The Quick Fix Party Detox Diet
From beating a dreaded case of the pre-party bloat to blitzing a beastly hangover the day after, here's all the nutritional know-how you need to look your very best on your big night.
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Spanx or no Spanx, nothing feels more uncomfortable than attempting to squeeze a bloated-feeling tum into anything, let alone a form-fitting party dress. But fear not: dietary help is at hand. Flatten a stubborn stomach in no time with these foods…
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Not only are almonds packed full of skin-boosting vitamin E and protein, but their high fibre content stops you feeling hungry. In 2007, researchers at Purdue University also reported that – despite the fact they are relatively high in calories – almonds themselves do not contribute to belly fat. Swap out your usual mid-morning snack for a handful and see if it makes a difference.
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Oats are filling, which makes it hard to believe that they can help you lose weight. But eating a portion in the morning for breakfast as part of a low-calorie diet is a great way to provide your body with slow-release, natural energy throughout the day, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer and can even lower your cholesterol.
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Mad but true – fat CAN help you to lose weight. Poly-unsaturated fats like those found in olive oil can stave off hunger pains, while olive oil itself contains a naturally-occurring chemical called oleic acid, which aids the breakdown of excess fats in the body.
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Peppermint is known for its potent healing and calming digestive properties, so if you’re looking to slim down your stomach, it makes sense to start including it in your diet. The easiest way to do this is to drink it in tea form, so pick up a box from your local supermarket (organic if possible) and try drinking three cups a day. Great for clearing the skin, too!
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Kelp or seaweed is prized for its high levels of iodine which helps to create the thyroid hormones in your body. These regulate your metabolic rate – the rate in which your body burns fat. It also contains several minerals which have been found to assist the breakdown of belly fat and relieve water retention. Source it out in Japanese supermarkets or pick up from health food stores in a supplement form.
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If you’re looking for a quick-fix body streamliner, try adding a few capfuls of apple cider vinegar to your meals. It acts as a digestive tonic, helping to stave off harmful bacteria in the intestines, flush out toxins and relieve water retention around the stomach. Try adding some to vegetables during cooking or as a dressing over salad.
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As well as high levels of antioxidizing vitamin C, cranberry juice has fantastic diuretic properties. This means that it encourages the body to get rid of excess fluids through excretion (going to the toilet). Swap out your morning OJ for a glass of sugar-free, all natural cranberry instead.
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Asparagus is often considered a luxury vegetable, and not without good reason. Each spear is packed full of vitamins A, B-complex, C and E, as well as containing high levels of skin-clearing zinc and potassium, which assists the removal of excess fluids from the body. Asparagus has long been used to treat inflammations such as arthritis and rheumatism too.
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It might make your breath smell a bit, but each clove of garlic is packed with a naturally occurring chemical called allicin. When digested, allicin reacts with the blood to create a product capable of killing off many harmful bacteria and viruses that your body may be harbouring – including in the digestive tract. A healthy gut it essential for achieving a flatter tummy – try adding a few raw cloves to your food just before serving to get the most out of it. Just remember to BRUSH YOUR TEETH before you go out.
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Toning up is a two-way street. You have to hit the gym (a mix of weight training, core strength and high interval training is best) and the protein in equal measure, and opt for nutrient-rich foods that are low in fats and sugars. For example…
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Throw some protein rich tuna into the mix. High in protein, low in calories, low in fat… Grilled fresh steaks or plain old tinned, it’s all good news for body sculpting.
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There are many ways to cook an egg, and we advise you to try all of them if you’re striving for a super-slender, muscular physique. Eggs are a great low-cal source of protein – just remember that the yolks are quite high in saturated fat (as well as other nutrients, like selenium and zinc, of course). The egg whites are much lower in fat, so save the yolks for a rainy baking day, and tuck into an egg white omelette instead.
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Dairy products, like cheese, are good sources of protein and calcium, but beware – most varieties are high in saturated fats, and should be limited in your body-sculpting diet. Not so cottage cheese – a low fat, high protein alternative. Spread on rice crackers, enjoy in a jacket spud or add a little to an egg white omelette.
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And don’t forget soya protein alternatives, either. Taken as a supplement, soya is thought to have a collagen-boosting, anti-aging effect, so coupled with the high levels of protein and low fat that tofu contains, it’s an ideal addition to your diet if you’re looking to firm up fast.
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Berries are fabulous sources of antioxidants – vitamins which help to track down and get rid of harmful toxins in the body. Raspberries, together with…
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…Blueberries also help to boost skin firming collagen in the body. Remember, a whole handful of berries contains under 100 calories, so they are a great mid-day snack…
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If you’re looking for an ideal snack food to sculpt your body and boost your beauty at the same time, sunflower seeds are it. Packed with protein, vitamins and fibre, grazing on a handful in-between meal times will be beneficial.
