The spring is in full swing and fresh produce is making a comeback. The right foods can cleanse your body of harmful toxins. Various foods can cleanse your liver, kidneys, skin and intestines.
Here are six seasonal spring detox foods:
1. Artichokes are a highly underrated vegetable. They are high in vitamin C and fiber and help to increase bile production in the body, which helps the intestines eliminate toxins from the body.2. Asparagus is a flowering perennial is an excellent source of vitamin K and folate. Folate is particularly necessary for pregnant women. Asparagus also contains vitamins A, C, B1, B2, B6, niacin, manganese, potassium, magnesium and selenium.
3. Garlic has potent healing properties. Garlic is a relative of the onion and shares many of its same health benefits. It can destroy harmful bacteria, intestinal parasites and viruses in the body, helps cleanse buildup from the arteries and lowers blood pressure. Garlic is well known for its anti-cancer and antioxidant properties and also helps cleanse the respiratory tract by expelling mucous buildup in the lungs and sinuses. Keep in mind that store-bought garlic powder offers none of these benefits found in fresh, easy-to-grow garlic. Don’t be afraid to give fresh garlic a starring role in your cooking.
4.Onions are as versatile as they are health promoting. Research on these members of the allium family has uncovered powerful antioxidant and anti-cancer capabilities. Onions also thin and cleanse the blood and lower LDL cholesterol without lessening HDL cholesterol. Onions are rich in biotin (which aids sugar and fat metabolism) and phytonutrients like polyphenols. Onions also help detoxify the respiratory tract and fight asthma, bronchitis, hay fever, and diabetes. Onions, like garlic, help cleanse the body of viruses and the intestines of harmful bacteria.
5. Strawberries - Late spring is the season of nutrient and enzyme-rich strawberries. Strawberries will give you more vitamin C than an orange. Like most delicious berries, they are among the highest foods measured for antioxidant capacity. Fresh or frozen, on a salad or in a smoothie, strawberries offer a delicious treat and protect you from heart disease, arthritis, memory loss, cancer and a host of other health problems. Detoxing never tasted so good!
6. Watercress - Not the most common leafy green used in salads but certainly one of the healthiest. This aquatic plant increases detoxification enzymes in the body and contains phytonutrients that have successfully inhibited carcinogens. In a study at the Norwich Food Research Centre in the United Kingdom, smokers who were given 170 grams of watercress per day eliminated higher than average amounts of carcinogens in their urine, thereby reducing their numbers in their body. Watercress has a mild, peppery flavor that enhances salads, soups and sandwiches.
For More Information: