Detox Diet to Lose Weight

The detox diet helps to lose weight, detoxify the body and decrease fluid retention. It is important mainly after holiday periods such as the end of the year, carnival or Easter, but it can also be used to prepare the body before starting a balanced diet or when in a weight loss regimen the metabolism becomes stagnant.

The main focus of the detox diet is to increase the consumption of organic and low-fat foods, in addition to avoiding industrialized products that are rich in salt, fats and chemical additives. It is possible to make a detox diet where only liquids are consumed, this being the most restrictive version of this type of diet or it can be made with solid foods, being important that it is low in fat and sugars and with a high fiber content.

Detox Liquid Diet

The liquid detox diet is the most restrictive version of detox diets, and must be followed for a maximum of 2 days. In this version, only liquids such as tea, water, fruit or vegetable juices and vegetable soups are allowed, and it is important to always use organic products.

3 Day Detox Diet

In the 3-day detox diet, the use of solid foods is allowed only at lunch, as long as they are fat free and whole, that is, with a high fiber content. So lunch should contain foods such as chicken or fish breast, grilled or cooked, accompanied with brown rice and a salad dressed with a little olive oil and lemon.

For breakfast and snacks, you should drink juices or smoothies prepared with fruits, vegetables and vegetable milks, such as almond or oatmeal milk. Dinner should be a liquid meal, preferably a detox soup or a vegetable soup

Sample Menu

The table below contains an example of a 3-day detox diet menu:

5 Day Detox Diet

In the 5-day detox diet, the consumption of solid foods should be increased progressively, starting with a liquid diet made from juices and vegetable soups, and ending with foods rich in vegetables, low-fat meats such as chicken or fish and fats like olive oil, nuts and seeds.

When completing the 5-day diet, you should start a maintenance diet with a healthy and balanced diet, rich in natural foods, avoiding the most industrialized, sugar and fried foods.

Sample Menu

See an example of the evolution of the 5-day detox diet in the table below:

It is important to remember that you should season foods with very little salt and avoid condiments ready in cubes, giving preference to the use of natural condiments such as onion, garlic, sauce, basil, mint and ginger.

What Not to Eat During Detox

The foods prohibited in the detox diet are:

• Alcoholic drinks;
• Sugar, candy, cakes and desserts;
• Processed meats such as sausage, sausages, bacon, mortadella, ham and salami;
• Coffee and caffeinated drinks such as green tea and black tea;
• Industrialized products;
• Cow's milk and derivatives;
• Foods rich in gluten such as bread, pasta and flour.

It is important to remember that you should eat a healthy and balanced diet after the detox diet, with meals rich in fruits, vegetables and whole grains and low in sugar and fat, as it acts by detoxifying the body continuously.