What should I drink during a cleanse?

Beverages Coconut water. Drinks or smoothies with healthful ingredients. Herbal teas, such as rooibos tea, cinnamon tea, ginger tea. Infused water (sometimes called "detox water") Kombucha (unsweetened) Lemon water. Mineral or seltzer water. Plant-based "milks" such as rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk. More items... •

verywellfit.com - Detox Foods: Can You Detox Your Body With Food? - Verywell Fit

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There are often trendy diets or eating plans touted for their benefits of “detoxing” and “cleansing” the body. However, many of these claims are not based on scientific research and can even be harmful. In fact, a 2015 review concluded that there was no compelling research to support the use of detox diets for weight management or eliminating toxins from the body. Meanwhile, a 2017 review said that juicing and detox diets can cause initial weight loss because of low intake of calories but that they tend to lead to weight gain once a person resumes a normal diet. While the concept of a detox or cleanse is not inherently unhealthy, the results they claim to offer are typically misleading. Plus, following detox diets or crash dieting to achieve weight loss can lead to gaining additional weight or trigger disordered eating. Ultimately, a detox diet is unnecessary because the body is an amazing thing, and it can detox itself. However, there are nutritious foods that can help you reset your eating plan. Rather than aiming for a short-term regimen, consider how to incorporate these foods into a balanced eating plan that can be sustained for the long term, to keep your body functioning at its best. Here is what you need to know detox foods.

What Is a Detox Food?

There isn’t one food that can magically detox your body. Instead, many different types of foods that contribute to your overall health. Here is what you need to know about detox food.

Foods With Antioxidants

Antioxidants are substances that may protect cells in your body from free radical damage that can occur from exposure to certain chemicals, smoking, pollution, radiation, and as a byproduct of normal metabolism. Dietary antioxidants include selenium, vitamin A and related carotenoids, vitamins C and E, plus various phytochemicals such as lycopene, lutein, and quercetin. Natural sources of antioxidants are an excellent choice for their anti-inflammatory properties. Many studies have confirmed their success in this area, and they’re being recommended more and more in place of medicinal offerings due to the lack of negative side effects.

Foods With Prebiotics

Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that are often added to "functional foods." These ingredients are believed to promote the growth of helpful gut bacteria—thereby increasing gastrointestinal health and potentially providing other health benefits. Ongoing research has shown that prebiotics may provide health benefits to the general population. These benefits include improved calcium absorption, decreases in allergy risk, improved immune system defense, and other positive effects on metabolism.

Foods With Fiber

Fiber is known for its role in digestion, but that’s not the only health benefit. Dietary fiber promotes several additional health benefits, including better control of cholesterol and blood sugar, and lowering risk of diabetes or heart disease. Fiber also aids in weight loss, preventing obesity, and even reducing the risk of cancer.

Foods That Are Heart-Healthy

Foods that are good for your heart can help your body detox by lowering your levels of “bad” cholesterol. High levels of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol can cause plaque to form in your arteries. In turn, this can lead to a range of serious conditions, such as coronary artery disease (CAD) and peripheral artery disease (PAD), among others. These diseases are leading causes of heart attack and stroke.

Foods That Are Hydrating

Hydration is incredibly important for your body. Drinking enough water is key to all health pursuits, including any detoxifying efforts. It’s also important to monitor your salt intake. Excess sodium (above the recommended maximum of 2,300 milligrams a day) can have negative impacts on your health. Additionally, food that is high in sodium is often unhealthy in other ways.

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Vegetables

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Vegetables are rich in phytochemicals (naturally-occurring plant chemicals) that are being explored for their potential to regulate hormones, stimulate the immune system, and prevent damage to the body's cells. It's helpful and healthy to incorporate vegetables into most meals to get the recommended 2 to 4 cups per day. Vegetables thought to be particularly good for a liver detox include onions, garlic, beets, artichokes, and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collard greens, kale, and Brussels sprouts. Other healthy vegetables to incorporate into your diet to maintain an overall healthy and detoxifying diet include asparagus, carrots, celery, cucumbers, endives, jicama, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, okra, parsnips, radishes, rutabaga, snow peas, spinach, sprouts, squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, watercress, yams, yucca, zucchini, and sea vegetables including arame, dulse, hijiki, kelp, nori sheets, and wakame.

Fruit

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Like vegetables, fruits contain phytonutrients that may provide health benefits. The USDA dietary guidelines recommend healthy adults incorporate at least 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 cups of fruit per day. Choose whole fruit (fresh or frozen), such as apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, cranberries, grapefruit, figs, grapes, guava, kiwi, lemon, lime, loganberries, mango, melon, nectarines, oranges, papaya, peaches, pears, pineapple, plums, pomegranate, prunes, raspberries, strawberries, tangerines, and watermelon.

Whole Grains and Complex Carbs

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Carbs are often thought of as the enemy, but there are many carbs beyond bread and pasta. Experiment and try other sources of whole grains and complex carbs, such as:

Amaranth

Arrowroot

Barley

Buckwheat

Farro

Freekeh

Millet

Oats

Quinoa

Rice

Sweet potato

Tapioca

Teff

Wild rice

Winter squash

Unrefined whole grains are preferred, but also try products made from the above ingredients, including brown rice pasta, buckwheat soba noodles, glass noodles, kelp noodles, mung bean noodles, shirataki noodles, rice crackers, quinoa flakes, gluten-free bread, and rice bran.

