If you are feeling like you would like your clothes fitting a bit better, it can be really easy to think that you just need to eat less and exercise more. While movement definitely helps, and overeating will not help your cause, choosing WHICH foods you eat is so so so important.
I know cabbage isn’t your favourite food, but I swear if you use it properly, you will start to love it. I know I have. My two favourite ways to eat it are either chopped and roasted, or in this Detox Salad Recipe that has avocado dressing.
1 cup of cooked red cabbage has 70% of your daily Vitamin C content. Vitamin C is an important nutrient for your liver’s natural detoxification pathways. The other awesome thing about cabbage is that it’s an incredible source of fiber. 1 cup has 4g of fiber - so, around 10% of your daily amount.
Are you a lemon water drinker? That’s a great way to support your liver first thing in the morning. Just squeeze 1/2 lemon into room temperature water, before eating breakfast. You can also use lemons in a super simple salad dressing with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper!
Lemons contain enzymes that your liver requires for it’s detoxification process. It’s also a great source of Vitamin C.
Isn’t it funny how all the vegetables you perhaps hated as a kid (cabbage & Brussel’s sprouts) are actually sooooo good for you? I recommend roasting your Brussel’s sprouts in some oil, salt & pepper and let them get a bit crispy. They taste so much better that way than boiled (in my opinion).
Brussel’s sprouts, much like cabbage, are part of the cruciferous family of vegetables. Cruciferous veggies contain something called DIM, which has been shown to reduce the proliferation and migration of certain breast cancer cells. Why is this important for detox? Well, DIM can help metabolize excess estrogen in the body and excess estrogen is a cause of excess weight.
If you ever get heartburn, apple cider vinegar is a fabulous natural cure. Take a swig of it and watch your heartburn disappear. It’s also good for stimulating a sluggish digestive system. I often put ACV in my salad dressing recipes.
In terms of detox & weight-loss, apple cider vinegar can help manage blood sugar and insulin levels. One study found that the acetic acid in vinegar helped to reduce belly fat and waist circumference.
I love me a good beet salad and have lots in the salad section of my site. Beets contain a phytonutrient called betalain, which are anti-inflammatory and support the production of glutathione, a nutrient which is important for detoxification.
Any food that is high in fiber tends to have good detoxification effects, because it helps your body eliminate what it has detoxed in your liver. If you’ve had a chia pudding, you might have had a ‘chia poop’ - aka a very full and healthy poop. Fiber is important for balanced hormones, reducing high cholesterol and maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
2 TBSP of chia seeds has 8g of fiber! I put chia seeds in these homemade granola bars.
The more bitter something tastes, the better it is for your liver. Arugula is definitely a bitter green. Bitterness in a food can be a sign that enzymes are present, which help the liver perform it’s detoxification processes. They can also stimulate proper digestion.
Try this arugula and roasted beet salad.
For more detoxifying foods, join me for the HEAL Sugar-free Program!
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