Citrus can have an enormous impact on cleansing your body of toxins and boosting your immune system.
Oranges, lemons, tangerines, mandarins, grapefruits and limes are all great options, and contain heaps of vitamins and minerals, like Vitamin C, B complex, E and beta-carotene, to name a few.
In fact, did you know that these citrus fruits, although an acid fruit, due to the way its metabolised in the body, become alkaline? Including more alkaline foods in your diet is key to optimum health and longevity.
While processed foods lose many of their beneficial ingredients (and gain preservatives, additives, artificial flavours and colours), fruits nourish your body and clear it of the toxic build-up caused by eating too many overly refined foods.
Get your daily dose of fibre
Aside from being refreshing and fabulous in their own right, citrus fruits are high in fibre, and thus help clear and restore the gastrointestinal tract. A diet high in fibre helps avoid constipation, diverticulitis and colon cancer.
Live enzymes are found in large amounts in citrus fruits, which are important proteins for controlling and facilitating chemical reactions in the body, in addition to aiding in the degeneration of hydrogenated fats and toxins.
Detox your body
The vast quantity of vitamins and minerals in these fruits will support the body in the detox process and help you regain balance. In addition, citrus fruits have a high water content, which aids digestion while helping decrease toxins and move them out of the body more quickly.
Juicing your citrus fruits will help you maximise the benefits they can provide your body and add variation to your diet by creating new juice mixtures. Don’t be afraid to mix your fruit with a bit of nutrient-rich green kale or spinach in your raw citrus smoothie, as well as ginger, coriander and cucumber. Not only will this juice wow your taste buds, but these potent vegetables assist with digestion, hydration, and strengthen the immune system. As an added bonus, coriander works to remove heavy metals from the body.
Add citrus to salads
If you’re not feeling keen on a juice, try adding citrus to your salads for extra zing! Start by mixing one large bunch of kale, one orange, the juice from one lime, a splash of olive oil or coconut oil and a dash of agave, garlic, salt and cayenne, and allow the leaves to marinate for at least 30 minutes. Top the salad with tangerines and grated carrot. Yum! Enjoy