Certain foods such as fruits, vegetables and yogurt, support digestive health by helping to cleanse the body of toxins from the colon, gallbladder, kidneys and liver. The removal of waste products from the body -- also known as detox -- results in weight loss. Consult your health care adviser prior to entering into a weight loss program.
Fruits
Fruits, such as pineapple, papaya, apples and citrus, have a detoxification effect on the body. Tropical fruits, especially, are rich in digestive enzymes. Pineapple, for instance, contains an enzyme known as bromelain while papaya contains papain. Both bromelain and papain promote digestive health by breaking down proteins. The fiber in apples stimulates digestion and encourages the elimination of toxic waste that has accumulated in the body. Lemon is a type of citrus fruit that has a cleansing effect on the liver and gall bladder. The health of the liver is essential in weight loss management as it plays a critical role in fat, alcohol and sugar metabolism.
Vegetables
Incorporating fiber-rich vegetables into a detoxification weight loss plan supports digestive health and cleanses the colon. Furthermore, they provide vitamins and minerals necessary for optimal health and a safe weight loss. Root vegetables, such as beets, turnips and sweet potatoes, are especially rich in minerals since they absorb the minerals from the soil.
Yogurt
A wide variety of detoxification weight loss plans restrict food consumption to fruits and vegetables; however, a balance of nutrition is essential to sustain weight loss. Yogurt provides digestive support as it contains calcium, protein and probiotics. A study published in the September 2005 newsletter of Center for Science in the Public Interest, a site dedicated to food safety, tested the effect yogurt had on weight loss. Participants of the 12-week study consumed a low-calorie diet. Half of the participants ingested 1,100 mg of calcium, which included three daily servings of yogurt, while the remaining participants ingested 500 mg of calcium. The results indicated that the group with a higher consumption of calcium exhibited greater weight loss than the group that ingested less calcium.
Beverages
In a detoxification weight loss plan, beverages are equally important to foods since they are more easily digested than solid foods and pass through the body more easily. A detoxification smoothie may be created from the fruits while cleansing soups may be made from the vegetables. Avoid adding additional sugar to the smoothies or additional salt to the soups as both may delay weight loss. Water in a detoxification plan should not be underestimated as it flushes toxins from the body and prevents against constipation.
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