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Beans are all-round superfoods when it comes to the body-sculpting diet, as they contain essential collagen-boosting nutrients, protein, complex carbohydrates and fibre. Lentils are a fab example.
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Glowing, clear and healthy-looking skin is the most covetable party dress accessory you can own. Our top tip to improve your complexion? Stack your shopping basket with plenty of these detoxing foods…
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Nettles get a bad rep for being a stingy garden nuisance, but taken in tea, capsule or soup form, you might be surprised to discover they have an anti-inflammatory effect, helping to calm the skin and improve conditions like eczema and acne. They’re also extremely detoxifying, thanks to high levels of antioxidants.
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Tiny but mighty, each stringy sprout is packed with valuable, skin-clearing nutrients such as calcium, folic acid, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, silicon, sodium and zinc among others, as well as supplying a full range of vitamins A, B complex, C, E and K. Who needs multivitamins when you can sprinkle a few of these on your salad? They’re relatively inexpensive, too, and available from most health food shops.
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They might stain your fingers, but the skin-clearing properties of beetroots are well worth the effort. The purple roots are particularly high in vitamin A, as well as potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E, which is essential for epidermal health and healing. Combined, these nutrients make a powerful all-round body cleanser, helping to eliminate toxins from the body and lower cholesterol too.
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Next time you make a salad, try substituting a few lettuce leaves for some peppery watercress. The leafy greens are jammed full of antioxidants as well as minerals manganese, carotene and potassium. This makes watercress a powerful cleansing agent, nourishing the skin while helping to flush out toxins and excess fluids in the process. Bonus!
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One of the best, cheapest and most effective ways to get there is to help your body flush out toxins by drinking plenty of water. Not only will upping your fluid levels help to keep your brains fully functional and therefore better able to cope with stress, but it also replenishes water in the cells.
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Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C, which helps to keep the skin firm and taut by aiding collagen production. They also contain lycopene: the red pigment which not only gives them their bright red colour, but also stimulates skin circulation.
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Drinking anti-oxidant polyphenol-rich green tea will improve your skin and boost your beauty.
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Oysters are packed with skin-clearing nutrients for relatively few calories. Expect to find everything from vitamin A to zinc and selenium in these bite-sized sea-dwelling beauty bombs.
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So you're trim, toned, got great skin… Now for the barnet. Beautiful hair comes from WITHIN, so give yours the best chance to shine like a mirror and bounce like a rubber ball by eating more of these…
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Shell fish, like shrimps, pack a similar, hair-nourishing punch. The crustaceans come fully loaded with a full arsenal of fatty acids, vitamin D, B12, iron, zinc, selenium and protein: all great components to healthy hair and glowing skin.
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Red meat is often thought of as a huge diet don’t, but eating a couple of portions of lean beef a week can do wonders for your locks. It contains many of the vital minerals needed to enhance lustre, strength and hair health as well as being one of the best sources of protein available.
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Nuts in general are fantastic sources of hair-enhancing vitamins and minerals, but walnuts are considered among the very best for nourishment. This is because they contain a potent blend of omega-3 fatty acids, biotin, protein, vitamin E and copper, which protects hair against the harmful rays of the sun by acting as a sort of shield.
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There are so many reasons you should always say, ‘Yes’, to eating chocolate – particularly if it’s the antioxidant-rich, dark, high-cocoa variety. Need another one? The protein, iron and B-vitamins it contains are fabulous for your hair.
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For a quick, lock-boosting snack on the go, make sure you pack yourself a B-vitamin and zinc-rich banana. Low in calories, high in hair-beautifying vitamins and minerals.
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The vitamin A contained in carrots helps the scalp to produce sebum oil, an important fluid that provides natural hydration to dull, dry locks.
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Broccoli is a real hair hero, as it's rammed full of essential vitamins and minerals, including folic acid, zinc and calcium, which is an important nutrient for growth and strength.
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Low fat Greek yoghurt is full of strengthening protein, calcium, vitamin D and vitamin B5 (which you might find in the ingredients list on the back of your haircare products, cunningly disguised as pantothenic acid).
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They’re just so full of vitamin C! Great for the follicles. Our advice? Chop some up with a sprinkle of blueberries, mixed nuts and pumpkin seeds and enjoy with low-fat Greek yoghurt for the ultimate hair-boosting breakfast.
