Detox Foods: The Ones You Need To Know About

Detox foods should be on your shopping list, but not many of us know what to look for. These are the ideal foods to help you on your way to an effective start of year cleanse...

Detox foods are big news at the moment. While January was a painful month where dieting was a no-go zone, February flew past and we never got a chance to start that detox (though we had the best intentions at heart). So, there's never been to better time to get clued up on the best foods for your body.

Aside from being incredibly healthy, these detox superfoods also offer a huge array of health benefits, ranging from increased energy to clearer skin and a flatter stomach. What's not to love? Plus, these ones are easy to work into your current diet.

Tomatoes for instance, whether they're a fruit or a vegetable they're well-known for their health benefits. But have you tried the purple ones? Thought not. And garlic, besides making our food taste better, it's actually pretty good for our insides. Not so worried about the breath effects now, are you?

Detox Foods: The Ones You Need To Know About

If you want to be on your way to your best summer body, ever, find out which are the best detox foods for your body and prepare to start feeling way better within yourself immediately. Make 2014 the year you really love your body...

Detox Foods: The Ones You Need To Know About

If you want to be on your way to your best summer body, ever, find out which are the best detox foods for your body and prepare to start feeling way better within yourself immediately. Make 2014 the year you really love your body...

Goji Berries

Goji berries came onto the radar over a year ago as the new superfood to sprinkle onto your morning oats and remains at the top of the list of new fruits to work wonders for your system. Fresh, or often dried, these sweet berries are packed with vitamins, iron and beta carotene. Like so many other superfoods, the goji berry is high in antioxidants, the nutrients which slow damage done to the body by free radicals.

Miso

If you are only familiar with miso soup, it does in fact come in other forms like marinades for meat and vegetables, adding a salty flavour to ingredients. Hailed somewhat of a miracle, this fermented soybean paste is rich in vitamins and nutrients and is even believed to help combat breast cancer and radiation sickness.

Beetroot

Beetroot is a familiar winter root veg that regularly surfaces in vegetable boxes at this time of year. It's oozing antioxidants, which help lower cholesterol and, as an added bonus, the calorie count is minimal.

Purple Tomatoes

Purple tomatoes, like the crimson shade of beetroot, (yes, that's purple) also carry the pigment anthocyanin, responsible for giving the veg their unusual colour, and also the reason why this detox dream is bursting with antioxidants, which slow the grow of cancer-causing cells.

Linseeds or Flaxseeds

Linseeds and flaxseeds can be added to many meals as a small topping and you will still reap the benefits. Sprinkle a handful on top of your morning cereal, porridge or on top of a piece of toast to add a little flavour to your breakfast menu. The seeds will work wonders on your body, from aiding digestion to providing you with essential fats, including omega-3, famous for its anti-inflammatory properties and helping to reduce the risk of heart disease.

Herbal Teas

Turn to herbal teas, to avoid overdosing on cappuccinos from your local Starbucks - one of the easiest ways to immerse yourself in detox. Many teas such as green and rooibos contain high levels of antioxidants which help your body to cut out damaging free radicals that can cause diseases like cancer and heart disease. For a bonus boost, try adding a little grated root ginger to your mug; not only will your system be cleansed, but the potent addition acts as an anti-inflammatory and improves circulation.

Spinach

Spinach is fabulous detox food - just look what it did for Popeye. No, but seriously, spinach is a simple detox food that is super-easy to incorporate into your daily recipes. Wack it in a salad raw or add to curries or soups as another of your five-a-day veggies. Boasting a host of vitamins and minerals, eaten regularly spinach can also reportedly combat age-related eye deterioration.

Garlic

As far as detox foods go, this one's a stinker of a veg but it has a whole host of health benefits to tap into. Containing antiviral, antiseptic and antibiotic properties, garlic also contains sulphuric compounds, making it the perfect detoxifier. According to a number of studies, at least two cloves a day keeps the doctor away, so get munching!

Artichoke

Antichokes are packed full of body-enhancing nutrients - it's extremely high in fibre, potassium, calcium, aids digestion and is well known for its ability to cleanse the liver for a much-needed re-boot, post-party season.

Cruciferous Vegetables

That's green, leafy vegetables to you and me, such as cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and brussel sprouts. The beauty with this food group is one key ingredient: sulforaphane, which works wonders at expelling toxins from the body and disarming cancer-causing chemicals, thanks to the property phytochemical. Once again, greens are versatile enough to be eaten raw, worked into a soup or whizzed up and added to a juice.

Want to know how to boost your energy? Read all about our recommended super foods.