The Apple Cleanse Diet
Naturopaths and other health practitioners have known for hundreds of years that apples were good for cleansing and detox but now researchers have discovered why the Apple Cleanse Diet may be particularly good for your liver.
Apples contain Phlorizidin (phlorizin), just one of an apple’s many antioxidants, known as polyphenol flavonoids. Phlorizidin is one reason that the latest apple extracts may be a hot rival for green tea and grape seed extracts on the market.
Apples & Bile production
Modern science has discovered that phlorizidin can treat diabetes in animals and is thought to target the liver and help stimulate bile flow. High glucose levels are known to impair bile production in the liver. Bile flow is important as the liver eliminates toxins into the bile as part of the detox process. A good reason for an apple cleanse diet but there’s more. Antioxidants
The antioxidant effects of apple extracts have been compared to silymarin, the active ingredient of the herb milk thistle, which is known to be good for the liver. Both are good at fighting free radicals but silymarin still had the edge. Apples contain many antioxidants or phytonutrients including quercetin, catechin, phlorizin, and chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid can prevent the oxidation of LDL cholesterol which can lead to atherosclerosis. (narrowing of arteries due to build up of fats)
Cleansing effects of Fiber
Apples are high in insoluble fiber which helps cleanse the bowel and is a great solution for constipation and diverticulitis. Pectin, a soluble fiber, binds to heavy metals and helps clear the body of food additives. Keeping the bowels clean helps to prevent toxins from it overloading the liver.
Are you ready to do the Apple Cleanse Diet?
I don’t advise doing this if you are pregnant or breast feeding, are very under weight or have a serious illness. If in doubt always get the advice of a nutritionist, naturopath or doctor who is experienced in detox. You can do the apple cleanse diet for 2 or 3 days. You eat nothing but fresh apples, any type and organic if possible as you don’t want to load your body with any more chemicals.
You can prepare them any way you like but avoid peeling them as a lot of nutrients are contained in the skin. Eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner and any time you are hungry. Munch on them whole or juice them. Thin the pulp with a little water and eat that too! Cut them up and blend with enough water to make the blades turn. Try to eat the core and seeds too. Drink plenty of pure water and herbal tea too if you fancy.
You can find out more about how to do the Apple Cleanse Diet in my previous post The 2 Day Apple Detox Diet.
Information is really useful about the apples, but is there any different in radicals present in green apple other than red one.
Yes Andy, Red apples in the main contain more antioxidants than green apples.
But it’s interesting that people doing the Gerson Therpy for cancer ,which is a detox therapy, recommend using Bramley cooking apples for their higher potassium content.
So it seems the old proverb that ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away’ is true then! Our mothers certainly knew a thing or too. Sounds a useful detox and easy to do.