Toxins from environmental pollutants, including heavy metals like lead, can accumulate in the body. These pollutants are linked to the development of chronic diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and respiratory illness.
Recently, it has become “Detox Diets” It is popular and promoted for its ability to eliminate toxins from the body and promote weight loss. Although there is no evidence to support the claims of these diets, certain foods are known to affect the elimination of these toxins.
This process of detoxification is called “detoxification”. Although the liver and kidneys are the primary sites of detoxification in the body, certain foods and nutrients can also help.
Some foods that help with detoxification are:
Apple
Indeed, “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Rich in nutrients, this humble fruit can also help detoxify the body due to its quercetin content.
Quercetin can enhance the activity of detoxification enzymes and lead to the cell death of unhealthy or cancerous cells.
A recent study that evaluated the effectiveness and detoxification capabilities of certain foods found that drinking apple juice provides 97 mg of quercetin, which reduces oxidative DNA damage caused by toxins in the body.
Eating an apple a day as part of a healthy diet can help the body detoxify.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts contain many bioactive compounds, including sulforaphane. Studies have shown that sulforaphane compounds have anti-cancer effects in the body.
In test tube and animal studies, sulforaphane compounds have been shown to have a protective role against carcinogens, free radicals and toxins.
Although there are no specific human experiments on this topic, including cruciferous vegetables in a healthy diet may be beneficial.
Grapes
Grapes are small in size but contain a large amount of nutrients.
Grape consumption has been associated with a lower risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. They are rich in anthocyanins, flavonoids, flavanols and resveratrol and can reduce inflammation. Grape juice also protects the body from damage caused by copper, which is a heavy metal.
In addition, animal studies have reported that proanthocyanidins extracted from grape seeds can help the liver detoxify and prevent oxidation of dietary fat.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains many bioactive compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, limonoids, carotenoids and phenolic acids that are important for human health and play an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer role.
However, grapefruit juice may inhibit the activity of the enzyme responsible for eliminating and clearing drugs from the body. Therefore, it is better to avoid eating grapefruit or its juice when taking medicine for acute diseases.
Mulberry
Berries such as strawberries, raspberries, raspberries and blackberries are rich sources of antioxidants that offer protection against many chronic diseases.
The phenolic compounds in berries can detoxify free radicals and types of nitrogen that can damage DNA and can also lead to cancer.
Beetroot
Beetroot are a particularly abundant source of nitrates, which are useful for lowering high blood pressure. Bioactive compounds in beets also play anti-inflammatory roles.
In animal studies, rats fed with beet juice showed improved performance of detoxifying enzymes.
Green tea
Green tea is a popular health drink that is consumed around the world. It contains polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), epicatechin gallate (ECG), epicatechin (EC) and epigallocatechin (EGC).
All of these bioactive compounds increase the amount of antioxidants in the blood, scavenge free radicals from the body and help reduce the effects of cancer-causing toxins. Their activities offer protection against the side effects and toxicity associated with toxic substances, including pesticides, smoke and arsenic.
Turmeric
Turmeric This is the main source of curcumin, which has a very protective role for health. It shows antioxidant activity and can eliminate free radicals from the body.
Curcumin in particular can help detoxify liver enzymes and protect the organ from damage.
Studies have reported that curcumin protects the liver from aflatoxin, mercury and other heavy metals, including copper, cadmium, lead, arsenic and chromium.
Garlic
Garlic A favorite spice, it is rich in a bioactive compound called allicin.
Allicin plays a protective role for the liver and increases the antioxidant and detoxifying capacity of the body by enhancing the activity of enzymes involved in detoxification.
It also interacts with the body’s cells to prevent cancer cells from forming or causing their death.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is used by many because of its various health benefits. Rich in lauric acid, coconut oil can reduce inflammation of the brain and nerves.
Inflammation of the nerves due to foreign substances or toxins can lead to degeneration and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. (14) Therefore, taking coconut oil as part of a healthy, balanced diet can help eliminate the toxins that cause inflammation and damage.
