What is the Clean 14 Detox Diet?
The Clean 14 Detox Diet is a 14 day diet of eating clean foods, with minimal processing and avoiding unrecognizable (chemical) ingredients, along with avoiding wheat (gluten), dairy, and soy.
The Clean 14 Detox Diet is rich in vegetables, fruits, plant proteins (legumes and lentils), whole grains, olive oil, nuts, seeds, fish and plenty of herbs and spices. The Clean 14 Detox Diet is not really a diet, but rather a way of life that maintains good health.
The Clean 14 principles are:
- Eat 5-6 small meals a day.
- Eat breakfast every day, within an hour of getting up.
- Eat lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal.
- Have two or three servings of healthy fats every day.
- Get fiber, vitamins, nutrients, and enzymes from fresh fruits and vegetables.
- Drink ½ your body weight in ounces of water every day.
The goal of the Clean 14 Detox Diet is to get you to eat real clean food for 14 days in a row. During these 14 days, you will experience the benefits of clean eating and establish new dietary patterns that can be maintained for life.
The Clean 14 Detox Food List is designed so that you avoid toxins and chemicals in food along with the most common foods that cause allergies, sensitivities, and digestive problems.
Food List
Here is a quick snapshot of the major foods you’ll eat and avoid on the Clean 14 Detox Diet:
Eat:
- Whole vegetables, leafy greens
- Brown rice, non-gluten grains
- Stevia
- Beans, lentils
- Green tea, apple cider vinegar
- Wild fish, organic chicken & turkey & eggs
- Whole fruits, berries, nuts, seeds
- Coconut oil
- Plant-based protein powder
Don’t Eat:
- Dairy: cheese, milk, yogurt, and whey protein
- Gluten, wheat
- Processed foods: sugar & white flour
- Soy
- Caffeine: coffee, soda, alcohol
- Beef, pork
- Creamed vegetables, peanuts
- Corn oil
- Processed Meats: lunch meats & hotdogs-these are filled with sodium nitrates and nitrates
- Artificial sweeteners: sucralose, aspartame, Splenda, Sweet & Low
- Soda & Diet Soda – try club soda with lime or lemon
- Juice – it’s full of sugar and added calories
- Alcohol
- Foods with chemical additives like food dyes
- Foods with preservatives
- Artificial foods, such as processed cheese – this isn’t really even considered food so you shouldn’t eat it…
- Saturated fats and trans fats
You will notice that some commonly perceived “healthy” foods are in the “foods to exclude” category. This is because common foods like wheat, dairy, and soy often create negative reactions in the body as a result of a food allergy or delayed food intolerance.
During the Clean 14 Detox Diet, your diet will be free of toxins and potential allergenic ingredients. Most people feel better and notice improved energy when they eliminate these common allergens from their diet.
Grains
Gluten is a protein found in grains like wheat, barley and rye, and it’s even lurking in many sauces, condiments and frozen foods. It gives breads their sticky, chewy elasticity and similarly helps condiments bind together.
The breads, pastas, and wheat products we eat today are largely genetically modified, contaminated with toxins and pesticides and processed in such a way that the human body cannot properly break them down or assimilate their nutrients.
The Clean 14 detox diet eliminates gluten. Give your body a break from pastas, bread, crackers, cereals, and other products made from these grains. Make sure you carefully read labels, too, because gluten hides in other places such as soy sauce, dry-roasted nuts, ice cream, alternative meat products, beer and more. Look for ingredients like seasonings, flavoring, natural flavoring, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, maltodextrin, and modified food starch that could be derived from wheat. Oats do not naturally contain gluten, but they are often contaminated with gluten in the production process, so be sure to buy oats that are specifically labeled as gluten free.
Most people feel better without gluten in their bodies. Even though you do not have celiac disease, on the Clean 14 detox diet you are going to completely eliminate all gluten containing grains for 14 days and feel the detox benefits.
So what grains can you have?
