Detox Recipes to Protect Against Environmental Pollution
Your body is bombarded by environmental pollution 24/7. Give it the nutritional support it needs to ward off the ill effects of pollution (e.g., lung irritation, cancer risks, a weakened immune system, etc.). These delicious detox recipes don’t only taste delightful, but they also include ingredients that bind to heavy metal pollutants, including lead, mercury and arsenic. Researchers say eating more of these foods can help your body to naturally flush out such environmental toxins. Example ingredients you’ll find in this collection of detox recipes include:
- Garlic
- Chlorella
- Probiotics from fermented foods
These detox recipes also avoid foods that tend to be high in environmental pollution and heavy metals.
Hungry? Let’s get cooking.
BREAKFAST: Chlorella Berry Smoothie
Chlorella is a type of single-celled algae that grows in freshwater. It has a range of health benefits beyond simply detoxing your body from environmental pollutants. Take your immune system, for example. One study found that after taking chlorella for a few weeks, people produced more antibodies. Another study found that taking chlorella for eight weeks led to significantly increased immune activity.
Some people find chlorella to have an odd, off-putting flavor. And that’s what makes this delicious detox breakfast smoothie so amazing. You get a full dose of chlorella’s detoxing powers, in a creamy shake filled with tangy ginger, tropical pineapple, and sweet banana. You won’t even taste the greens!
1 cup frozen spinach
1 frozen banana
1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks
1/2-inch fresh ginger root, peeled
1 tsp chlorella powder
1 cup chilled coconut water
Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Enjoy!
LUNCH: Probiotic Power Bowl
This lunch looks tantalizing and tastes just as good. It’s filling, hearty, and fully plant-based, with a high amount of immune-boosting antioxidants, metabolism-enhancing protein, and digestion-improving fiber.
You also get a full dose of probiotics thanks to the raw, organic sauerkraut. A healthy gut is linked with lower levels of environmental pollution and toxins, and your gut also plays a role in your immune health, too! Here’s a quick tip: Make extra dressing and store it in your fridge! The dressing combines detoxing garlic with ginger and sweet orange juice. It’s a potent flavor profile that mixes sweet and spicy, and you can add it not only to this power bowl but also to your everyday salads and sides.
DRESSING
1/2 cup avocado oil
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (if you use store-bought, opt for a pulp-free juice)
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1-inch fresh ginger root, peeled
1 clove garlic, peeled
Pinch of sea salt
POWER BOWLS
4 cups cooked brown rice or cooked quinoa
1 large red beet, roasted and chopped
1 small head cauliflower, roasted and chopped
1/4 cup of sweet onion, sliced
1 cup sauerkraut (get raw, organic sauerkraut because pasteurized sauerkraut no longer has active probiotics)
2 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup raw walnuts, chopped
Add all the dressing ingredients to a blender and blend until creamy. Pour into a Mason jar or similar container and store it in your fridge.
To assemble the power bowls, add a scoop or two of rice or quinoa to a bowl. Top with the roasted veggies. Garnish with some pumpkin seeds, onion, and walnuts. Add a generous pinch of sauerkraut. Then drizzle on your dressing and enjoy!
DINNER: Garlic and Lemon Trout
Trout is often an overlooked fish compared to species like salmon, but it’s sustainable, rich in protein, and high in omega-3 fats.
This easy dinner seasons fresh trout with tangy lemon and pungent garlic. In one environmental pollution study conducted at a manufacturing factory, eating garlic reduced heavy metal toxins in the study’s participants by nearly 20%. Researchers say these detox benefits are due to the natural sulfur compounds in garlic. Lemon also has powerful detoxing properties, and its vitamin C powers up your immune system, too!
2 large trout fillets
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Italian seasoning mix
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
5 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
Juice from one fresh lemon
2 tbsp white wine (or apple juice if you don’t have wine on hand)
2 tbsp butter or a plant-based butter substitute
2 tbsp parsley, diced
Rub the fish with salt and the Italian seasoning and set aside to marinate for 5-10 minutes.
While the fish is marinating, heat a skillet with olive oil. Place the fish in the skillet, skin side facing down. Fry for five minutes or until the fish is pink. Turn the fish over and cook for another few minutes or until the fish is easy to flake.
Remove the fish from the pan and set aside. In the same hot pan, add the butter,
Season the top of fish fillets with Italian herb seasoning and salt (generously). Fish fillets will have skins on the bottom – no need to season the skins.
In a large skillet (large enough to fit 2 fish fillets), heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat until heated but not smoking. To the hot skillet with olive oil, add fish fillets skin side up – flesh side down. Cook the flesh side of the fish for about 3-5 minutes on medium heat, making sure the oil does not smoke, until lightly browned.
Flip the fillets over to the other side, skin side down (add more oil, if needed). Cook for another 2-4 minutes on medium heat (to prevent oil from burning).
Remove the skillet from heat, close with the lid, and let the fish sit for 5-10 minutes, covered, in the skillet, until flaky and cooked through completely.
Hungry For More Detox Recipes?