Ever been sucked into a detox program? Drinking lemon and cayenne juice for days, feeling terrible, and dropping weight that somehow magically just reappears? It seems that we’ve all tried one type of detox or another. Maybe it made you feel better for a bit, but it never seems to stick.
The reason is simple. Detox diets don’t actually work and aren’t necessarily needed.
It may help you drop weight quickly or give you a quick reset — such as kicking processed food, sugar, or checking for food sensitivities. With that said, your body isn’t actually going to detox better because your body doesn’t need to detox any differently. In fact, the human body is constantly and very efficiently detoxing every single day.
Have you taken the time to really dig into what your liver or spleen does? How about those kidneys? Have you thought about your lymphatic system lately containing those hundreds of lymph nodes? All of these body parts are proficient at detoxing. The spleen “detects potentially dangerous bacteria, viruses, or other microorganisms in the blood,” the liver ushers “toxins out of the body through urine or stool” and bile, and the kidneys “filter 120 to 150 quarts of blood every day and produce one to two quarts of urine” which contains toxins and other waste.
With that said, even though the body can do it alone, it’s always a good idea to get the right plant-based foods that support the organs that help detox. Luckily, there’s a whole slew of plant-based foods to help you accomplish this!
We also highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help you get healthy! And, don’t forget to check out our Whole Foods Archives!
1. Cold Brew Ice Cream
Source: Cold Brew Ice Cream
Coffee not only gives you a little pick me up but it’s also great for the liver! Coffee “protects against issues such as fatty liver disease” and may even “reduce the risk of chronic liver disease.” This Cold Brew Ice Cream recipe by Deena Jalal is a great treat that will also infuse you with a healthy dose of liver-protecting coffee!
2. Kale Salad Balance Bowl
Source: Kale Salad Balance Bowl
Kale is a champion dark leafy green containing a “wide variety of vitamins, fibers, and minerals,” as well as kidney-protecting “compounds such as antioxidants.” This Kale Salad Balance Bowl recipe by Crissy Cavanaugh also contains fiber-rich sweet potatoes, beans, and quinoa, which may help protect your liver.
3. White Chocolate Lemon Popcorn Truffles
Source: White Chocolate Lemon Popcorn Truffles
Citrus are some of the best foods to support a healthy lymphatic system as they contain “powerful enzymes, along with Vitamin C, that support the body and keep digestion flowing.” This White Chocolate Lemon Popcorn Truffles recipe by Kat Condon is the perfect way to get your daily dose of citrus in the perfect snack-sized meal!
4. Spelt-Flax Crackers With Sunflower Seed Pate
Source: Spelt-Flax Crackers With Sunflower Seed Pate
How do seeds help keep your detoxification organs and systems running smoothly? Turns out these teeny tiny morcels carry a heavy load of magnesium — which supports the nervous system — and healthy fats — which lubricate the body and promote lymph flow! This Spelt-Flax Crackers With Sunflower Seed Pate recipe by Courtney West not only offers a healthy dose of sunflowers, but it’s also a great source of flax.
5. Beet ‘n’ Berry Overnight Cauliflower Oats
Source: Beet ‘n’ Berry Overnight Cauliflower Oats
Oatmeal is an excellent way to start the day, plus they “may be especially helpful for the liver” due to beta-glucans, which “help reduce the amount of fat stored in the liver.” This Beet ‘n’ Berry Overnight Cauliflower Oats recipe by Tara Sunshine also includes lots of berries, which are a great antioxidant-rich support food for the kidneys and the lymphatic system.
6. Spinach Artichoke Quesadillas
Source: Spinach Artichokes Quesadillas
More dark leafy greens for your kidneys! Plus, spinach offers a whole dose of iron on top of all those antioxidants. This Spinach Artichokes Quesadillas recipe by Rene Barker is great for a quick and healthy snack chock full of healthy fat, vitamins, and minerals!
7. Miracle Bread
Source: Miracle Bread
While sunflower seeds are stellar at boosting lymph health, hemp seeds are right on their coattails! This Miracle Bread recipe by Natalie Yonan is loaded with hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, and flax seeds, all bundled together with coconut oil, maple syrup, and psyllium husk powder.