Include:
- Rice, oats (gluten-free), millet, quinoa, amaranth, tapioca, buckwheat, potatoes
Exclude:
- Wheat, barley, spelt, kamut, rye, and all gluten-containing products
Dairy Products
Why should you avoid dairy on the Clean 14?
Milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter are highly mucus forming, are very common allergens, and can be acidic to the body. Most milk, yogurt, and cheese have been pasteurized, (have all the health properties destroyed) and often contain an abundance of sugar. After your Clean 14 Detox, you may include local and raw yogurt (preferably from sheep or goats).
Include:
- Milk substitutes such as rice milk, almond milk, goat milk, coconut milk, or other nut milks (such as hemp or oat milk)
Exclude:
- Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, cream, yogurt, butter, ice cream, frozen yogurt, and non-dairy creamers (contain artificial ingredients)
Note: Avoid soymilk as well. You will learn about soy shortly.
Meat, Fish, and Eggs
You want to make sure that you are eating clean sources of meats. This means avoid eating any animal meat that has been injected with hormones or antibiotics, nitrates, and processed foods like ham, cold cuts, hot dogs, pastrami and fried meats.
If you take a look at the chart, you will see the foods to include most often and those that you will avoid. You can eat fish, including trout, halibut, salmon, and cod. Clean sources of chicken and lean beef are good, too. In general, it is recommended to avoid red beef and pork, however, if you are positive that you have a clean source of hormone and antibiotic free meat, then is it okay to eat in moderation on the Clean 14 Diet.
I consider eggs a super food. Egg-yolks contain protein-bound sulfur which is a mineral needed for detoxification pathways in the liver and also for binding toxic metals. It is important not to hard-boil or overcook your eggs because the cooking damages the fat and sulfur compounds in the delicate yolk. So if you do decide to eat them during the diet, I suggest soft-boiled eggs, cooked for up to about 3 minutes in most areas of the world, or poached eggs or even very lightly fried eggs or very soft scrambled eggs only.
Eggs are sometimes a source of inflammation to those who are sensitive to them. If you think that you may be sensitive to eggs, eliminate them from your diet for the Clean 14-Day Detox. Then add them back into your diet and watch for any inflammatory response that may or may not occur in the gut.
Legumes
Legumes are beans, which are among the oldest cultivated plants. Compared with grains, legumes supply the same number of total calories per serving, also usually providing 2 to 4 times as much protein.
Include:
- All legumes including peas and lentils (except soy beans)
Exclude:
- Tofu, tempeh, soybeans, soymilk and other soy products
Avoid Soy
Why avoid soy and tofu?
Unlike in Asia, where people eat small amounts of whole soybean products, Western food processors separate the soybean into two golden commodities – protein and oil. There is nothing safe or natural about this. Today’s high-tech processing methods not only fail to remove the toxins that are naturally present in soybeans, but leave toxic and carcinogenic residues created by the high temperatures and high pressures that are used to create these soy products.
Among the many health problems linked to a high-soy diet are:
- Thyroid problems, including weight gain, lethargy, malaise, fatigue, hair loss, and loss of libido
- Premature puberty
- Reproductive disorders
- Soy allergies
Fermented soy (such as tofu, tempeh, and miso) is a better option, but I still recommend avoiding it on the Clean 14 Detox Diet because it contains some of the toxic residues mentioned above.
Vegetables
You can eat unlimited vegetables!
During the Clean 14 Detox Diet, eat these crunchy veggies the way nature intended, if you do not already. Most people are accustomed to drowning these gems in sauces, dips, and dressings, but during this “Clean 14” detox diet, you will get to know them for the botanical miracles they are.
Here are my favorites:
Artichoke, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, mushrooms, okra, parsnips, peas, peppers, radishes, rutabaga, squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, turnips, water chestnuts, and zucchini.
Include:
- All fresh, raw, steamed, sautéed, juiced or roasted vegetables
- Roast and steam. Changing the texture of a vegetable can greatly influence how much you enjoy eating it.
