Our bodies often crave a detox after we’ve indulged in tasteful foods. Regularly drinking detox teas can help our bodies rid themselves of toxins and reset our health.
One misconception is that you should detox only when you feel unhealthy but in reality, you can help detox your body on a regular basis.
Organic and plant-based foods allow our bodies to rid themselves of chemicals present in processed or pesticide-laden foods. However, not all of us always have access to organic foods. The solution? Herbal Tea.
Detox teas are not only easily available and tasteful, but they also pave the way for healthy living by boosting your metabolism, burning stored fat, suppressing cravings, increasing energy, decreasing bloating, eliminating toxins, and improving skin quality.
Try these 7 teas either first thing in the morning or throughout the day:
Lemon Tea
Lemon contains flavonoids, which are composites that have antioxidant properties that flush away toxins, freshen breath, improve skin health, help with digestion, prevent diabetes and constipation, improve liver and kidney health, and balance the body’s pH levels. Lemon is also rich in polyphenols, which suppress body fat accumulation.
Slice half a lemon into thin slices, add to a cup with 300 ml of boiling water and sip on it as the water starts to cool down.
Ginger Tea
The anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-ulcer compounds found in ginger help to remove toxins from your colon and liver, improve digestion, suppress appetite, and keep your metabolism running all day.
Ginger is a great detox root that you can drink at any time of the day. Just boil a teaspoon of chopped fresh ginger for 10 to 20 minutes in 300 ml of water or add one teaspoon of dry ginger to boiling water (or to another detox drink), then cover and let it infuse for 5 minutes before drinking it.
Turmeric
Turmeric has been used for its medicinal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties for thousands of years. It rejuvenates liver cells, helps the liver to process metabolic wastes, and prevents toxins and alcohol from being converted to harmful compounds that damage the liver.
Add a quarter of a teaspoon to your morning, afternoon, or evening detox drink with a hint of black pepper to activate it. It mixes well with honey, ginger, lemon and cayenne pepper.
Turmeric may thin your blood and you should stop drinking turmeric tea two weeks before surgery. Avoid turmeric tea altogether if you are on blood thinners.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is a natural antiviral and antifungal that stimulates your circulatory system by opening up the capillaries (the smallest blood vessels if the body), regulates your blood sugar, and helps with your digestion. When brewed as a tea, its benefits go directly towards cleansing the body and boosting your energy levels throughout the day!
Just add one eighth of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper to your hot water along with a few lemon slices to add goodness to your morning detox.
Cilantro Tea
Cilantro is rich in phytonutrients, flavonoids, as well as active phenolic compounds, The two main compounds in cilantro are linoleic acid and cineole, both of which contain powerful anti-arthritic and anti-rheumatic compounds, as well as another compound called dodecanal, which is twice as strong as most antibiotics at fighting infections and removing dangerous microbes and heavy metals from the body.
Cilantro tea is another tea that you can drink on a daily basis to purify your body. Just add two teaspoons of fresh or dried cilantro to a cup of boiling water, cover from 8 to 12 minutes, and enjoy the taste.
Dandelion Tea
Dandelion raises the amounts of enzymes that are known to help detox the body. It can even help remove carcinogens, which are substances known to cause cancers.
Add one teaspoon of dried dandelion tea to a cup of boiling water, cover and let it steep for 8 minutes before drinking it (I recommend you do this on a daily basis).
Green tea
Oxidation is a chemical process that results in the release of free radicals in your body, which can lead to the development of various diseases and illnesses. Antioxidant green tea can help to counter the effects of free radicals in your body.
Drink it over at least 6 weeks, adding hot but not boiling water to a teaspoon of loose-leaf green tea, steeping it two to four minutes. Save your tea(bag) as you can re-use it for three additional cups of tea.
Getting rid of the toxins that your body is holding on to will allow it to function properly, burn the correct number of calories, and enjoy natural energy levels every day!
During your teatox, remember the words of Thích Nhất Hạnh:
“Drink your tea slowly and reverently, as if it is the axis on which the world earth revolves – slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.”
