Your body's natural detoxification system is built to combat the onslaught of toxins we encounter each day. However, your body needs certain nutrients and dietary requirements at each stage of detoxification to work its best.
Phase 1
To start phase 1 of detoxification, your body needs nutrients to transform fat-soluble toxins for phase 2 to process.
Phase 1 Foods
High-quality protein sources are essential and the body must have adequate amounts of B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, and zinc
The following foods are rich in these vitamins and minerals:
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, kale, and cauliflower
B vitamin-rich foods, such as organic grass-fed beef and wild-caught salmon
Folic acid-rich foods such as spinach, collard greens, asparagus, and lentils
Phase 2
In order to begin phase 2, your body needs nutrients that will bind with the products of phase 1 to make them easier for excretion in phase 3.
Phase 2 Foods
Nutrients like glycine, glutamine, choline, and inositol, as well as amino acids like taurine and cysteine, are required to prepare toxins for removal from the body.
You can find these toxin removers in the following foods:
Eggs
Cruciferous vegetables
Raw garlic
Onions, leeks, and shallots
Flavonoid-rich foods such as beets and carrots
Phase 3
In phase 3, the body requires nutrients that inhibit enzymes that will interfere with phase 2 products preparing to be removed from the body.
Phase 3 Foods
Calcium-D-glucarate and glucaric acid found in various fruits and vegetables are necessary for toxin removal.
You can find these powerful toxin-fighting compounds in the following foods:
Oranges
Apples
Grapefruit
Cruciferous Vegetables
As you can see, there is a lot more to proper detoxification than simply fasting, cleaning up your diet, or drinking a special drink. It requires each of the 3 phases to be supported by the proper minerals, nutrients, and antioxidants.