The 5-day cleansing diet

 

The dietician who compiled the diet calls it a "cleansing diet" instead of a detox diet. She believes that the word "detox" has traditionally been associated with an extremely strict diet that cuts a large variety of food from the diet, although it essentially has the same purpose.

The aim of Annaret Gerber's meal plan is to make a significant difference in a short time. The idea is to continue to provide the body with the necessary nutrients, not to starve it, and to adopt a more natural way of eating. Fresh fruit and vegetables, and smaller, more frequent meals, form an integral part of the cleansing diet.


Foods to cut from the diet

Caffeine and alcohol, which includes coffee, Ceylon tea, hot chocolate and cola drinks

  • Milk products, like milk, cheese and yoghurt
  • Refined sugars
  • Processed fats, like margarine, sunflower and canola oil
  • Wheat products, like bread, Provitas, pasta, All-Bran, muesli and Weet-Bix
  • Fatty protein of animal origin, like red and cured meat

All foods have to be as natural and fresh as possible and shouldn't contain any preservatives. Although dried fruit can be included in the diet, the fruit shouldn't contain preservatives, like sulphur dioxide. Fruit juice should also be preservative-free.


The diet


Pre-breakfast snack

Kick the day off with a fruit smoothie. Possible combination include:


  • 100 % cranberry juice (to combat bladder infections), strawberries (good source of vitamin C) and almonds (good source of poli-unsaturated fat)
  • 100 % paw paw juice (good source of vitamin C, beta-carotene and digestive enzymes), pineapple (good source of digestive enzymes) and walnuts (good source of essential fatty acids)
  • 100 % apple juice, kiwi (good source of vitamin C) and pumpkin seeds (good source of essential fatty acids)

Breakfast

Wheat-free food with a low glycaemic value (GI) forms the basis of this meal. Possible combinations include:


  • ½ a cup of cooked (preservative-free) oats with honey and half a banana. Oats has a low GI and is also a good source of fibre, which is beneficial to the digestive system. Banana is a good source of fructose (a natural type of sugar) and potassium.
  • One slice of 100% rye bread, Rye Crisps or Ryvita biscuits with avo and/or tomato slices and lemon juice. No butter or margarine. Wheat is cut from the diet since it is a common allergen. Avo is a good source of vitamin E and mono-unsaturated fats.

Snack

100% juice, diluted with water / Rooibos tea with honey and a lemon slice / mineral water / fresh fruit


Light lunch or supper


  • A low GI, wheat-free carbohydrate, like one small sweet potato, ½ a cup of cooked brown rice, ½ cup of cooked wild rice or one slice of rye bread
  • A combination of fresh fruit, vegetables or a salad, which may include lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber, red, green and yellow peppers, bean sprouts, carrots, mushrooms, baby marrows, celery, apple, roasted sunflower seeds and avo.
  • You can add a touch of olive oil and lemon juice to your meal.

Snack

100% juice, diluted with water / Rooibos tea with honey and a lemon slice / mineral water / fresh fruit

The main meal


  • 90 g of low fat protein, like a chicken fillet (without skin) or fish, which can be baked, stir-fried or steamed, but not fried.
  • A combination of veggies, which may include carrots, pumpkin, squashes, baby marrows, patty pans, fresh asparagus, mushrooms, leaks, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and butternut.
  • You can add a touch of olive oil if you choose to bake the vegetables in the oven. Add lemon juice, garlic and black pepper for flavour.

 

What to expect

If you're used to drinking fair amounts of coffee and tea, you might experience a headache during the first two days of the diet. In all other respects, you should start feeling better, more energetic, less bloated and healthier! -

(Carine van Rooyen, Health24)