Bloating, gas, or constipation is quite common in America, primarily because of how much junk food and processed ingredients people eat. While it is possible to eat foods that help naturally cleanse the body, they don’t really work if a dietary change is not made. Making the decision to eat healthier not only aids the natural cleansing process, but it also helps with weight loss, improved digestion, clearer skin, and a stronger immune system.
There are certain foods that benefit the liver, while other foods work to cleanse the lymphatic system or kidneys. As we mentioned before, these foods work best when they aren’t working through the built-up toxins from unhealthy foods. While we always advocate to cleanse the body at least twice a year, incorporate the following foods into your daily diet to aid the year-round cleansing process.
Cabbage
Whether you like green or red cabbage, keep eating it because it contains sulforaphane, which helps eliminate toxins. Glutathione, which is an antioxidant that boosts liver function, is also abundant in cabbage. You can also eat sauerkraut (cabbage in its fermented form), to help promote healthy gut bacteria.
Citrus Fruit
Regularly consuming lemons, oranges, limes, or grapefruit can help to naturally flush toxins from the body. Citrus fruits help to jump-start the enzymatic processes in the digestive tract, and they also work to cleanse the kidneys and liver. Adding pieces of citrus fruits to your water is a great way to constantly reap their benefits. Their alkalinity also helps restore the body’s pH balance.
Garlic
Garlic is a great cleansing food because it stimulates the production of detoxification enzymes in the liver. These enzymes help to filter the toxins from the digestive system. Start adding garlic to your meals, or add it to juices or smoothies for the raw benefits.
Leafy Greens
It’s important to eat your green vegetables, and not just because your mother said so. Leafy greens help to boost chlorophyll levels in the digestive tract, which aids with natural cleansing. Chlorophyll helps remove toxic metals, herbicides, pesticides, and other environmental toxins from the body. Because greens are versatile, you can consume them in the form of salads, smoothies, soups, juices, or dips.
Green Tea
Containing antioxidants that help boost liver performance, green tea is also rich in catechins, which work to fight the growth of cancer cells. Green tea can help to naturally wash away toxins as it passes through the digestive tract.
Beets
Beets are rich in magnesium, iron, and vitamin C, which helps to fight free radicals. The fiber in beets helps to increase the amount of antioxidant enzymes in the liver. Additionally, beets can help the liver and gallbladder eliminate excess bile.
