Top 5 Foods to Cleanse Your Body

Green tea is made from the same tea leaves as black tea. However during processing, green tea undergoes less oxidation, leaving it bursting with antioxidants. These antioxidants help destroy free radicals which damage cells of the body. As well as high levels of antioxidants, research suggests regular green tea may help with arthritis by reducing inflammation, may reduce the risk of clogged arteries and may help increase metabolism.

Plus green tea contains only a third of the caffeine in coffee, so regular consumption won’t keep you wide-awake at night.

Blueberries contain a wide variety of nutrients and high levels of fibre, manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C and vitamin K. What makes blueberries particularly cleansing is their high antioxidant levels. They contain a number of antioxidants including anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol and flavonols. These antioxidants reduce levels of inflammation and possibly have a role in reducing the risk of some diseases and different cancers.

 

Oats are the seeds from the cereal grain plant Avena sativa, and are made into rolled oats by steaming, then rolling (as the name suggests!). Rolled oats are a wholegrain, low glycemic index carbohydrate. They contain beta-glucan, a type of soluble fibre which helps lower total cholesterol levels.Beta gluten helps cleans your body of bile acids which are used to make cholesterol. The fibre binds to the bile acids so they cannot be reabsorbed by the body and are expelled as waste.

Oats also contain a unique antioxidant called avenanthramides which plays a cleansing role; protecting blood vessels from harmful affects of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).

They also help keep you regular, another important cleansing mechanism!

Humble garlic has more than just a great flavour. It is an antioxidant, antimicrobial (kills bacteria), antifungal, antiviral and anticarcinogenic – the ultimate cleansing food!

To get the most from garlic, leave it to sit for around 10 mins after chopping. The chopping activates an enzyme, which releases some of the beneficial compounds garlic so that when the garlic is cooked, the heat won’t damage these compounds.

I could add all vegetables and fruit to a cleansing food list, but one vegetable that is commonly overlooked is watercress. It contains good amounts of iron, calcium, folate, vitamin A and vitamin C. Watercress may help reduce cancer risk and is also a good source of carotenoids lutein and beta-carotene, which are associated with maintenance of good eye and skin health.

 

Not only are these five foods cleansing; they taste great and adding them to your diet is a good way to get some added variety. So stock up at the supermarket and your body will feel better for it.