Ready For A Detox? Try These Unexpected Cleansing Foods

We all have our go-to cleansing foods. We pile on the lemon, love the burn of cayenne, and dandelion tea ourselves into oblivion in the name of releasing toxins and cleansing our digestive tracts. What you might not know is that there are tons of other foods that can reset your hot bod. No need to get bored with the same old detox diet! I’m a fan of a real food cleanse. While I love a good juice every now and again, cleansing with actual food that you chew is my go-to because it reminds a person of what portions should look like (and feel like). It helps you reinvigorate and fuels you with energy. If you're looking for something to take your food cleanse up a notch, here are three of my unusual faves that I have my clients chow down on.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut actually translates to "sour cabbage." It's made by chopping cabbage, adding salt, and pressing it down—this releases water from the cabbage and causes fermentation. Fermentation brings to life wonderful microbes that help keep your tummy in tip-top shape and your immune system in good order. There's more lactobacillus in sauerkraut than in yogurt, making it a superior source of probiotics. Plus, it’s loaded with vitamins C and K. Hello antioxidants, immunity, collagen, and bone-boosters, can I have a scoop of you on my plate?! But think twice before you grab a can of the kraut you piled on your childhood hot dog. You actually want unpasteurized, vinegar-free kraut for the most cleansing benefits.

Avocado

Is it a fruit? Is it a vegetable? Whatever you consider the versatile avocado (it’s a fruit, by the way), it should definitely be in your cleansing routine. Full of Fs—fiber, flavonoids, and (monounsaturated) fat—these little green gems have tons of cleansing power. Fiber helps to keep you full, while flavonoids have anti-inflammatory properties. Monounsaturated fats are those healthy fats that help burn belly fat and keep you satisfied in a keep-your-hand-out-of-the-candy-drawer kind of a way. In other words, avocado is welcome in my cleansing world.

Cinnamon

Like most herbs and spices, you don’t need to worry about overdoing it when you are cleansing, but there’s good reason to make sure you shake some cinnamon onto your detoxifying ways. Cinnamon is a great source of fiber (it is from bark, remember?), manganese, and calcium. It also has essential oils that help prevent inflammation and bacterial growth as well as improve colon health. You can get these benefits in the powdered spice, so you don’t need to hunt for the oil-version to reap the rewards. Besides all that, cinnamon mimics sweetness and can make your eats feel indulgent when you’re laying off the sugar.  

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