- Try roasting broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, onions, zucchini, and summer squash – Simply toss in coconut oil, the most stable fat to cook with, and sprinkle with Celtic sea salt or your favorite toasted spice blend.
- For a healthy potato chip alternative, bake kale in a 350-degree oven for 5-12 minutes. Chop kale into thin slices and massage coconut oil and lemon juice onto the leaves before baking. If the coconut oil is solid when you spoon it onto the kale, you will find that it liquefies with the heat from your hands. Add thinly sliced onion or shallots to the kale mixture for variety. Sprinkle with Celtic sea salt to season.
Exclude:
White potatoes, corn or any creamy vegetables
Why can’t you eat corn and white potatoes? Corn is a common allergen that is often genetically modified and a large number of people have sensitivities to it. Corn and white potatoes are both high in sugar and spike insulin levels as they are high on the glycemic index.
Leafy Greens = Green Smoothie
Leafy greens are your lifeline. Eating leafy greens are the KEY to success on the “Clean 14” Detox Diet, hands down.
Of course, none of us have the time to sit and eat as many vegetables and leafy greens as we wish we could, so I recommend making a Daily Green Smoothies They are one of the most nourishing things you can feed yourself. So satisfying!
For now, know that leafy greens can be added to any of your favorite smoothies. If you want to learn more about smoothies, watch my webinar on How to Make a Healthy Green Smoothie.
The following list of leafy greens to add to your smoothie:
Beet greens, bok choy, chard, collards, endive, fennel, kale, lettuces, mustard greens, parsley, spinach, turnip greens, and watercress.
Fruits
Raw fruit contains high amounts of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, enzymes, fiber, and phytonutrients. The vitamins and minerals are important building blocks for your body. They act as catalysts for some of the most basic functions to help sustain a healthy life. Every cell in your body depends heavily on vitamins and minerals to create new cells and sustain the existing ones.
Raw fruits are high in antioxidants, which are important to protect your cells from the ravages of free radicals. They also contain enzymes that are required for every single reaction in the body. They unlock the nutrients in foods to allow for the chemical reactions that enable you to do everything from digest and metabolize your foods, to regulating hormone production. The fiber from a fruit aids the body by helping to cleanse it of the toxins that line the intestinal wall.
Citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, have been removed from this cleanse because they are known to block certain enzymes in the liver that are involved in the detox pathways. Additionally, they are known for their allergenic qualities, except for lemons and limes, which are alkalizing and detoxifying and therefore wonderful on the detox diet.
Include:
- Fresh fruit, unsweetened fruit that has been dried, frozen, or canned. Water-packed fruits and fruit juices (except orange)
Exclude:
- Canned fruit: Always loaded with too much sugar
- Oranges, Orange Juice, and Grapefruits
- Bananas: This fruit is very starchy, and very sugary. Many people use bananas in their shakes and smoothies. Instead, try using berries, nut milks, and a scoop of coconut oil or an avocado to create a similar consistency.
- Bottled Fruit Juice: All concentrated fruit juice (anything that is not fresh squeezed or pressed) is high in sugar and creates significant spikes in blood sugar. All bottled juices are pasteurized reducing and destroying most of the original available vitamins and nutrients.
Nuts & Seeds
Nuts and seeds are loaded with healthy fats, minerals, protein, fiber and vitamins. You can choose from walnuts, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds, ground flax seeds, almonds, pecans and sunflower seeds. You can make your own nut butter by combining raw nuts and tahini (sesame seed paste) or you can purchase a jar.
Peanuts and peanut butter are usually heavily sprayed with pesticides so be sure to purchase organic peanuts and peanut butter. Always purchase raw nuts and store them in your freezer or fridge.
Include:
- Almonds, cashews, walnuts, sesame seeds, (tahini), sunflower, pumpkin seeds and nut butters.
- Add chia seeds and ground flax seeds to your smoothies and salads.
