So you’ve had your numerous Lo Heis and feasted your way through reunion dinner (a few reunion dinners for some of us!), not to mention all the pineapple tarts, bak kwa and other festive treats you’ve consumed. Now you are thinking of getting back to your diet plan and slimming down after all that eating… but it does not mean you need to completely stop eating to reverse your weight gain.
The strategy to slimming is to detox your body first, and here are the top 10 detox foods to bring you body and weight back to balance and help kick start your diet plan:
Text: Sean Tan
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Lemons are filled with vitamin C and antioxidants, and they make a great detox food for your body as well. To make your own juice cleanse, squeeze half a lemon into a glass of warm water, mix well and drink every morning. It helps your digestive system and improves your immunity as well.
One of the healthiest and most nutritious vegetables, kale has been getting more popular with health fanatics and nutritionist in recent years. It’s not commonly cooked in Asian cuisine, but you can get more of it by adding to your salads or blending into your smoothies.
They might not seem like a great detox food, but did you know that not only are apples rich in nutrients, they also contain pectin, a soluble fibre that helps remove food additives and metals from your system? Seems like a great detox food to us, so be sure to eat one a day!
This effective colon cleanser is a superfood packed full of nutrients and antioxidants. The creamy fruit also provides an astonishing amount of fibre to aid digestion and fight weight gain.
Both of these contain flavonoids that stimulate the production of glutathione, a strong antioxidant for the liver. They are also known for their anti-bacterial properties and some research have shown that they might help in weight loss.
Probiotics is a good friend when it comes to rebalancing your gut health, and yoghurt is one of the best sources of this good digestive bacteria. Make sure to choose Greek yoghurt which contains higher proteins and lower sugar and carbohydrates.
One of the top vegetables when it comes to detoxing, due to beets’ powers in helping the liver and gall bladder flush out toxins. Beetroot also contains magnesium, calcium, zinc and iron, plus vitamins B and C – all fantastic nutrients to aid detoxification. So remember to add slices (best eaten raw) on top of your salads.
Another super veggie with superb liver cleansing powers – artichokes are also known to aid the kidneys in toxin removal. They are also very rich in fibre, necessary in helping to bring your diet plan to fruition.
An excellent source of potassium, magnesium, and vitamins, bananas also give you lots of fibre to aid digestion and they help strengthen your immune system. It’s also one of the easiest fruit to prepare and eat – you can eat on its own, slice into salads or blend into a smoothie.
The antioxidant -rich green tea is perhaps one of the best detoxifying drinks. It’s full of flavonoids and catechins – polyphenols which help your body combat diseases and improve its overall well-being – a very good reason to drink at least a cup of green tea a day.