It’s no surprise that many of us would like to be a few pounds lighter now that bathing suit season is right around the corner. But more importantly, we all want to look and feel healthy! While there have been a lot of fad cleanses and diets that have come and gone over the past few years, few have actually stuck around and been proven to work (let’s not forget the South Beach diet, the Mediterranean diet, the Atkins diet, and the Paleo diet).
But rejoice! You don’t have to adhere to the latest diet craze to feel healthy — really! The secret to a healthy body is sitting on your kitchen counter, or maybe even in your garden. Fruit cleanses have become the popular alternative to these one-hit-wonder diets, because they are easy to do, inexpensive and can be incorporated into any diet.
What is it?
A fruit cleanse is the perfect way to rid your body of harmful toxins. Whether you decide to commit to a three-day fruit cleanse, or you just want to include a few fruit rich recipes into your existing diet, you’ll notice the health benefits almost instantly. And while the main goal is to flush any toxins out of your body, you may notice a bit of weight loss as well!
The benefits
Fruit cleanses are one of the fastest and healthiest ways to rejuvenate your body. Fruits are considered nature’s most effective cleansers because fruit is low in calories, and high in vitamins, minerals and iron. Hearty dishes like pasta, stew, and meats can take a toll on our stomachs and intestines over time, so a fruit detox will get rid of toxins and waste that can build up.
Breakfast
The Green Detox Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 3 cups frozen diced pineapple- or any frozen fruit of your choice
- 3 cups fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup frozen banana (diced)
- 1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
- Lime juice from ½ of a lime
- Dash of chia seeds
- Optional: 1 celery rib
Directions:
Step 1: Mix all the ingredients in a blender on pulse. This smoothie can sometimes be a bit thick, so if you like your drinks a bit thinner, add a splash of water or natural fruit juice to it.
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 1
Lunch
Antioxidant Fruit Salad
Ingredients:
Vanilla-infused honey:
- 1 vanilla bean
- ½-2 cups raw honey
Fruit salad:
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- 1/2 cup blackberries
- 3 small plums
- 1 peach or nectarine
- 1-2 teaspoons bee pollen
- 2-3 tablespoons vanilla infused honey
Directions:
Step 1: Prepare the fruit by slicing the peach or nectarine, and plums. Combine the slices with the whole berries in a bowl.
Step 2: Cut the vanilla bean in half and scoop out the inside with a spoon. Once you have all the vanilla, mix it with your 2 cups of honey. You can also cut the vanilla pod into small pieces and mix that into the honey. Drizzle the mixture over your fruit and enjoy!
Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves: 4
Dinner
Roasted Beet Noodles with Pesto and Kale
Ingredients:
- 2 medium beets, peeled, noodles trimmed
- olive oil cooking spray
- 2 cups baby kale
- For the pesto:
- 3 cup basil leaves, packed
- ¼ cup of pine nuts
- ¼ cup of olive oil
- ½ tsp ground sea salt
- ¼ tsp ground pepper
- 1 large clove of garlic, minced
Directions:
Step 1: Set the oven to 425 degrees. Lay the beat noodles on a cooking sheet and spray them with a non-stick spray. Then add seasoning like salt and pepper to your desired taste. Beets cook relatively quickly, so you should leave them in the oven for no more than 5-8 minutes.
Step 2: As the noodles are cooking, combine all of your other ingredients into a food processor and pulse until it has a creamy consistency. It’s always best to pulse a few times, taste, then pulse more as needed.
Step 3: Throw your pesto in a bowl and lay the cooked beets and kale over it and serve.
Prep and cook time: 25 minutes
Serves: 1
Although fruits are essential to a healthy diet, most doctors do not recommend fruit cleanses longer than 3 days – as fruit alone is not enough to maintain a healthy, balanced diet. As always, consult your doctor before any lifestyle changes, diets or cleanses, especially if you have any existing health concerns.
