What should you eat on a detox diet?

A detox diet is meant to remove toxins from your body and promote overall health. While there are many different detox plans, most focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods while eliminating sugar, alcohol, caffeine, and other “toxic” substances. When it comes to what you should eat on a detox diet, the key is sticking to natural, nutrient-dense foods that support detoxification.

Why Do a Detox Diet?

Here are some of the top reasons to do a detox diet:

• Remove toxins – Environmental pollutants, chemicals, and heavy metals can build up in your body over time. A detox diet aims to facilitate the removal of these toxins.
• Promote weight loss – Eliminating sugary and processed foods may help reduce calorie intake, supporting short-term weight loss.
• Reset your habits – Taking a break from unhealthy foods can help you form healthier eating habits going forward.
• Improve digestion – Probiotic foods and high fiber choices on a detox diet can aid digestion.
• Enhance overall health – Detox diets may help improve energy, sleep, skin health, and immune function.

Foods to Eat on a Detox Diet

Focus your detox diet on consuming more of these nutritious, detoxifying foods:

Food Group	Foods to Eat
Fruits & Vegetables	Leafy greens, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, artichokes, garlic, onions, berries, citrus fruits, avocados, olives
Herbs & Spices	Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, coriander, parsley, cilantro
Protein Foods	Fatty fish, eggs, bone broth, nuts, seeds
Legumes	Lentils, chickpeas, beans
Healthy Fats	Avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, ghee
Beverages	Water, green tea, herbal tea, lemon water, vegetable juice

Fruits and Vegetables

Fill your detox diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, which provide antioxidants to support detoxification. Some great choices include:

• Leafy greens like spinach, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens
• Cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts
• Garlic and onions contain sulfur compounds that support detox
• Citrus fruits like grapefruit, lemons, limes, oranges
• Berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber
• Avocados and olives provide healthy fats

Herbs, Spices, and Condiments

Certain herbs, spices, and condiments can help boost detoxification and add flavor to your food. Try incorporating:

• Ginger – stimulates digestion and circulation
• Turmeric – contains the antioxidant curcumin
• Cinnamon – may help stabilize blood sugar
• Cumin – promotes digestion and detoxification
• Coriander – aids in heavy metal detoxification
• Parsley – diuretic that removes toxins
• Cilantro – supports the removal of heavy metals
• Apple cider vinegar – antioxidant and antimicrobial properties

Protein Foods

Protein foods are essential during a detox diet. Opt for high quality sources like:

• Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines
• Eggs provide protein and antioxidants like selenium
• Bone broth made by simmering bones contains nutrients that promote detox
• Nuts and seeds are great plant-based proteins and healthy fats

Legumes

Legumes including lentils, chickpeas, and beans represent an important plant-based protein source on a detox diet. They also contain fiber, minerals, and B vitamins.

Healthy Fats

While limiting processed oils, make sure to get sufficient healthy fats like:

• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Ghee or clarified butter

Beverages

Stay well hydrated with these detox-friendly beverages:

• Water – helps flush toxins from the body
• Green tea – packed with antioxidants
• Herbal tea – opt for cleansing herbs like dandelion, milk thistle, or chamomile
• Lemon water – lemon juice aids detoxification
• Vegetable juice – choose low-sodium options, focus on veggies that promote detox like cabbage, kale, carrots

Foods to Avoid on a Detox Diet

You’ll get the most benefits from a detox diet by avoiding these foods and ingredients:

Foods/Ingredients to Avoid	Reason for Avoiding
Added sugar	Can disrupt gut health and is linked to inflammation
Alcohol	Stresses the liver which plays a role in detoxification
Caffeine	Stimulant that should be limited during a detox cleanse
Processed foods	Often high in chemical additives, sodium, and undesirable trans fats
Refined grains	Provide empty calories and lack nutrients for detox
Hydrogenated oils	A source of unhealthy trans fats that should be avoided
Artificial sweeteners	Replace with natural sweeteners like fruit or maple syrup