Beans and Legumes

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Beans and legumes are high in fiber, protein, and iron. Try:

Split yellow and green peas

Lentils (red, brown, green, yellow, French, du Puy)

Other beans and legumes, such as adzuki, cannellini, chickpeas, black, black-eyed peas, kidney, and lima.

Fats

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Many people avoid food with fat in it during a cleanse, but eating good fats from sources such as foods like avocado, raw nuts and seeds, and nut and seed butter is actually beneficial. Consider:

Almonds

Brazil nuts

Cashews

Chia

Coconut

Flax seeds

Hazelnuts

Hemp seeds, hemp nuts, hemp hearts

Macadamia nuts

Nut and seed butter, such as tahini, almond butter, cashew nut butter

Pecans

Pistachios

Poppy Seeds

Pumpkin

Sesame seeds

Sunflower seeds

Walnuts

If you're cooking with oil, try to use high-quality, cold-pressed, unrefined oils, such as:

Almond oil

Avocado oil

Coconut oil

Flax oil

Hazelnut oil

Hemp oil

Olive oil

Pumpkin oil

Safflower oil

Safflower, sesame, and sunflower oils in limited amounts

Walnut oil

Dairy and Dairy Substitutes

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Although cleanses will often recommend that you drop dairy temporarily, some include probiotic-rich organic yogurt and kefir. Instead of cow's milk, consider trying one of these plant-based milks:

Avocado milk

Coconut milk

Hemp seed milk

Nut milk, such as almond or cashew milk (unsweetened)

Rice milk (unsweetened)

Beverages

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

In general, it's a good idea to use your thirst to guide how much you drink, although some people have conditions that may require them to drink more or less. While resetting your body through nutrition you may decide to limit your alcohol, coffee, and soda intake, swapping in herbal, green, or white tea. Here are some other beverage options:

Coconut water

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Drinks or smoothies with healthful ingredients

Herbal teas, such as rooibos tea, cinnamon tea, ginger tea

Infused water (sometimes called "detox water")

Kombucha (unsweetened)

(unsweetened) Lemon water

Mineral or seltzer water

Plant-based "milks" such as rice milk, almond milk, hemp milk

True tea such as green tea and white tea

Unsweetened juice made from allowed fruits and vegetables

If you can't face the day without your morning cup of coffee, try limiting it to no more than one 8-ounce cup (and avoid dairy milk or creamer and added sweetener).

Condiments

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Fresh and dried herbs and spices can make any meal more flavorful, without adding sugar or salt. Chop some fresh herbs such as basil, chives, cilantro, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, sage, tarragon, or thyme. Spices to cook with include allspice, anise, caraway seeds, cardamom, celery seeds, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, nutmeg, saffron, tamarind, or turmeric. Fresh or raw ginger and garlic can instantly make meals more interesting. Here are some other condiments and ingredients to consider:

Baking soda or baking powder

Cacao powder and cacao nibs

powder and cacao nibs Carob powder

Coconut amino acids

Fish sauce

Lemons and limes

Miso

Mustard

Nama shoyu

Nutritional yeast

Olives

Sea salt

Vinegar (e.g. apple cider vinegar, balsamic, coconut, red or white wine, rice vinegar)

Wheat-free tamari

Sugar and Other Sweeteners

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Limiting your overall intake of sweets and sugar from all sources will go a long way. If you are going to use a sweetener, choose natural sources such as the following:

Blackstrap molasses

Brown rice syrup

Coconut nectar

Dried fruit, sparingly

Fruit jam

Honey

Maple syrup

Monk fruit

Stevia

For dessert, choose whole, fresh fruit or try frozen desserts or puddings made with nut milk (or yogurt) and fruit. We've tried, tested, and reviewed the best sugar alternatives. If you're looking for an alternative to sugar, explore which option may be best for you.

Animal Protein

Verywell / Alexandra Shytsman

Protein is an important macronutrient that your body needs for a number of different functions. Here are some options for protein that you may want to consider.

Anchovies and sardines

Organic turkey

Organic chicken, preferably pastured

Wild, cold-water fish, such as Alaskan salmon

Wild game, such as bison, pheasant, quail, venison, buffalo, ostrich

Eggs

A Word From Verywell

When it comes to resetting your body nutritionally, you should deprive yourself, skip meals, or complete an overly restrictive juice cleanse. The ultimate goal is to make these healthful and tasty foods a part of your everyday routine and to make positive lifestyle changes that will last even after any type of detoxing is over. Use this time to experiment with new recipes and cooking methods. You may discover, for instance, that spaghetti squash isn't much harder to prepare than pasta. Likewise, roasted cauliflower can be a satisfying snack if seasoned with herbs or that nut milk is a delicious alternative to cow's milk. Most importantly, look for healthy foods that you will enjoy eating.

verywellfit.com - Detox Foods: Can You Detox Your Body With Food? - Verywell Fit