Exclude:
- Peanuts and peanut butter
Fats & Oils
Getting the right kind of fat in your Clean 14 Detox Diet is important. Cheap GMO fats like corn oil, soybean oil, and canola oil are not good for you. Partially hydrogenated fats are the worst, found in cookies and crackers, and margarine spreads, as these are highly processed and damage your cells. Healthy fats are the natural fats found in avocado, chia seeds, which are anti-inflammatory and contain omega 3 fatty acids.
Avoid trans-fats, as they are toxic to the body. Trans-fats are created when polyunsaturated oils and fats are heated in cooking. Food fried in sunflower oil, for example, is high in trans-fats; so is most deep-fried food. These trans-fats not only prevent the uptake of good essential fats, but also block their use in the body. They can lead to nutritional deficiencies.
Coconut oil is the best oil to cook with. It is a saturated fatty acid and therefore stable at a high heat. Because it is a medium chain triglyceride, it is easily transported and metabolized and it contains lauric acid, which is antimicrobial, anti-fungal, and antiviral. It also has many other health benefits.
Include:
- Oils such as cold-pressed extra virgin olive, coconut, flaxseed, avocado, sesame, walnut, pumpkin or almond
Exclude:
- Margarine, butter, shortening, processed and hydrogenated oils, mayonnaise
Spices & Condiments
Read your condiment labels – especially Ketchup.
Most bottled ketchups consist basically of overcooked tomatoes, water, and large amounts of sugar, usually as some form of genetically engineered corn syrup. Many brands also add “natural flavorings,” which are really flavor-boosting chemicals, one being MSG.
I recommend making your own homemade ketchup, consisting of the ingredients you can incorporate into your meals. On the Detox Diet, you can have unlimited spices and herbs.
Simple Homemade Ketchup Recipe
Ingredients:
1 can (6 ounces) tomato paste
2 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/3 cup water
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 pinch ground cloves
1 pinch ground allspice
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, optional
Instructions:
Simply combine all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well to combine. Refrigerate overnight to let the flavors develop and enjoy!
Include:
Vinegar, all spices including sea salt, pepper, cinnamon, cumin, dill, garlic, ginger, carob, oregano, parsley, rosemary, tarragon, thyme or turmeric
Exclude:
Chocolate, ketchup, relish, chutney, soy sauce, BBQ sauce, and other condiments
Beverages
You will want to exclude alcohol, soda and soft drinks, coffee, tea, and any other caffeinated drinks. Alcohol can slow down detoxification by slowing down the liver’s ability to process chemicals. Alcohol and caffeinated beverages deplete the body of nutrients are essential for powering the body, particularly the B group of vitamins, but are also essential in detoxifying the vast majority of toxic chemicals. This is why drinking these beverages while detoxing is not advised.
Include:
- Filtered water, decaffeinated or herbal tea, seltzer, or mineral water
Exclude:
- Soda or soft drinks, alcoholic beverages, coffee, tea, and other caffeinated beverages
What About my Morning Coffee?
I’m sure you are wondering…”What about my morning cup of coffee?!”
The truth is, caffeine is not a good substance to consume in large amounts because despite giving a temporary boost, it ultimately causes a decrease in energy. Not surprisingly, these low periods make you crave more caffeine to get back to the initial high. The continual fluctuation in energy hormones resulting from a high caffeine intake, ends up causing a major disturbance and reduction in the level of energy promoting and detoxing hormones. This brings with it strong carbohydrate cravings. In addition, caffeine also increases the rate at which the body loses many valuable and energy-giving nutrients such as magnesium, which can exacerbate the situation.
A true detox is coffee-free because coffee and it’s high caffeine content decreases nutrient absorption (which is essential for an effective detox), dulls the taste buds making detox food (and all food) less satisfying, makes the body more acidic, taxes the detox organs (the liver and the kidneys), and stresses your adrenal glands, and often contains other detox no-no’s like sugar and creamer.
