Spring is in the air (except, oddly, in the South…40 degrees in Virginia, where I’m running the Monument Avenue 10k on Saturday). Why not take advantage of the season to experiment with traditionally “cleansing” foods? Who knows…maybe you’ll give yourself enough energy to tackle that closet you’ve been meaning to clean out all winter! Happy Spring Cleaning!
- Eat more berries and fresh veggies, especially spring greens. Since berries aren’t in season in many places in the spring, shop your local farmers market for fresh vegetables just beginning to appear. Greens – like spinach, chard, mustard greens, and arugula – are some of the first of the spring veggies.
- Try more gluten-free whole grains like brown rice (a cleansing food in Chinese medicine), quinoa, amaranth, or buckwheat. These satisfying grains go well with savory and sweet flavors. Add them to lunch and dinner as side dishes or salads. Warm them with almond milk, a palm-full of nuts, and some fresh fruit for a hot breakfast that will give you sustained energy all day.
- Eliminate refined sugar, food additives, and preservatives. Stevia and erythritol (a naturally-occurring sugar alcohol) are considered by many dietary theories to be okay when cleansing. When buying stevia, look for the less refined green powder or liquid.
- Add beans and lentils to the mix. Loaded with fiber, beans will not only fill you up but will help keep your digestive tract clean. To increase digestibility of beans, soak them in water overnight, cook them well, or add a piece of seaweed to the pot while cooking.
- Drink lots of water. Reduce or avoid alcohol and caffeine. Hydration is key whether you’re “officially cleansing” or not. Alcohol and caffeine dehydrate your body, while clean, filtered water hydrates, flushes, and refreshes your system.
What’s your favorite “spring cleaning food”?
