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The detox diet is widely used to promote weight loss, detoxify the body and decrease fluid retention. This type of diet is indicated for a short period of time in order to prepare the body before starting a balanced diet or in order to clean the body after a festive period such as Christmas, Carnival or Holy Week, for example.
However, it is important that this type of diet is done with the accompaniment of a nutritionist, as it has few calories and if it is carried out for long periods of time or repeatedly it can lead to the appearance of side effects such as dehydration or gastrointestinal disorders. In addition, it is important to note that this diet does not favor the loss of body fat, but mainly the loss of liquid.
The main focus of the detox diet is to increase the consumption of organic and low-fat foods, and to avoid industrialized products, which are rich in salt, fat and chemical additives. It is possible to carry out a detox diet in which only liquids are consumed, being this more restrictive version of the diet, or it can be carried out with solid foods that must be low in fat and sugar and high in fiber. Learn why it is important to detoxify the body.
Liquid detox diet
Detox soup
The liquid detox diet is the most restrictive version of detox diets, and should be followed for a maximum of 2 days, since the caloric intake is very low. In this version, it is only allowed to drink liquids such as tea, water, fruit or vegetable juices, and vegetable soups, it is important to prefer to use organic products. See an example of a liquid detox diet menu.
To help with weight loss, watch the following video and make a detox soup with the best ingredients:
3-day detox diet
In the 3-day detox diet, the use of solid foods is only allowed for lunch, as long as they are low in fat and whole. Thus, lunch should include foods such as grilled or cooked chicken or fish, with brown rice and salad seasoned with a little olive oil and lemon.
For breakfast and snacks, you should drink juices or vitamins made with fruits, vegetables and vegetable milks, such as almond or oat milk. Dinner should be a liquid meal, preferably a detox soup or vegetable cream. Check out some options of green juices to detoxify.
Sample menu
The following table shows an example of a 3-day detox diet menu.
Meal | Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3 |
Breakfast | Strawberry, orange and goji berry juice | Green lemon, ginger and kale juice | Banana smoothie and almond milk |
Morning snack | Coconut water + 1 slice of whole grain bread | 1 apple + 2 chestnuts | Chamomile tea + 3 whole cookies |
Lunch dinner | 1 small grilled chicken fillet + 3 col of brown rice soup + coleslaw, carrot and apple | 1 piece of cooked fish + 3 col of chickpea soup + green beans, tomato and cucumber salad | 1 chicken fillet cooked with tomato sauce + 3 col of brown rice soup + lettuce, corn and beet salad |
Afternoon snack | Papaya smoothie with oat milk | Crushed banana + 1 col of flaxseed soup | Orange juice, cabbage and watermelon + 1 slice of whole grain bread |
5-day detox diet
In the 5-day detox diet, you should gradually increase your food consumption, starting with a liquid diet made from vegetable juices and soups, and ending with meals rich in vegetables, lean meats, chicken or fish, and fats good as olive oil, chestnuts and seeds.
When completing the 5-day diet, you must start maintaining a new healthy eating routine rich in natural foods, avoiding industrialized foods, sugar and fried foods as much as possible.
Sample menu
See an example of the evolution of the 5-day detox diet in the following table:
Meal | 1st day | 3rd Day | 5th Day |
Breakfast | 1 cup of bone broth | 1 cup unsweetened ginger tea + 2 fried eggs with tomato, olive oil and oregano | 1 cup unsweetened chamomile tea or 1 cup unsweetened strawberry juice + 1 egg omelet with cheese |
Morning snack | 1 cup lemon tea with ginger | 1 glass of green juice with ginger, cabbage, lemon and coconut water | 10 cashew nuts |
Lunch dinner | vegetables soup | pumpkin cream with shredded chicken | fillet cooked in pressure cooker + vegetables roasted in the oven with olive oil, rosemary, pinch of salt and pepper |
Afternoon snack | pineapple juice with unsweetened mint | 1 avocado mashed with tomato, salt and oil to eat with carrot sticks | 1 whole natural yogurt + 6 brown rice crackers with peanut butter |
It is important to remember that seasoning foods with little salt and avoiding condiments ready in cubes, giving preference to the use of natural spices such as onion, garlic, parsley, basil, mint and ginger.
What not to eat during Detox
The prohibited 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 caffeinated drinks, such as green tea and black tea;
- Industrialized products.
- Cow's milk and dairy products;
- Gluten-rich foods like bread, pasta, cake and pasta.
It is important to remember that a healthy and balanced diet should be followed after the detox diet, with meals rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low sugar and fat, as it works by detoxifying the body continuously.
Possible risks
The detox diet, when performed without guidance from a nutritionist, repeatedly or for many days can lead to a decrease in the amount of vitamins, minerals, fat and proteins in the body, resulting in the loss of muscle mass. In addition, it can cause dehydration and change in electrolyte levels, due to fluid loss, and gastrointestinal disorders.
In the most severe cases, there may also be metabolic acidosis, in which the pH of the blood becomes more acidic, which can lead to coma and death.
Contraindications to the detox diet
The detox diet is contraindicated for pregnant or breastfeeding women, children and adolescents, as they are in the growth and development phase. In addition, it is also not indicated for people who have diabetes, cardiovascular disease or chronic diseases.