8. Baked Apples
Source: Baked Apples
Apples are not only great to satisfy a raging sweet tooth, but they also have a dietary fiber called pectin, which “may help reduce some risk factors for kidney damage, such as high blood sugar and cholesterol levels.” This Baked Apples recipe by Gabriela Lupu is incredibly simple and yet delicious! With a healthy dose of fat from coconut oil and walnuts, lymphatic system boosting lemon juice, and a bit of inflammation-reducing cinnamon, these are the perfect dessert for a healthy household.
9. Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk
Source: Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk
This Homemade Golden Flax Seed Milk recipe by Wendy Irene contains a few wonderful plant-based ingredients that will also boost your lymphatic system including high fiber flax seeds, hemp seeds, and cinnamon.
10. 3-Ingredient Berry Cereal
Source: 3-Ingredient Berry Cereal
Berries, especially dark berries including “blueberries, raspberries, and cranberries” are rich in “antioxidants called polyphenols, which may help protect the liver from damage.” Spice up your morning routine with this 3-Ingredient Berry Cereal recipe by Sara Grandominico, also a rocking way to get that extra fiber to keep you full longer!
11. Tofu Scramble and Collard Greens
Source: Tofu Scramble and Collard Greens
Dark leafy greens, such as collard greens, are not only great for your kidney health, but they are also one of the leading plant-based products to help reduce inflammation. Start or end your day with this Tofu Scramble and Collard Greens recipe by Alex Wolfe. This recipe is brimming with protein, antioxidants, healthy fat, and inflammation-fighting agents.
12. Simple Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter
Source: Simple Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter
Think you can only make plant-based butter from nuts? Turns out seeds are brimming with healthy fatty oils that, when blended down, turn into a super tasty, rich, and detox system-friendly treat! This Simple Homemade Pumpkin Seed Butter recipe by Nikki Stokes literally only has one ingredient: pumpkin seeds. Simply throw in a food processor, get those little morcels creamed up, and enjoy!
13. Seaweed and Tofu Poke
Source: Seaweed and Tofu Poke
Seaweed is an excellent plant-based food that your detoxifying systems love! This Seaweed and Tofu Poke recipe by Molly Patrick contains wakame, which is “incredibly nutrient-dense, providing high amounts of iron, omega-3’s, vitamin A, protein, magnesium, B vitamins, iodine, and chlorophyll.” Basically, you’re dosing your body with all the goods!
14. Chia Burger Buns
Source: Chia Burger Buns
Along with sunflower, pumpkin, and hemp, chia seeds are also an excellent food to support your lymphatic system. This Chia Burger Buns recipe by Aurora Steen is not only great for your lymph flow, but it’s also a super healthy and tasty option for those gluten-free folks out there who still want the satisfying fluff of a good burger bun!
15. Fizzy Pink Grapefruit Lemonade
Source: Fizzy Pink Grapefruit Lemonade
Grapefruit may be a bitter pill to swallow for some, but it “contains two primary antioxidants: naringin and naringenin” which may help “protect the liver from injury by reducing inflammation and protecting the liver cells.” On top of that, these same compounds “may also reduce fat buildup in the liver and increase the enzymes that burn fat.” This Fizzy Pink Grapefruit Lemonade recipe by Melissa Tedesco has only three simple ingredients: grapefruit, maple syrup, and soda water. Super simple, yummy, and liver boosting!
Learn How to Cook Plant-Based Meals at Home!
Reducing your meat intake and eating more plant-based foods is known to help with chronic inflammation, heart health, mental wellbeing, fitness goals, nutritional needs, allergies, gut health and more! Dairy consumption also has been linked many health problems, including acne, hormonal imbalance, cancer, prostate cancer and has many side effects.
For those of you interested in eating more plant-based, we highly recommend downloading the Food Monster App — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest plant-based recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy! And, while you are at it, we encourage you to also learn about the environmental and health benefits of a plant-based diet.
Here are some great resources to get you started:
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