The detox diet is widely used when you desire to lose weight, to detoxify the body and to decrease fluid retention. This type of diet should be taken for a short period of time with the aim of preparing the body before you start consuming a balanced diet or to clean the body after festivities such as Christmas, carnival or the Holy week.
However, it is important that this type of diet is taken according to the guidance of a nutritionist. This is because it has few calories and if it is consumed for longer periods of time repetitively, it can lead to adverse side effects such as dehydration or gastrointestinal disorders. In addition, it is also important to note that this diet does not favour the loss of body fat, rather it favours loss of fluid.
The main purpose of the detox diet is to increase the consumption of organic and low fat foods and avoid industrialized products, which are high in salt fat and chemical additives. A detox diet can be performed by consuming liquids alone or solid foods which are low in fat and sugar but high in fibre.
Liquid diet detox
Contents
This detox diet is the most restrictive version of the detox diets and it should be taken for a maximum of 2 days since the calorie intake is very low For this version, one is only allowed to consume liquid foods such as team water, fruit or vegetable juices as well as vegetable soups. It is preferable to use the organic products.
3-day detox diet
In the 3-day detox diet, one should consume solid foods only at lunch time so long as they are low in fat and whole, Thus, at lunch time, one should consume foods such as grilled or cooked chicken or fish, with brown rice and salad seasoned with a little olive and lemon.
For breakfast, snacks, juices or vitamins made from fruits, vegetables and vegetable milk such as almond or oat milk should be consumed. Dinner should be foods with are fluids preferably detox soup or vegetable cream.
The following table shows the example of a 3-day menu of the detox diet.
| Meal | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
| Breakfast | Strawberry, orange and goji berry juice | Green lemon, ginger and kale butter juice | Banana vitamin and almond milk |
| Morning snack | Coconut water + 1 slice wholemeal bread | 1 apple + 2 chestnuts | Chamomile tea + 3 whole-side cookies |
| Lunch/Dinner | 1 small grilled chicken fillet + 3 col brown rice soup + cabbage salad, carrot and apple | 1 cooked fish fillet + 3 col chickpea soup + pod salad, tomato and cucumber | 1 cooked chicken fillet with tomato sauce + 3 col brown rice soup + lettuce, corn and beet salad |
| Afternoon Snack | Papaya vitamin with oat milk | Banana shared + 1 col of soda soup | Orange juice, cabbage and watermelon + 1 slice of wholegrain bread |
Detox diet in 5 days
In the 5-day detox diet, consumption of food should be increased gradually with liquid diet that us rich in vegetable juices and soups and end with meals rich in vegetables, lean meats, chicken or fish and good fats such as olive oil, nuts and seeds.
When completing the 5 day diet, one should start maintenance of a new healthy food routine that is rich in natural foods and avoid the industrialized products, sugars and dried foods.
Here is an example of the evolution of the 5-day detox diet in the following table:
| Meal | Day 1 | 3rd Day | 5th Day |
| Breakfast | 1 cup bone broth | 1 cup unsweetoginger tea + 2 fried eggs with tomato, olive oil and oregano | 1 cup unsweetochamomile tea or a cup of unsweetoused strawberry juice + 1 egg omelette with cheese |
| Morning snack | 1 cup lemon tea with ginger | 1 glass of green juice with ginger, cabbage, lemon and coconut water | 10 cashewnuts |
| Lunch/Dinner | vegetable soup | pumpkin cream with shredded chicken | fillet cooked in the pressure cooker + vegetables baked in the oven with olive oil, rosemary, pinch of salt and pepper |
| Afternoon snack | pineapple juice with sugar-free mint | 1 avocado crumpled with tomato, salt and olive oil to eat with carrot sticks | 1 wholemeal natural yogurt + 6 brown rice crackers with peanut butter |
It is important to season foods with a little salt and avoid ready-made condiments and consume natural seasonings instead such as onions, garlic, parsley, basil, mint and ginger.
What not to eat during Detox
The forbidden foods in the detox diet are:
- Alcoholic beverages
- Sugar, sweets, cakes and desserts
- Processed meats such as sausage, sausage, bacon, ham and salami
- Coffee and caffeine drinks such as green tea and black tea
- Industrialized products
- Cow’s milk and dairy products
- Foods high in gluten, such as bread, pasta, cake and pasta
It is important tot always have it in mind that a healthy and balanced diet should be recommended after the detox diet, with meals rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and less sugar and fat because it acts by detoxifying the body continuously.
Possible risks
When the detox diet is taken without guidance from a nutritionist, it can lead to a decreased amount of vitamins, minerals, fats and proteins in the body, which will bring about muscle wasting. In addition, it can also cause dehydration and changes in the electrolyte levels due to fluid loss and gastrointestinal disorders.
In the most severe cases, there may be metabolic acidosis. This is where the pH of blood becomes more acidic and it may cause coma or death.
Contraindications of detox diet
The detox diet should not be taken by pregnant, nursing women, children and adolescents as they are in the growth and development phase. It should also not be consumed by people with diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or chronic illnesses.
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