5 Foods, Drinks and Supplements to Cleanse this Holiday Season
The following article was written by Heinen’s Chief Dietitian, Melanie Jatsek RD, LD.
With each holiday gathering, the foods adorning our plates tend to be richer, sweeter and less nutrient dense compared to our normal routine. And you know what? That’s OK! It’s one month, or maybe two, out of the year—certainly not enough to do any major damage.
The good news is there are foods and products you can enjoy in conjunction with your holiday favorites to help your body stay in balance. Look for these five dietitian-approved “cleansers” at your local Heinen’s this holiday season.
Cruciferous Veggies
Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, are a class of veggies belonging to the Brassicaceae family and named after the “cross-bearing” (Cruciferae) shape of their flowers.
These are the veggies I turned my nose up to as a kid. But it turns out, my mom knew something I didn’t. Cruciferous vegetables are rich in free radical-neutralizing antioxidants and other cancer-fighting compounds called glucosinolates. When eaten regularly as part of a whole-food, plant-based diet, they can also help:
- Manage weight
- Balance blood sugar
- Reduce inflammation
- Support heart health
Snack Idea: Dip raw cauliflower and broccoli florets in hummus. I’m love Jonathan Sprouts veggie dip, a new line of oil-free hummus sold at Heinen’s.
Greens
According to Heinen’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Todd Pesek:
The multitude of phytonutrients in greens fuel our bodies and their major detoxification systems. Greens basically act as a nutritive anti-inflammatory cleanser to help the body naturally rid itself of harmful toxins. In addition, chlorophyll—the green pigment in greens—adds to their anti-inflammatory power.
Club Fx Pillar #1 advises you to eat greens, as many as you can every day. You can accomplish this goal with fresh, frozen, juiced or powdered greens.
- Fresh dandelion greens are one of the best because they are a rich source of prebiotic fiber, a type of fiber digestible by healthy gut bacteria to help keep your digestive system running smoothly.
- Greens powders, like Ancient Nutrition Organic Supergreens, function as a broom for your digestive system! These powders are made up of a combination of leafy greens, seaweed (spirulina and chlorella), veggies, grasses (oat grass and alfalfa grass), antioxidant-rich fruits, probiotics, plant-based digestive enzymes, herbs and mushroom extracts. The ingredients are dried and then ground into a powder for ease in mixing and dissolving into your favorite recipes or smoothies.
- Garden of Flavor Cold Pressed Mean Greens juice contains no fruit, only nutrient-rich kale, spinach, parsley, celery and alkalizing cucumber. This is a true green juice!
Meal Idea: The bright red strawberries and vibrant dandelion greens of this Spring Vegetable Salad makes for a festive addition to your holiday table!
Lemons
Lemons are Mother Nature’s detoxifiers. They support the liver in pulling toxins out of the body and are especially powerful when taken first thing in the morning, which is why I recommend drinking a full 16-24 oz. of water with one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice every day after waking. To save time, try Lakewood Organic Pure Lemon Juice or Perricone Farms lemon juice in Heinen’s Produce Department.
Nutrition Tip: Add a scoop of greens powder, one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice and 8 oz. of water to a small Mason jar. Secure the lid, shake and sip!
Tea
Three teas to support your body’s detoxification system are Rishi Organic Matcha Super Green Tea, Traditional Medicinals Organic Dandelion Leaf & Root Tea and The Republic of Tea Milk Thistle Super Herb Tea.
Stock up on one of more of these special teas the next time you’re at Heinen’s so you’ll have it on-hand when you’re ready for a gentle cleanse.
Garden of Life Raw Cleanse*
Designed as an internal cleansing system that works in synergy with your body’s own detoxification system‚ Garden of Life Raw Cleanse is an easy-to-use supplement that defends‚ detoxifies and removes toxins from the body. It supports healthy elimination, a healthy immune system and offers natural organ detoxification support. Look for it in Heinen’s Wellness Department.
*Please consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
Key Takeaway
Heinen’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Todd Pesek says that when it comes to our food, we should practice everything in moderation. And that includes moderation! How comforting it is to know that even the golden rule of moderation was meant to be broken. The most loving gift you can give yourself this holiday season is to neutralize those “party foods” with nutrient-rich supportive foods and supplements to bring balance, health and energy back to your body.