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For every hour spent dancing, knocking back shots and attempting NOT to have that drunken conversation you really shouldn’t have but inevitably will anyway with your boss, you’re going to need some serious stamina. Make space the day before your party to load up on the following…
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Like apples, the high fibre content oranges contain promotes fullness and helps to keep blood sugar levels steady. They also include a cocktail of energy-boosting vitamins. Steer away from juice, though – it’s higher in calories and sugars, which could make you feel sluggish.
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Tropical fruits like pineapple contain an exotic blend of nutrients that boost energy levels. These include iodine, which promotes healthy thyroid function (this is the gland that regulates the metabolism by controlling how quickly it burns energy). Meanwhile, high levels of B vitamins, potassium and calcium stimulate blood flow and lower cholesterol.
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Thanks to the high level of proteins and good fats peanuts contain, a 181-calorie-handful-a-day can actually curb hunger pangs and help to regulate energy levels. Just steer away from them in butter or salty form.
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Endurance athletes swear by ginseng and often take it in tea or supplement form before a big race. This is because it speeds up the metabolic rate, enhancing their performance by giving them the extra energy they need to last the distance. Transfer this tip to your own busy life, and see if it helps you last that little bit longer.
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Noticed this ingredient lurking in your energy drinks? It’s actually extracted from the seeds of a plant that grows in the Amazon rainforest. Each tiny husk contains twice the amount of caffeine as coffee beans do, as well as other vitamins and minerals. For a quick, emergency fix, drink in herbal tea or take in capsule form.
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Fibre-rich apricots are high in vitamins A and C, as well as natural sugars to help stabilise your energy levels. Swap out your usual midday snack for a small bag of dried apricots and a sprinkling of almonds, and see if it makes a difference.
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Adding a couple of dates to your diet is a great way to boost your vitality. Each fruit is packed with iron, potassium, calcium, manganese, copper and magnesium, as well as energising B vitamins and anti-inflammatory tannins. Oh, and fibre, natural sugars, proteins… Need we go on?
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Parsnips are high in soluble fibre, which helps to lower cholesterol and keep energy resources ticking along steadily. They contain a wealth of vitamins and minerals too, including folic acid and vitality-boosting B vitamins. They’re also relatively low in calories, so ditch the roast spuds and opt for parsnips instead.
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Complex carbohydrates that are full of fibre are a source of basic, steadily-burned energy for the body, which can help to regulate our blood sugar levels and keep us feeling fuller for longer. Sweet potatoes are particularly good because, as well as the above, they also contain energising vitamin B.
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Yep. It seemed clever at the time, all that hard pre-party prep, but chances are the day after the night before, you’re not feeling at your best. But do not give up hope. Refrain from repeatedly face-planting your keyboard. Remove those large dark glasses from your head. And chow down these fool-proof hangover cures instead.
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Too much booze leaves the body depleted of vitamins, minerals and salt. Gherkins are rich in nutrients including vitamin A, iron, potassium, vitamin K, calcium and manganese, so, though it might sound strange, eating a few gherkins might actually help you get over the worst of it.
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We don’t know about you, but carbs like bread are top of our list when it comes to hangover cravings. And there may be good reason for it, too. Wholegrain breads in particular are a great source of detoxifying B vitamins, as well as essential fatty acids needed to help the liver heal your body.
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Other great carbs to get stuck into include brown rice, known for being rich in B-vitamins and protein…
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…As is quinoa, a much-lauded super-grain stuffed with amino acids and other essential nutrients that’ll give your recovering body a big ‘ol vitamin hug.
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Want to soothe a throbbing belly and calm down bloating and nausea? Reach for a box of chamomile tea. Sweeten with honey to add natural sugars to the list of benefits it has on a hungover body.
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Poorly tummy? As well as being a powerful antioxidant, ginger can help to ease nausea by acting as an anti-inflammatory in the digestive system and blocking serotonin receptors in the stomach. Reach for a can of still ginger ale, chop some into a stir fry or slurp back a ginger tea to feel the difference.
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Another staple fry-up food in prime hangover-curing action! Mushrooms are a great source of selenium, which is particularly great due to its antioxidant powers. They are also packed with B vitamins, which support the liver by aiding the detoxification processes.
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Don’t be fooled by food that could potentially cause your mouth some spicy discomfort - hot cayenne pepper is actually a natural pain reliever, so could prove a pretty useful ally when tackling a tricky-to-shift hangover headache. Hot foods boost the metabolism, too, so could help to speed up the body’s natural detoxification process.
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Legend has it that the combination of lactic acid, vitamins and minerals in raw cabbage makes a pretty mean headache cure. So think about that before you ditch the coleslaw side. In fact, order two with your cayenne-sprinkled sweet potato fries and tuna burger.
