Action Plan Detox: Foods to Eat, Foods to Avoid

During a detox, it’s important to have a solid, healthy meal for lunch. Get inspired by

these detox-friendly lunch recipes

, or feel free to create a meal from any of the “Foods to Include” listed below.

Aim for variety, and take care not to supersize your portions. A lunch salad might include 4 ounces of protein, 1/2 cup of grains, greens, a cup or two of vegetables, a tablespoon of oil, and several herbs and spices.

Our detox guidelines, including which foods to eat and which to avoid, were adapted from

“Clean: The Revolutionary Program to Restore the Body’s Natural Ability to Heal Itself”

(HarperOne; 2009) by Alejandro Junger, M.D.

Foods to Include

• 
  Dairy substitutes:
  
  Rice, oat, and nut milks such as almond milk and coconut milk
• 
  Non-gluten grains:
  
  brown rice, oats, millet, amaranth, teff, tapioca, buckwheat, potato flour, quinoa
• 
  Fruits and vegetables:
  
  unsweetened fresh or frozen whole fruits, water-packed canned fruits, diluted fruit juices and raw steamed, sauteed, juiced, or roasted vegetables
• 
  Animal protein:
  
  fresh or water-packed fish, wild game, lamb, duck, organic chicken, and turkey
• 
  Vegetable protein:
  
  split peas, lentils, and legumes
• 
  Nuts and seeds:
  
  walnuts; sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds; hazelnuts; pecans; almonds; cashews; nut butters such as almond or tahini
• 
  Oils:
  
  cold-pressed olive, flax, safflower, sesame, almond, sunflower, walnut, canola, and pumpkin
• 
  Drinks:
  
  filtered or distilled water, decaffeinated herbal teas, seltzer or mineral water
• 
  Sweeteners:
  
  brown rice syrup, agate nectar, stevia, fruit sweetener, and blackstrap molasses
• 
  Condiments:
  
  vinegar; all spices, including salt, pepper, basil, carob, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, mustard, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme, and turmeric

Foods to Exclude

• 
  Dairy and eggs:
  
  all
• 
  Butter and mayonnaise:
  
  all
• 
  Grains:
  
  wheat, corn, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, triticale
• 
  Fruits and vegetables:
  
  oranges, orange juice, corn, creamed vegetables
• 
  Animal protein:
  
  pork, beef, veal, sausage, cold cuts, canned meats, frankfurters, shellfish
• 
  Vegetable protein:
  
  soybean products (soy sauce, soybean oil in processed foods, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, soy yogurt, textured vegetable protein)
• 
  Nuts and seeds:
  
  peanuts and peanut butter
• 
  Oils:
  
  shortening, processed oils, salad dressings, and spreads
• 
  Drinks:
  
  alcohol, caffeinated beverages, and soft drinks
• 
  Sweeteners:
  
  refined sugar (white and brown sugars, honey, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, evaporated cane juice)
• 
  Condiments:
  
  chocolate, ketchup, relish, chutney, barbecue sauce, teriyaki

Things to Watch For

• Corn starch is often present in baking powder, beverages, and processed foods.
• Vinegar is in ketchup and mayonnaise, and some mustard includes wheat or corn.
• Breads advertised as gluten-free still might contain coats, spelt, kamut, or rye.
• Many amaranth and millet flake cereals contain oat or corn.
• Many canned tunas contain textured vegetable protein, which is from soy; look for low-salt versions, which tend to be pure tuna, with no fillers.
• Multi-grain rice cakes are not just rice. Be sure to purchase plain rice cakes.

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