There are certain foods which you need to avoid during the course of your detox diet; these include wheat products like cereals, bread, flour, pasta, cous cous, biscuits and cakes. Wheat contains gluten, which is difficult to digest for many and can give rise to wind and bloating.
Caffeine acts as a stimulant, lowering the essential nutrients in the body. Do not cut down your caffeine intake overnight, take your time.
Alcohol is something that needs to be avoided altogether. Alcohol breaks down to a toxin, known as acetaldehyde, in the liver, harming harms liver cells as well as the muscles and brain.
Try not to not add extra salt. Alternatively, use spices, black pepper, herbs, lime and lemon juice to flavour foods.
On the detox diet, it is important to avoid dairy products like milk, yoghurt, cheese and butter. A lot of people find dairy products difficult to digest due to the lactose (milk sugar) content, and because it causes wind and bloating.
Leaving out meat and fish assists the gut to get back to its healthy, normal functioning.
It is also vital to leave out processed foods which contain artificial additives. They are likely to have harmful effects in the long term, so they ought to be avoided.
How do you cope without wheat?
| Don’t Eat | Eat |
|---|---|
| Wheat bread | Pumpernickel, rye or wheat-free bread |
| Wheat pasta | Pasta from rice, corn, millet or quinoa |
| Wheat noodles | Rice noodles or Soba (buckwheat) noodles |
| Wheat breakfast cereals | Oat, rye or millet flake muesli Oat or millet porridge |
How do you cope without dairy products?
| Don’t Eat | Eat |
|---|---|
| Milk | Almond, rice or sesame milk |
| Butter | Nut butter, tahini, hummus and guacamole |
How do you cope without sugar?
| Don’t Eat | Eat |
|---|---|
| Cakes and biscuits | Lots of fresh fruit |
| Sweet breakfast cereals | Oat, rye or millet flake muesli. Oat or millet porridge, with added fresh or dried fruits |
| Chocolate | Fruit bars, liquorice bars or sesame snaps as treats |
| Sweets | Sultanas, raisins, apricots or dates as treats |
| Squash, cordials | Water or freshly squeezed juices |