Detox diets have been in the spotlight quite a bit over the past two decades and while there are countless articles online questioning whether they are healthy or safe or effective, rarely is anything written about how excellent superfoods are for detoxifying the body.  

Unlike a processed product detox, a superfood detox is fundamental nutrition that supports all your detoxification systems including your stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, heart, blood vessels, lymph vessels AND the brain.   Yes even your brain detoxes while you sleep! It’s incredible how nutrition can work to heal and support all your fitness goals. Keep reading to find out what 3 of the top detox superfoods in my 3 Day Superfoods Detox plan do for your body.

Superfoods Nutrition and Recipes

Detox Juice:

Superfoods detox juices are packed full of nutrients that support every function in the body from liver function to energy production to cell regeneration.  There are so many detox juice and detox smoothie recipes out there but one of my favorites is a green detox juice I included in my 3 Day Superfoods Detox plan . The main ingredient can be spinach or  kale which according to healthline provides the following:

• Vitamin A: 206% of the DV *involved in immune function, vision, reproduction, and cellular communication

• Vitamin K: 684% of the DV *post-synthesis modification of certain proteins required for blood coagulation or controlling binding of calcium in bones and other tissues

• Vitamin C: 134% of the DV *involved in the repair of tissue and the enzymatic production of certain neurotransmitters

• Vitamin B6: 9% of the DV

• Manganese: 26% of the DV

• Calcium: 9% of the DV

• Copper: 10% of the DV

• Potassium: 9% of the DV

• Magnesium: 6% of the DV

• It also contains 3% or more of the DV for vitamin B1 (thiamin), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), iron and phosphorus

All this from a single cup of kale at a total of 33 calories, 6 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.”  Kale is considered one of the most nutrient dense foods and also happens to be one of the least expensive foods at $1 for a fairly large bunch.  You just can’t go wrong using clean nutrient dense foods to boost all detoxification functions. The videos here include tons of great smoothie and juice recipes which are all great for detoxing.

Beet & Carrot Soup:

Not only are veggie soups a great way to increase satiety at every meal, a veggie soup made with a nutrition power-house like beets can improve your workouts too.  According to WebMD beets are one of the most beneficial foods for people exercising for the following reasons:

• Have many plant compounds that reduce inflammation and protect cells from damage

• Contain nitric oxide from that increases blood flow to your muscles

• Provide folate which plays a key role in controlling damage to blood vessels

• Promote the growth of good bacteria in your gut

If you’re trying to eat clean to get healthy and fit then a superfood like beets is not only going to support all your detoxification systems, it will improve all those exercise functions for better faster exercise results.  Learning about beets was actually one of the things that got me eating them regularly after avoidoing them most of my adult life!

Salmon Salad:

Of all the detoxifying superfoods out there, Salmon is the one that surprised me most when I learned about it over 2 decades ago.  According to healthline “Salmon is loaded with B Vitamins as well as Omega 3s specifically DHA and EPA which protect the brain from degeneration and promote the growth of healthy cells in the body.  The list of benefits is pretty incredible: 

• vitamin B12: over 100% of the Daily Value (DV) *cofactor in DNA synthesis, in both fatty acid and amino acid metabolism.

• niacin: 63% of the DV *helps keep your nervous system, digestive system and skin healthy

• vitamin B6: 56% of the DV *significant to protein, fat and carbohydrate metabolism and the creation of red blood cells and neurotransmitters

• riboflavin: 38% of the DV *involved in energy metabolism, cellular respiration, antibody production, growth and development,  maintenance of healthy skin, hair, and nails

• pantothenic acid: 38% of the DV *essential for fatty acid metabolism – as well as to, in general, synthesize and metabolize proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.

• thiamin: 23% of the DV *Thiamine is required for metabolism including that of glucose, amino acids, and lipids

• folic acid: 7% of the DV *required for the body to make DNA and RNA and metabolise amino acids necessary for cell division

All these vitamins are involved in several important processes in your body, including turning the food you eat into energy, creating and repairing DNA, and reducing chronic inflammation, which can lead to disease.  Studies have shown that all of the B vitamins work together to maintain optimal functioning of your brain and nervous system.”

The foods and recipes in this blog post are truly the fundamentals of good nutrition for health, fitness or overall wellness.  And once you begin eating superfood packed meals you will most likely find that going back to highly processed, nutritionally deficient foods just doesn’t give you the same satisfaction.  

The body is smart like that and when fed properly on a regular basis, begins to crave nutrition instead of empty calories.  So whether you give the 3 day detox a try or just begin to incorporate more superfoods into ALL your daily meals the results will transform how you look, feel and even think about healthy eating!  Not a big veggie or fruit eater? Try them in powder form instead.