Hey organic foodies,
I just checked out my email from RealAge, the health website sponsored by Dr. Mehmet Oz and others, and I saw this interesting article, “The Good Stuff That’s In Organics”, which further confirms that organically grown food is much more nutritionally rich. Check out the link at the bottom of this post for recipes from RealAge.
The following top ten list was included in the article, which is over a year old, but it made me happy to learn that I already use most of the top ten on a regular basis. My daughter, on the other hand, is a different story. But yesterday, while watching the Eagles game, I cut up some fresh strawberries from California, sprinkled a little sugar on them (I know, I know) and she and her friends devoured the whole bowl. I had not seen her eat a fruit in a long time. She looks pasty and has developed some acne, which I attribute to poor eating habits. It’s so hard with teens because they get angry when parents suggest that they need to change their habits. We’re going to try harder to live with nutritional intelligence this year.
Top 10 Detox Foods
With 2008 just around the corner, there’s no better time than now to give your body a healthy, fresh start! Plus, if you’re thinking about lowering your weight — and your RealAge — “eating clean” is a great first step. Add these 10 foods to your grocery cart and you’ll get three terrific benefits:
1. Liquids to flush out the body while pouring in the nutrients.
2. Fiber to keep your GI tract fit.
3. Foods that energize cleansing enzymes in your liver, the body’s built-in detox center.
The Top 10:
1. Leafy green vegetables. Eat them raw, throw them into a broth, or add them to juices. Their chlorophyll helps swab out environmental toxins (heavy metals, pesticides) and is an all-around liver protector.
2. Lemons. You need to keep the fluids flowing to wash out the body, and fresh lemonade is ideal. It has vitamin C — considered the detox vitamin — which helps convert toxins into a water-soluble form that’s easily flushed away.
3. Watercress. Put a handful into salads, soups, and sandwiches. The peppery little green leaves have a diuretic effect that helps move things through your system. And cress is rich in minerals, too.
4. Garlic. Add it to everything — salads, sauces, spreads. In addition to the bulb’s cardio benefits, it activates liver enzymes that help filter out junk.
5. Green tea. This antioxidant-rich brew is one of the healthiest ways to get more fluids into your system. Bonus: It contains catechins, which speed up liver activity. Here’s another beverage your liver loves.
6. Broccoli sprouts. Get ’em at your health-food store. They pack 20 to 50 times more cancer-fighting, enzyme-stimulating activity into each bite than the grown-up vegetable.
7. Sesame seeds. They’re credited with protecting liver cells from the damaging effects of alcohol and other chemicals. For a concentrated form, try tahini, the yummy sesame seed paste that’s a staple of Middle Eastern cooking.
8. Cabbage. There are two main types of detoxifying enzymes in the liver; this potent veggie helps activate both of them. Coleslaw, anyone?
9. Psyllium. A plant that’s rich in soluble fiber, like oat bran, but more versatile. It mops up toxins (cholesterol, too) and helps clear them out. Stir powdered psyllium into juice to help cleanse your colon, or have psyllium-fortified Bran Buds for breakfast.
10. Fruits, fruits, fruits. They’re full of almost all the good things above — vitamin C, fiber, nutritious fluids, and all kinds of antioxidants. Besides, nothing tastes better than a ripe mango, fresh berries, or a perfect pear.
Ultimate Detox Recipe
Easy Wilted Garlic-Sesame Salad
Toss dark green leafy vegetables in hot, garlicky oil for a cleansing — and delicious – dish.
4 servings, about 65 calories each
1 tsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. spinach, stemmed,
or 1 lb. swiss chard, stems sliced, leaves torn
or 1 lb. mixture of spinach and watercress
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tsp. sesame seeds for garnish
Warm oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir until lightly browned, about 45 seconds. Add greens (do in two batches if necessary) and toss until just wilted, 2 to 4 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Find more healthy recipes at the RealAge Recipe Center.
RealAge. (January 5, 2009). Top ten detox foods. RealAge Food Bites. Retrieved January 5, 2009 from http://realage.typepad.com/food_bites/2007/12/top-10-detox-fo.html
Organic Food: Going Against the Grain 