In my last blog on spring cleaning, 10 Common Indoor Pollution Examples and What You Can Do About Them, I focused on establishing a healthy environment. Cleansing your personal space is integral in reducing toxin load. But this detoxification process goes beyond your personal space. It also includes your body. Detoxification has been a buzz word for a long time. Diet related detoxes range from fasting to regimented diets like juicing. It’s a billion-dollar industry because we try one strategy and it fails. Then, we repeat the process supporting the detox industry but failing to nourish our bodies to health. Good news: the human body is naturally pretty good at detoxifying on its own. Here’s a shout-out for the liver and kidneys! However, it’s important to make choices that help the body do its work. If you are overwhelming it with foods rich in simple sugars, processed fats, and additives, then it is going to be more difficult for your body to maintain a balance. Reducing the stress on your body is key to preventing disease. Work and personal stressors may be hard to avoid, but you can avoid those foods and eating behaviors that exacerbate stress. Here’s a quick check list of easy-to-add foods to help detox:

My Top 8 Go-To Foods To Help Detox and Promote Detoxification Processes

1. Water

Are you meeting your daily goal? Aim to consume half your body weight in fluid ounces. This should be your first goal for detoxification.

2. Berries

Eat jewel toned fruits fresh or frozen. Tip: don’t add sugar to sweeten them. Enjoy them as they are – naturally delicious!

3. Green tea

If you’re tired of water or just tired in general, this should be your runner up choice to water. If this drink is too bitter for your tastebuds, try these three tips. First, change your green tea source, steep for less time in a lower temperature water and/or add a slice of lemon or orange to the tea.

4. Garlic

When in doubt, add garlic. Garlic spread is the new butter alternative. Roast a head of garlic in the oven. Remove and spread a clove over your favorite piece of bread. I love this on sourdough. On a cold rainy day, this is the perfect addition to a cup of soup.

5. Asparagus

It’s spring time which means this vegetable variety is in season. I like to make a cold asparagus salad with a vinaigrette dressing. See recipe below.

6. Artichokes

Want to spice up an afternoon snack or add an appetizer to a weeknight dinner? Steam an artichoke and dip it in your favorite condiment – butter, mayonnaise, mustard, balsamic, soy sauce or hot sauce. One of my favorite artichoke appetizer recipes is shared below.

7. Cilantro

If this herb doesn’t taste like soap to you, it should be included on your shopping list or grown in your vegetable garden. This green herb adds color to any dish but it also helps your body process toxins. Just remember, a little goes a long way with this ingredient.

8. Chlorella

Forget about a protein powder. This is the superfood to add to your regimen if you want to give your body a boost. You can choose a pill or powder form. Just make sure it’s a cracked cell wall type of chlorella so your body can absorb it and reap all of its benefits. It is available at your local health food store.

Getting More Detox Foods Into Your Diet

Now that we know the top foods to help detox, you might be thinking of ways to include more of them. Here are a couple recipes to help you incorporate these detox foods into your daily routine:

Asparagus Salad

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 freshly squeezed lemon (zested first)
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 cup good olive oil
• One full bunch of asparagus

Directions

1. Wash the asparagus and cut off the woody bottoms.
2. Bring a large pot of water to boil and place the asparagus into the water for 1-3 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the stalks. Remove the stalks and plunge them into the ice water. This will preserve the bright green color and maintain their crispness.
3. Make the vinaigrette. Put the mustard, salt, lemon and its zest into a bowl and whisk together. Slowly add in the olive oil as you as you continue to whisk. It will take about 1/2 cup of olive oil to make the right thickness.
4. Pour over the asparagus and serve!

Vegan Artichoke Dip

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups Cashews (raw, unsalted)
• 1 3/4 cups Oat Milk (unsweetened, plain)
• 1 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
• 10 cups Baby Spinach (finely chopped)
• 4 cups Artichoke Hearts (chopped)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (205ºC). Line a baking dish with parchment paper.
2. Soak the cashews in hot water for 10 minutes then drain.
3. Add the cashews, oat milk, apple cider vinegar, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Arrange the baby spinach and artichoke hearts in the baking dish. Pour the cashew mixture over top and stir until well combined. Cover with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, removing the foil halfway.
5. Remove from oven. Let cool and enjoy!

Final Thoughts on Detoxification

While detoxing might seem like a fad, it is important to reduce the toxic load on your body. I put together this list of 8 foods to help detox, so you can rest assured you’re eating a supportive diet and not just whatever is trendy in the moment.