Are you starting on a detox mission?
It’s the time of year again when we all contemplate ways to “better” ourselves and kick-start our new, healthy regimes with a detox - ridding ourselves of bad food and bad habits.
Alcohol is often the first to go, along with caffeine and fizzy drinks, but have you considered what drinks could be beneficial when detoxing?
Here Nutrition expert at Go Coco, Ross Currie, gives us his top five detox friendly drinks:
“Detoxing can be a struggle and often quite limiting. Keeping your fluid levels topped up during this time is vital to help your body rid itself of toxins and to stay hydrated - aiding brain function and helping to keep skin healthy. Aside from water, there are other drinks out there which can be a part of your detox. Here are my top five choices”:
1. Tea – green, peppermint or ginger. Tea is a natural antioxidant, which protects your body from free radicals, pollutants and aging. Green tea can increase your metabolism, while ginger tea is great for digestion and aiding the absorption of food and peppermint tea
2. Coconut water – Go Coco comes straight from the young, green coconuts of Thailand and is full of natural Isotonic properties and electrolytes, making them a great choice for rehydrating. It is also packed with vitamins and minerals, including twice as much potassium as a banana which is fantastic for a natural energy boost whilst being low calorie and it also plays an important role in regulating your heartbeat, insulin levels and muscle development.
3. Fresh or raw pineapple juice – Pineapples contain many vitamins and enzymes that will offer health benefits during a detox, including Bromelain – a natural anti-inflammatory that encourages healthy digestion by helping the body break down proteins, and Thiamine (which belongs to the vitamin B group) which boosts your metabolism by helping your body convert carbohydrates into energy
4. Lemon water – Lemons are a great source of citric acid, calcium, potassium, magnesium and phosphorous. Drinking fresh lemon juice with water (hot or cold) will benefit your detox on many levels by assisting your digestion, stimulating the liver and cleansing the bloody stream. Try drinking a cup of hot water and lemon first thing, to kick start your system.
5. Fresh Carrot Juice – As well as containing Vitamin C and A, carrot juice also contains carotenes which are a great anti-oxidant. Carrot juice is also a diuretic and can help to reduce water retention, plus it’s very low in calories.