Want to Lose Weight? Pitch the Juice Cleanse, Start Eating & Sprouting!
Supporting detoxification is critical for weight loss that lasts. If you’re experiencing low energy, PMS, headaches, allergies, skin reactions and brain fog, in addition to stubborn weight gain, these are all signs that your body needs some extra support with detoxification. But doing a juice cleanse is not the answer.
We need specific nutrients from foods to drive detoxification, and if we’re deficient in any of them, it will impair the process. In addition to that, we need calories to fuel the movement of the toxins through our systems. So when we do a calorie-restricted juice cleanse, it will be a struggle to properly detoxify. You will likely shed a few pounds when you do a juice cleanse from muscle loss, and because you won’t have food in your intestinal system, but once you start eating again, it’s very likely your weight will come right back.
For all of you who want the summary: We need fiber and protein to support detoxification and juice contains neither. We also need phytonutrients from a variety of fruits and vegetables. And there’s one detoxification superstar that is affordable, easy and delicious that most of us can access: broccoli sprouts.
We are exposed to over 85,000 chemicals in our environment. This means we need to regularly support detoxification. A one-week juice cleanse doesn’t cut it, nor is it efficient or fun. So what’s the secret to detoxification? Eat a diet where the majority of your food is real & whole and sprinkle some broccoli sprouts in. Keep reading to find out how to sprout, what foods are particularly helpful for detox and to learn the science behind this incredible process!
How to Start Sprouting
You’ll need:
250ml wide mouth Mason jar
Sprouting lids (these are the ones I use & they’re great!)
2 tbsp organic broccoli sprouting seeds (check your local health food store)
Filtered Water
A plate to catch the water
Instructions:
Soak the broccoli seeds: Add 2 tablespoons of broccoli seeds to the Mason jar. Cover the seeds with water, put the lid on & let the jar stand at room temperature for 8 hours to overnight.
After 8 hours, dump out the water, replace the lid & set the jar upside down or on its side, and away from the sun.
Two to three times a day, rinse your and drain the sprouts. I usually do this in the morning and before I go to bed. To rinse: Fill the jar with fresh water, swirl it around, and drain the water out through the mesh lid. Return the jar to the plate, either upside down or on its side.
Keep up with the rinsing and keep the seeds in a darkish place until they are about an inch long. At this point they can handle some indirect sunlight.
The sprouts are ready to eat once you see some dark green leaves (usually by day 4 or 5).
I start a new batch every few days to make sure I have a constant supply (Tip: get 2 sprouting lids & jars!). Dry them before storing them in the fridge. These will be good for up to 3 days. To support regular detoxification, sprinkle them on pretty much any savoury meal! I like to use mine in salmon and egg salad, as well as over roasted veggies, on a burger or in a green salad.
Now, for all of you who want all the detail behind this weight loss claim, keep reading.
Like I mentioned earlier, we are exposed to over 85,000 toxic chemicals in today’s environment. And it’s virtually impossible to avoid them given they’re in our air, water, food, body care and household products. Even organic foods can contain pesticides.
How does this impact our weight loss goals (or unexplained weight gain)?
Our liver has to process the toxins we’re exposed to, as well as endogenous toxins (ones that we make within the body, including excess & used hormones) in order for our bodies to remove them. If the liver is congested with toxins, and we do not support the detoxification process, this powerful organ will not be able to efficiently perform its many tasks.
The liver is involved in pretty much every metabolic process in the body, so if our liver is slow, the processes that directly impact our weight, will downregulate.
Here are a few examples of how our liver health impacts our weight:
1. Energy
Our liver is needed to turn nutrients from food into substances the body can use for energy. And if our liver cannot extract energy from stored fuel, we’ll feel tired which makes exercise difficult (and pretty much everything else a lot harder too).
2. Thyroid
The liver is responsible for converting the majority of our inactive thyroid hormone (T4) into its active form (T3). Our thyroid hormones regulate our metabolism, so if this conversion is slow, our metabolism will be slow.