Sample 7-Day Detox Diet Meal Plan

Here is an example of what a week-long detox diet meal plan could look like:

Day 1

• Breakfast: Vegetable omelet with kale and mushrooms and a side of berries
• Lunch: Big green salad with chicken, avocado, and lemon vinaigrette
• Dinner: Chili made with ground turkey, onions, garlic, beans, and peppers
• Snacks: Carrots and hummus, apple with almond butter
• Beverages: Green tea, water with lemon

Day 2

• Breakfast: Berry smoothie made with spinach, almond milk, and coconut
• Lunch: Lentil soup with kale
• Dinner: Baked salmon with broccoli and sweet potato
• Snacks: Sliced bell pepper and guacamole, handful of walnuts
• Beverages: Herbal tea, ginger turmeric lemonade

Day 3

• Breakfast: Overnight oats made with coconut milk, chia seeds, coconut, and cinnamon
• Lunch: Veggie wrap with hummus, cucumber, bell pepper, spinach, and avocado
• Dinner: Vegetarian chili made with mushrooms, onions, peppers, garlic, and beans
• Snacks: Apple and almond butter, carrot sticks
• Beverages: Lemon water, green tea

Day 4

• Breakfast: Veggie scramble with kale, mushrooms, onions, tomatoes
• Lunch: Mixed greens salad with quinoa, chickpeas, cucumber, and olive oil lemon dressing
• Dinner: Lentil shepherd’s pie made with carrots, peas, sweet potato mash
• Snacks: Green smoothie, handful of mixed nuts
• Beverages: Herbal tea, warm lemon water

Day 5

• Breakfast: Chia pudding made with coconut or almond milk, topped with fruit
• Lunch: Roasted veggie and quinoa bowl with beets, carrots, squash
• Dinner: Thai coconut curry made with tofu, onion, peppers, broccoli, served over cauliflower rice
• Snacks: Sliced cucumber and bell pepper with hummus, berries
• Beverages: Cucumber mint water, chamomile tea

Day 6

• Breakfast: Veggie omelet made with kale, mushrooms, onions, peppers
• Lunch: Cauliflower fried rice with onions, carrots, peas, garlic
• Dinner: Sheet pan salmon with roasted Brussels sprouts and sweet potato wedges
• Snacks: Apple slices with almond butter, carrot sticks and hummus
• Beverages: Ginger lemon water, green tea

Day 7

• Breakfast: Berry smoothie bowl with added granola, coconut, chia seeds
• Lunch: Broccoli cheddar soup made with almond milk
• Dinner: Sheet pan fajitas with chicken or tofu, peppers, onions, cauliflower rice
• Snacks: Guacamole with sliced jicama and bell pepper, mixed nuts
• Beverages: Dandelion tea, warm lemon water

Tips for Success on a Detox Diet

Here are some tips to help you stick to a detox diet and set yourself up for success:

• Ease into it. Eliminate the most inflammatory foods first, then taper off caffeine, alcohol, and sugar more gradually.
• Stay hydrated. Aim for at least eight 8-oz glasses of water per day to aide detoxification.
• Support detox pathways. Consider taking supplements like milk thistle, glutathione, or alpha lipoic acid.
• Get plenty of fiber. This keeps your digestive system working efficiently to excrete toxins.
• Manage cravings. Fight sugar cravings with fruit, chocolate with cacao nibs, coffee with herbal tea.
• Move your body. Exercise, yoga, and saunas help release toxins through sweat.
• Get enough sleep. Aim for 7-9 hours per night to maintain hormone balance.
• Set a timeframe. Don’t restrict yourself for too long – set a realistic timeframe for your detox.

The Bottom Line

If you’re looking to reset your dietary habits and remove toxins, a detox diet may provide benefits. Focus on eating plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, healthy proteins and fats, herbs, and probiotics. Limit processed foods, sugar, alcohol and caffeine. Stay hydrated, get plenty of fiber, exercise, and manage stress. A temporary detox diet can help you form healthier eating habits for improved wellbeing.