Instead, try white tea, which has the least caffeine and the most antioxidants. Or, try a green tea, which has a mediocre amount of caffeine and a ton of healthy antioxidants
I understand that it may seem impossible to completely eliminate caffeine or alcohol or perhaps both… So, do not let that stop you from doing the 14 Clean Detox Challenge. If you cannot eliminate it completely then for the 14 days, cut your coffee intake in half.
If you are going to be drinking herbal teas or coffee during this Detox, I encourage you to purchase organic coffee beans and organic herbal teas, because the beans and tea leaves are highly contaminated with pesticides and chemicals during processing. It is very important to buy organic products while you are doing the detox diet.
Sweeteners
You will want to make sure that you exclude white sugars and high fructose corn syrup. You are able to use in moderation brown rice syrup, honey, 100% maple syrup, and black strap molasses. One sugar that you are able to use frequently throughout the detox is Stevia. My favorite is the liquid Sweetleaf Stevia. Make sure if you are eating a lot of Stevia, you read the package to ensure that its 100% pure Stevia, and it doesn’t have any added flavors or preservatives.
Include:
- Sweetleaf Stevia
- Use sparingly: brown rice syrup, blackstrap molasses, 100% maple syrup, honey
Exclude:
- White or brown refined sugar, corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup
Water
While you are detoxing, water is going to be your dearest friend. It helps you transport all the little toxins you will be mobilizing out of your fat cells, quickly out of your system.
In terms of choosing what kind of water is best, I recommend Kangen ionized, alkaline water. In general, avoid plastic water bottles and drink pure, filtered water.
It is best to drink in between meals to ensure you are not diluting your digestive acids. Keep a water bottle close, and when you think you’re “hungry” try chugging back a cup or two of water then waiting 15 minutes or so to see if the hunger is still there. Often times, we think we are feeling hungry when our bodies are asking for hydration.
Snacks
Here’s a list of snacks that you can eat while on the Detox:
- Apple Slices and Almond Butter
- Guacamole with Veggies
- Green Lentil Hummus with Veggies
- Roasted Chickpeas
- Salmon and Dill on Cucumber
- Raw Nuts With Fresh Fruit
- Kale Chips
- Avocado
- Veggies with Clean Lemon Dressing
- Drinks [optional]
- Clean lemonade
Take the Trash Out
If you don’t take out the trash at your house, it will pile up, attract pests, and quickly become a problem. During the Clean 14 Detox Diet your body is taking out its “trash” by eliminating toxins through the bowels. Having daily bowel movements will help make sure that toxins are not re-absorbed into your system.
Sometimes your bowel movements will increase when doing the detox. Other times you may be constipated. If you are constipated here are a few ways to resolve it:
- Stay hydrated: Drink enough water so you use the bathroom once every couple of hours. Eat fiber-rich foods: Include leafy green salads, cherries, figs, prunes, pears, aloe, juice, warm lemon water, or green vegetable juices.
- Move it: Do some movement and exercise. Walking and light yoga works great.
Dedicate yourself to the clean eating lifestyle, and you will lose about 2-3 pounds a week. The benefits go beyond weight loss. You will stay healthy and have more energy. Your eyes will look bright and alert. Your teeth and gums will be healthier. Your skin will glow. Oh, and did I mention you will not be hungry?
When you eat Clean, the benefits are visible (and perceptible to you on the inside, too) from the top of your head to the tips of your toes.
Benefits of a Whole-Body Detoxification Program include:
- Increased energy
- Improved sleep
- Improved digestion
- Healthier skin
- Improved mood
- Fewer allergies
Action Plan
- Challenge a co-worker or family member to do the Clean 14 Detox Diet with you
- Both of you, commit to a date
- Make one of the healthy recipes mentioned in this blog, either the healthy ketchup or the healthy lemon detox dressing.
Take Action, Prevent Disease, and Eat a Clean Diet.
If you’re struggling with IBS or gut issues, I can help you! Request an appointment with me.