So, what should you look for in a 21 day detox diet?

Here are 5 key attributes of a healthy detox diet, and red flags for unhealthy ones.

5 Key Attributes of a Healthy Detox Diet

1. It is Based on Real Foods

Any healthy eating plan, whether a detox and cleanse or everyday meal plan, should be based on real foods for the most part. This is especially through if the cleanse lasts more than 5 days. 

Real foods are foods in which you can identify the source, whether it comes from the earth, sea, or an animal. Real foods are in their natural form, or close to it with minimal other ingredients (and these other ingredients should be identifiable). 

By using cleanse or detox that promotes real-food for the most part, along with some supplements, you will:

While some supplemental powders and pills are advantageous (see #2), the overall detox should have a foundation of real foods.

2. It Uses Healthy Supplements to Fortify the Body

Along with a real-food foundation, a healthy detox diet should encourage the use of some supplements to fill in the gaps. In fact, it’s difficult to get all the nutrients you need for a prolonged detoxing period, without supplements.

For example, Green and Red Supremefood are supplemental powders that include USDA Organic vegetables, fruits, and grasses. What’s more, both provide healthy probiotic bacteria (the Greens are fermented), prebiotics, and fibers. They are loaded with health-promoting antioxidants, phytochemicals, and nourishing compounds. 

These are the types of nutrients that can get missed, even with real-foods, on many detox plans.

3. It Encourages Adequate Intake of Energy and Nutrients

On a prolonged detox, like a 21 day detox diet, it’s imperative that you obtain adequate calories (energy) and nutrients for overall health. While the total calories may be lower than you’re accustomed to, they should still be in a healthy range.

What’s more, any cleanse should magnify nutrient-dense foods, with ingredients that support digestive health, liver health, and whole-body health. If you’re only drinking lemon water, and not obtaining other nutrients for 21 days, your body will suffer and become malnourished.

Don’t fall for ultra-low calorie detoxes that last more than  5 days. Instead, look for a 21 day detox diet that includes real-foods, needed supplements, and adequate nutrition.

4. A Healthy 21 Day Detox Diet is Low-Sugar

Anyone can diet by simply removing foods. However, a true 21 day detox supports your health. If your detox removes foods but includes high-sugar recommendations (such as high-sugar fruit juices), your body cannot properly cleanse itself.

High sugar consumption is at the core of many obesity and health issues. By using a low-sugar 21 day detox diet, you’ll give yourself a chance to cleanse out toxins, sugars, and other compounds that wreak havoc on cells.

5. It Supports Digestive Health, Liver Health, and Cellular Detox

Any 21-day detox diet should support whole body health. What’s more, it should encourage healthy liver and digestive function to aid in cleansing the body. Why?

Your body has systems in place to detoxify itself. A detox diet should proactively fortify and strengthen them. Specifically, two of the most powerful systems and organs for cleansing the body are the digestive tract and liver. 

A 21 day detox diet should include foods such as inulin and psyllium husk with soluble and insoluble fibers, prebiotics and probiotics. These fibers promote digestive health and healthy bowel movements (1), and are found in Keto Zone Fiber Zone.

What’s more, Green and Red Supremefood include spirulina and beets, which encourages an alkaline environment in the body for detox (2). Additionally, they provide milk thistle, which supports healthy liver function. These ingredients are vital for a good 21 day detox diet.

3 Red Flags for Unhealthy Detox Diets

On the other hand, some detox diets make ridiculous claims using harmful methods for weight changes and outcomes. Run from any detox diet that:

• Encourages extremely low intake and limited nutrients for 5+ days
• Causes loose stools and dehydration to promote weight change
• Promises extreme or unhealthy weight change in a short amount of time, such as 50 pounds lost in 1 month

Bottom Line: 5 Key Attributes of a Healthy 21 Day Detox Diet

If you’re looking for a healthy 21 day detox diet that checks all the boxes without the red flags, you’ve found it! Join the challenge: Dr. Don Colbert’s 21 Day Detox today!