Pineapples are the ideal healthy treat. Along with their naturally sweet, tropical flavor, pineapples are excellent for improving digestion and decreasing inflammation.
Bromelain, an enzyme found in pineapple, helps digest protein, soothe an upset stomach, and provides various other health benefits.
6. Ginger
Used medicinally for thousands of years, ginger is a powerful way to supply your body with antioxidants that can help fight free radicals and decrease inflammation. It can be prepared as a nutrient-dense tea or minced up to add a spicy, warming flavor to meals.
7. White or Green Tea
Both green and white tea is loaded with antioxidants, making them the perfect addition to a spring cleanse. These antioxidants help identify and eliminate free radicals in the body to increase overall wellness, decrease inflammation, and lower the risk of illnesses related to chronic oxidative stress.
Green and white tea also contain polyphenols, compounds that can reduce inflammation, support healthy blood vessels, support healthy blood sugar levels, and promote good circulation. Polyphenols can also promote the production of extra heat in the body – a process known as thermogenesis – to help support calorie burn and weight loss.
Try replacing any juices or sodas with green or white tea instead and watch the winter pounds start disappearing.
8. Blueberries
These delicious berries contain a variety of health-supporting compounds, including:
- Vitamin C
- Polyphenols
- Manganese
- Vitamin K1
- Potassium
- Quercetin
- Anthocyanin – This pigment, which gives blueberries their vibrant blue color, acts as a potent antioxidant that fights free radicals and provides various health benefits.
- Fiber – Dietary fiber gets digested by the good bacteria in the gut, leading to the production of fuel for bowel cells. This process supports healthy digestion and balanced immune function. Even better, fiber binds to harmful compounds, helping to prevent them from getting reabsorbed by the bowel into the bloodstream.
While fresh blueberries may not be in season yet, frozen blueberries are readily available and just as healthy.
9. Kale
Kale is a beloved superfood for a reason. It is brimming with vitamins, fiber, minerals, and potent antioxidants. With its impressive nutritional profile, kale can help boost the metabolism, support the body’s natural cleansing systems, and support overall well-being.
Try adding kale to omelets, smoothies, or enjoying it as part of a big salad.
10. Asparagus
Feeling bloated? Try adding some asparagus to your diet. Asparagus is an effective way to help cleanse the kidneys and reduce water retention.
It contains inulin, a starchy type of fiber that feeds the friendly bacteria in our gut. Asparagus is also one of the richest sources of glutathione. With its low-calorie count but high fiber content, asparagus is the ideal detox food to include in your spring cleanse.
11. Radishes
Radishes contain fiber and sulfurous mustard oil that helps stimulate the circulatory system, liver, and kidneys – a perfect detox food!
Their high sulfur content, along with vitamin C and silicon, helps support healthy skin and hair from the inside out.
With their sharp, unique taste, radishes are a great way to add a burst of flavor and nutrients to meals and snacks. Try dipping them in hummus for an easy, healthy snack that will help keep you satisfied until your next meal.
12. Spinach
Spinach is bursting with beneficial vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients. It is especially rich in vitamin K, antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, and other key nutrients.
Try adding this neutral-flavored leafy green to smoothies, omelets, salads, and even soups (add at the very end until the spinach is just wilted).
13. Green Peas
Green peas are packed with antioxidants, easy to digest, and rich in fiber. They are also low in fat and calories but high in nutrients.
Green peas are a versatile ingredient with a neutral flavor that goes well in a variety of recipes. Try adding green peas to soups, stews, and casseroles.
14. Dandelions
Think dandelions are an annoying weed? Think again. These sunny spring plants can be an effective, FREE detox food that you can pick right out of your backyard.
Along with their bright, cheerful color, dandelions have another benefit: nutrient-packed roots and leaves. Dandelion roots and leaves are powerful cleansing agents that can support the liver, stimulate digestive juices, and promote the digestion of fats. Dandelions contain almost 50 substances that can help support natural detoxification.
Best of all? Spring is the ideal time to consume the leaves as they tend to get more bitter in summer. Try adding a handful of fresh dandelion leaves to a salad or a smoothie, making sure the leaves have not been sprayed by any pesticides. You can also use the roots to make a natural detox tea.
15. Celery
When you eat celery, your body burns more calories digesting it than it even contains. That makes it a negative calorie food – great for a cleanse! Celery is also high in fiber and water, making it an ideal way to assist the colon in digesting and cleansing.
16. Turmeric
Turmeric has especially potent antioxidants that increase anti-inflammatory enzymes to support the body’s natural cleansing process. It is also known to promote detoxification thanks to its high content of vitamin C, potassium, and sulfur.
Add turmeric to your diet by sprinkling it on omelets and adding it to casseroles, soups, and stews.
17. Cabbage
Cabbage contains high levels of vitamin C and sulfur, making it a powerful way to support the body’s natural cleansing process. It also helps activate enzymes in the liver that detoxify the body.
Other vegetables with high sulfur content include:
- Onions
- Carrots
- Kale
- Beets
- Asparagus
- Artichoke
Cabbage also contains powerful compounds such as sinigrin and lupeol which provide various health benefits.
18. Artichokes
With their low calories and high fiber content, artichokes are a wonderful food to include in a spring detox. Abundant in nutrients, artichokes support the liver and gallbladder as they work to detox harmful chemicals.
19. Garlic
With anti-fungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties, garlic is a true superfood that makes it a perfect way to support a spring cleanse. It contains a variety of compounds and antioxidants that are beneficial for detoxing.
Just a small amount of minced garlic can add a massive burst of flavor to any meal. Try adding it to casseroles, soups, stews, salsas, and dips for an instant flavor hit.
20. Apples
These popular snacks contain pectin, a soluble fiber that helps rid the bloodstream of toxins supports healthy cholesterol levels and provides a range of other health benefits.
One study even discovered that the pectin in apples can aid in excreting toxins, such as lead and mercury.
Tips for Choosing the Best Detox Foods
When choosing the best foods for a cleanse, try to aim for options that are:
- Easy to digest
- Alkaline forming
- Rich in antioxidants
- Rich in anti-inflammatory compounds
- An excellent source of fiber
- Hydrating (high water content)
If you want to take your spring to cleanse to the next level, Nutritional Cleansing with Isagenix can help you achieve noticeable weight loss and wellness results. Using the benefits of intermittent fasting, Isagenix created a program that takes the guesswork and hassles out of losing weight.
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