“Detox” is a buzzword that instantly grabs your attention. That’s especially true when you’re on a weight loss journey and decide to treat yourself to fried foods, takeout meals, and alcoholic beverages. When you don’t feel like your absolute best after a few days of unhealthy eating and want to snap back, that’s when detoxing comes into play. We here at Eat This, Not That! rounded up 10 of our best easy detox meals for faster weight loss. But before we get into them, let’s talk a little bit more about detoxing.
“Including healthy meals with quality ingredients won’t ‘detox’ your body, but rather allow it to flush out toxins and work more efficiently (and make you feel a LOT better overall),” explains Laura Burak MS, RD, founder of GetNaked® Nutrition and author of Slim Down with Smoothies. “This foundation of eating helps with other inflammatory symptoms like bloating, brain fog, and fatigue; so sure, call it detoxing or whatever you want, but it’s how all of us should be eating for optimal health.”
Burak recommends adding certain simple ingredients to your shopping cart that are both naturally debloating and detoxifying. These items include ginger, dark green leafy veggies, limes or lemons (or any citrus fruit), mint, and spices such as turmeric that you can seamlessly incorporate into savory recipes like stews, soups, stir-fries, etc. “I always keep a package of dandelion tea in my tea stash drawer, too, because it’s an easy way to include dandelion in my diet which is full of antioxidants and is a natural diuretic that helps flush out the system,” Burak adds.
It’s important to note that eating just one healthy meal filled with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich foods after an unhealthy meal is not the answer. However, eating a variety of these foods on a regular basis is. Some types of anti-inflammatory foods include fresh fruits, vegetables, beans, and fish that combat the chronic low-grade inflammation caused by consuming fried and highly processed foods. Antioxidants are compounds like vitamins C, E, and beta-carotene which are found in colorful fruits and vegetables. You’ll find a variety of these “detoxifying agents” in the recipes below.
It’s time to update your shopping list so you can prepare these easy detox meals for weight loss at home. Read on to learn all about them, and when you’re finished, be sure to check out the 10 Best Costco Frozen Foods for Weight Loss.
Fire up the grill, and gear up for this mouthwatering mahi mahi recipe. If you didn’t already know, mahi mahi offers omega-3 fatty acids which can help you avoid inflammation. This recipe includes mint, capers, and fresh lemon juice—an item on Burak’s must-have list for weight loss.
Get the recipe for Grilled Mahi Mahi with Salsa Verde.
This seasonal recipe comes in clutch just in time for your fall meals. You’re certainly getting in your greens in a fun and delicious way. This autumn harvest salad is complete with romaine, arugula, figs, red grapes, tart apple, hazelnuts, and radicchio. You can even accompany this with grilled chicken or your favorite lean protein.
Get the recipe for Roasted Autumn Harvest Salad.
Who doesn’t enjoy a soothing, hearty bowl of soup in the cold weather? This recipe is super simple and seamless to put together. All you need are tomatoes and salt! This is an excellent meal prep option to make over the weekend, and you’re set for lunch or dinner a good part of the week. In addition, tomatoes are one of the best anti-inflammatory foods for weight loss.
Get the recipe for Japanese Chef Yoshihiro Imai’s Tomato Soup.
If you love carbonara, this is a healthy spin on the classic pasta entree. It’s even a fun and healthy meal option to serve to guests! The recipe uses butternut squash instead of pasta, which offers plenty of anti-inflammatory qualities. Our butternut sage carbonara includes cashew milk, sage leaves, onion, lemon juice, coconut oil, and walnuts.
Get the recipe for Butternut Sage Carbonara.
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This is a truly well-rounded recipe, as it offers fish, veggies, and fruit! The inclusion of the blueberry avocado salsa really brings the flavor profile of the seared salmon full-circle. Complete with fresh ginger, ground cumin, and lime juice, this may very well be one of your new favorite dinners.
Get the recipe for Keto Seared Ginger-Cumin Swordfish With Blueberry-Avocado Salsa.
Turn your slow cooker into your weight loss partner. On days when you are crunched for time, it takes 20 minutes or less to “prep and dump” anti-inflammatory ingredients like beans, peppers, mushrooms, and turkey breast into a slow cooker pot and, you know, set it and forget it until you come home from work. For an antioxidant booster, add a crisp green salad as a side dish.
Get the recipe for Turkey and Two Bean Chili.
Going meatless several times a week is a great way to reduce saturated fats and hormones from meat in your diet. The chickpeas and quinoa in this hearty and satisfying soup supply 8 grams of protein to satisfy your hunger and boost your metabolism by building muscle. This recipe makes six servings, enough to freeze and save for a quick lunch another day.
Get the recipe for Chickpea Quinoa Soup.
Next up on this list of easy detox meals for faster weight loss is our Mediterranean Cauliflower and Pepper Salad. A salad can make a satisfying low-calorie meal if you use the right plant-based ingredients like protein-rich garbanzo beans and the satiating, heart-healthy fat from olive oil. The fresh herbs (as well as the vegetables) have anti-inflammatory properties and the cauliflower in part provides powerful antioxidants and phytonutrients that protect against disease and dietary fiber to feed the good bacteria in your gut, which plays a key role in reducing inflammation.
Get the recipe for Mediterranean Cauliflower and Pepper Salad.
Unless you’re talking about Froot Loops, in general, the more colorful your meal, the more detoxifying nutrients it contains. That’s why it’s hard to beat this easy and quick-to-clean-up sheet pan dinner full of greens, yellows, oranges, and reds. The lead protein here is salmon (choose wild-caught), which is a great source of the anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids, DHA, and EPA.
Get the recipe for Sweet and Spicy Glazed Salmon with Roasted Green Beans, Cherry Tomatoes, and Yellow Squash.
This tasty chicken dish wraps up our list of the best easy detox meals for faster weight loss. Instead of ordering Chinese takeout the next time you hunger for a flavorful Asian meal, use a grill pan to make quick work of chicken breast and crisp bell peppers and baby bok choi. Chinese American takeout tends to be very high in sodium and fat and therefore highly inflammatory. You can do better at home with clean, fresh, nutritious ingredients.
Get the recipe for Juicy Asian Chicken and Saucy Slaw.
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