5 detox drinks you can make at home

Summers are the right time to de-clutter and detoxify one mind, body, and soul. Though detoxifying the mind and soul is an internal and long-drawn affair, detoxifying the body is comparatively easier. The kitchen offers a variety of stuff like detox drinks to help in cleansing the body, both externally and internally.

Any fruit, vegetables, legumes, or curd that is easy on the stomach and gut offers complete detoxification. It is generally said that citrus fruits are excellent. Even curd is said to have good bacteria that aids in cleansing the system. These ingredients churned into a delicious drink allures all, albeit the age.

Check out some amazing detox drinks below:

1. Sugarcane and Lemon Mojito

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 per

Type: Drink

Ingredients:

Sugarcane juice: 1l

Lemon: 3-4

Black salt: 1 -1 ½ tsp

Mint leaves: 10-12

Honey: to taste

Method:

1. Slice lemons thinly. Wash mint leaves.
2. Take a tall glass and add in the lemon slices.
3. Take a crusher to crush them roughly. Add in the mint leaves, salt, and honey (if one is using them) and crush them too.
4. Top it up with sugarcane juice and serve chilled.

(Tip: Fresh sugarcane juice can be used too. It is also best to avoid any sweeteners.)

2. Orange and Apple Refresher Detox Drink

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 per

Type: Drink

Ingredients:

Orange: 8

Apple: 2

Celery: 1 stalk

Salt and Pepper: to taste

Sugar: ½ tsp

Method:

1. Peel the oranges. Remove the skin and deseed them. Extract the juice of the segments.
2. Core the apples and chop them roughly and churn them in the blender into a fine puree.
3. Similarly, celery can also be chopped and pureed well.
4. Mix in the orange juice, apple, and celery extract salt, pepper, and sugar.
5. Take a glass and add in few ice cubes. Pour this golden delight into the glasses and serve chilled.

3. Cold Stewed Lentils

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 per

Type: Drink

Ingredients:

Yellow lentils (Mung dal without skin): 1 cup

Tomato: 1 small

Mango ginger: 1 inch

Coconut milk: ½ cup

Green cardamom: 2 (powdered)

Jaggery: ¼ cup grated

Method:

1. Lightly roast the lentils on a hot girdle till they turn golden brown. Take off from the heat and soak them for about 30 minutes.
2. Chop the tomato and mango ginger finely Place them in the pressure cooker along with the lentil and some water. Cook them till the lentil is well cooked.
3. Cool and mash them well. Add some more water, if water has dried. Pass the lentil through a sieve.
4. Add in the coconut milk, green cardamom powder, and jaggery. Mix well.
5. Add in some more water till it is nice and thin.
6. Serve them in martini glasses with some ice.

4. Cabbage and ginger detox juice

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 4 per

Type: Drink

Ingredients:

Red Cabbage: 250 grams

Green apple: 4

Ginger: 1 inch

Lemon: 2-3

Coriander leaves: few sprigs

Method:

1. Take out the thick hard part of the cabbage. Wash and chop it roughly. Put a pan of water to boil. Once it starts boiling, take it off the heat. Immerse the cabbage into the hot water for a minute. Remove and immediately place in a bowl of ice. Put the cabbage in a juicer and extract the juice.
2. Core the apples and extract the juice from the apples too. Ginger can also be put along with the apples and juiced with it.
3. Mix the cabbage, apple, and ginger juices together.
4. Squeeze in the lemons.
5. Take a glass and put few cubes of ice. Pour in the vibrantly coloured juice. Garnish with finely chopped coriander and serve chilled.

5. Cucumber and Yogurt Detox Drink 

Cook time: 40 minutes

Serves: 4 per

Type: Drink

Ingredients:

Cucumber: 2-3

Green Chilli: 1

Curry leaves: a sprig

Curd: 250 grams

Cumin: 1 tsp.

Oil: 1 tsp.

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp.

Asafoetida: ½ tsp.

Salt to taste.

Sugar a pinch

Method:

1. Wash and roughly chop cucumbers. Roughly chop the green chilli too.
2. Put both of them in the juicer along with the curry leaves and extract the juice.
3. Pour them out in a bowl.
4. Churn the curd with a couple of cups of water.
5. Add this to the cucumber, chilli, and curry leaf juice.
6. Roast the cumin in a hot girdle till it darkens and a nice aroma wafts out.
7. Cool and grind the cumin into a fine powder.
8. Season it according to the taste with salt and a pinch of sugar. Add in the roasted cumin powder.
9. In a tempering pan, heat oil and put in mustard seeds. Let it splutter. Now add the asafoetida and pour this onto the juice. Let it sit for about ½ hour.
10. Add in some ice cubes to chill it well.
11. Strain the juice in another bowl.
12. Use a long flute glass with ice to serve. Serve chilled.

It is essential to rest, recoup and restore the natural machine: our body. Detoxification is an easy way to eliminate the waste in our bodies. This ensures smooth functioning. Periodic cleansing also ensures that vital nutrients and minerals that one eats are absorbed well. Detoxification is also a way to maintain good health. This helps the body to repair itself and cells to rejuvenate.  Though many doctors do come up with numerous medications and therapies, the best one is to go the natural way. The thumb rule to find out a detoxification ingredient is to measure the lightness. The lighter the food the easier it is to digest and hence a great way to ease the load on the digestive system. One can think of incorporating salads, and zero or no oil foods.

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Also Read: 6 detox foods for cleansing your body