Food Items You Should Include in Your Diet to Detox Your Body

There are some fruits we are used to seeing year-round at the supermarket, while others only become available as the weather warms up and the days begin to lengthen. As winter draws to a close, fruits are among our best allies for detoxifying and preparing our bodies for the change of season. This time of year, opt for fruits that are rich in Vitamin C (for its immune boosting properties), magnesium (for regulating energy levels and stress) and potassium (for its diuretic action).

Bananas

Much maligned in recent years due to their relatively high calorie content, bananas should not be neglected by anyone looking to boost their intake of certain vital nutrients. It's a well-known fact that bananas are among the best sources of potassium, an essential element in any detox diet. They are also rich in magnesium, which can help reduce some effects of stress and fatigue. Finally, unripe bananas are rich in fructans, a type of fiber that has been shown to promote healthy intestinal flora.

Berries

In addition to adding a welcome splash of color on your plate, red berries -- and raspberries in particular -- are a source of ellagic acid, a polyphenol with powerful antioxidant properties. Berries have also been show to stimulate our bodies' production of glutathione, a molecule consisting of three amino acids (glycine, cysteine and glutamate) and known as "the mother of all antioxidants."

Plums

Whether eaten fresh during the summer or dried in the form of prunes the rest of the year, this fruit is unparalleled when it comes to promoting healthy digestion. In addition to being rich in fiber, plums and prunes contain sorbitol, which stimulates the contraction of the gall bladder, offering an additional boost to your digestive tract.

Lemons

Contrary to popular belief, lemons are not the world's best source of vitamin C. Lemons contain 50mg of vitamin C per 100g, which places them behind blackcurrants (200mg/100g), other berries (70mg/100g), and lychees and papaya (71 mg/100g).

But, after dried apricots, lemons are among the leading sources of organic acids (namely citric acid) and antioxidant polyphenols. Most notably, lemons are among the lowest in calories of these detox allies, with just 29 calories for 100g and just 2% carbohydrates.

This list was compiled with the help of Dr. Laurence Benedetti, general practitioner and micro-nutritionist, and Nathalie Negro, head nutritionist at the French weight loss spa Thermes de Brides-les-Bains.