3. Estrogen
We rely on our liver to conjugate & remove used and excess estrogen. If this process is impaired, we’ll have more estrogen in our bodies, and estrogen prompts the growth of more fat cells. And fat cells make estrogen, creating a vicious cycle that makes weight loss really really hard.
Supporting detoxification is critical for weight loss for these reasons, amongst others. If I wasn’t clear earlier, when I say ‘detoxification’ I am not talking about doing a juice cleanse or water fast. The best way to detox is to simply focus on proper nutrition, limit your exposure to chemicals by switching to natural household cleaners, body care and beauty products, managing your stress, getting adequate sleep and moving daily. You also need good digestive health to effectively eliminate the toxins the liver processes, but fortunately all of the above items also support proper digestion! If you’re already doing this stuff and still struggling with digestive issues, I recommend working with someone (like me!) to get more targeted support in this area.
Today we’re going to focus on the nutrition component; and more specifically, one easy food to add into your regular routine that will have a huge impact: The broccoli sprout.
Quick Lesson on Detoxification
There are 3 phases of detoxification:
Phase 1
Excess hormones and toxins are transformed by the liver into new substances (intermediate metabolites) that can be more effectively removed by the body. These intermediate metabolites are often more toxic than the original molecules.
Phase 2
The intermediate metabolites are conjugated into less toxic compounds that can be excreted by the bile, stool & urine. It’s important to support this phase in a detox plan otherwise toxins can build up from phase 1 which can intensify the toxic load, not make it better. And sulforaphane is the most effective natural chemical at supporting this phase.
Phase 3
This phase is the actual removal of the toxins. Water-soluble substances go to the kidneys to be peed out, and fat-soluble substances are packaged into bile and eliminated via the stool. In other words, we heavily rely on the liver, gallbladder and kidneys for detoxification and pooping daily is critical.
So what does this have to do with the broccoli sprout?
Sulforaphane is required for all 3 phases of detoxification and broccoli sprouts have the highest concentration of it out of any food.
This is a bit of an oversimplification; more accurately, cruciferous vegetables (like broccoli, kale, cabbage etc) contain 2 compounds that are precursors to sulforaphane: myrosinase and glucoraphanin. When we chew, chop or sprout them, they combine and create sulforaphane. One caveat: cooking cruciferous veggies kills myrosinase, decreasing the chance of us getting sulforaphane from them. Some people have myrosinase activity in their gut, which can have a similar effect but that conversion depends a lot on their gut flora – so not everyone will be capable of converting glucoraphanin into sulforaphane. In other words, broccoli sprouts contain the compounds needed to create sulforaphane and are really the best source of it.
If sulforaphane is so amazing, can we not just take a sulforaphane supplement?
The sulforaphane in broccoli sprouts is much more bioavailable (meaning our body can actually absorb & use it) than the majority of sulforaphane supplements on the market. It’s also cheaper and they taste good.
What else does sulforaphane do?
It supports our immune system, protects our brain, restores cognitive function and helps with focus, it reduces inflammation, slows the aging process, and improves cardiovascular health. Overall, this compound has the potential to dramatically improve our health and wellbeing.
What other foods support detoxification?
Here’s a list of some of the heaviest-hitting foods for detoxification:
Animal protein! This is critical. Pasture-raised poultry, grass-fed beef & wild fish are ideal
Leafy greens like spinach, collard greens, bok choy & kale
Nuts & Seeds (especially chia, flax, almonds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds & pumpkin seeds)
Avocado
Banana
Eggs
Shellfish
Organ meats
Bone broth
Cocoa
Asparagus
Cruciferous veggies like cauliflower & broccoli
White & sweet potatoes
Shellfish
Berries
Citrus fruits
Bell peppers (raw is even better to retain the Vitamin C)
Carrots
Tomatoes
Garlic & onion
Cilantro & parsley
Filtered water (I know, I know, this is not technically food…)
All in all, if you want to tackle a weight loss goal this year, I recommend you skip the juice cleanse and enjoy well-rounded meals that include whole foods that taste great & are satisfying! To learn more about how I can help you pick the foods that work for you, in your busy schedule, Book a Free Consult or check out my Services.
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