After a night of drinking, you will likely suffer the effects of a hangover the next day. However, you can also experience withdrawal effects. If you have become addicted to alcohol, you can find it hard to give up because of the withdrawal effects.
Helping yourself through the alcohol detox is essential. This does not just mean cutting out alcohol entirely. You will need to focus on a diet that will help to nourish your body and overcome the withdrawal effects trying to take over your body.
The good news is there are a few recipes that are excellent options for your health. They will add nourishment and hydration to your body while overcoming the side effects of the detox. We will give you seven alcohol detox recipes that you will need for your health.
The Cabbage Juice
Let’s start with one that has ingredients that you likely already have in your fridge. If you do not have them, you can quickly pick them up from the store or ask someone else to for you. You just don’t know what to do with some of them, but that does not mean they are not good for you.
Ingredients:
- 2 carrots or pears
- ½ a small cabbage
- 2 celery sticks
- A handful of watercress
Method:
- Add everything to a blender and pulse until smooth
Cabbage can be bitter, especially if used raw. However, it is one of the best things for you in any detox. When it is raw, it will still have all its vitamins and other nutrients. It has all the compounds needed to help keep the liver functioning to get rid of all the toxins.
If you struggle with the bitterness, you can add more watercress or more pears. You can also add some spinach to the mix if you want to add more calcium and iron to your detox drink. Remove the stalks from the spinach, as they are the most bitter.
Fruity Liver Cleanse
Let’s pull out the fruits from your fridge and cupboards. You will either already have all these, or you will be able to grab them from the store or the local market with ease. There’s no need to worry about them being in season, although fresher is best for all the compounds.
Ingredients:
- 2 apples
- A bunch of grapes
- ½ a beetroot
- ¼ of a grapefruit, juiced
- ¼ of a lemon, juiced
Method:
- Put the apples, grapes, and beetroot in a blender and pulse until smooth
- Add the juices of the grapefruit and lemon
Scoop out the pulp from the grapefruit and lemon to add to your smoothie.This will help to add more nutrients and fiber to your drink. The fiber will help to handle any digestive complaints due to the withdrawal effects.
The Alkaline Detox
Your body is naturally slightly alkaline, except for in the stomach. It needs to stay like this if you want a healthy lifestyle. However, alcohol can make it a little more acidic. So, one of the best detoxifications is going to be to make it more alkaline. You just need the right ingredients.
Lemons are on the list, and I know you may be surprised at that. When they make their way through the body, they add a more alkaline base as they are a weaker acid than your stomach.
Ingredients:
- 4 lemons
- 2 grapefruits
- 2 garlic cloves, grated
- 2in of ginger, grated
- 1tsp acidophilus
- 2tbsp flax oil
- Dash of cayenne pepper
Method:
- Juice the lemon and grapefruit in your juicer
- Add the rest of the ingredients to the two juices and serve
The ingredients will work together to support the liver. You will feel refreshed and ready for the day while getting rid of all the withdrawal side effects. Say goodbye to shakes the next morning.
This is also a good start to the day for looking after the health. Lemon water is highly recommended, and this just takes things a step further. Even if you are on a weight loss diet, you will find this alcohol detox cleanse perfectly.
Cleanse the Liver Deep Within
How about a deep cleanse for your liver? You will want this green smoothie to make first thing in a morning. You can also opt for it as juice so that we will give you both methods.
Ingredients:
- ½ a cucumber
- 2 cups of kale
- 1 lime, peeled
- 1 cup of swiss chard
- ½ lemon, peeled
Method:
- Option 1: Run everything through your juicer and mix before serving
- Option 2: Place everything into a blender and pulse until all smooth
What’s the difference? Well, the first option will get rid of the pulp. You will still get many of the vitamins and minerals, but you lose the fiber. If you have problems with sugars (even natural ones), you may find blending better than juicing. There aren’t too many natural sugars in this, as they only come from the lemon and lime.
You can add some of the pulp back in after juicing. This may be something you want to consider when juicing.
Beetroot Liver Boost Juice
This is another option where you can juice or blend and get similar results. Juicing will help you get more of the nutrients straight to your liver to help with the detox.
Ingredients:
- 1 beetroot
- 1 carrot
- 1 lemon, peeled
- A handful of parsley
Method:
- Place all the ingredients either in your juicer or blender and mix until smooth.
You will get plenty of nourishment from the mixture of ingredients. You can add some kale or spinach if you would like, but they are not necessary.
Quick and Easy Liver Cleanse
Want something with minimal ingredients? This is the quick and easy liver cleanse you want. You may only have to go to the store for Epsom salts.
Ingredients:
- 1 grapefruit
- ½ cup of olive oil, preferably extra virgin
- 3 cups of water
- 4tbsp Epsom salts
Method:
- Place all in a blender and process until smooth
The Epsom salts will not dehydrate your body, as they are technically not salts. They are mineral salts, so add much more back into your body than anything else. You can get large tubs of Epsom salts to use for your bath water, in case you are worried about having something you will not use again!
Get a Refreshing Citrus Drink
Citrus fruits are highly effective for cleanses.
Ingredients:
- 1 lemon
- 2-3 oranges
- 1 grapefruit
Method:
- Juice all the citrus fruits together
This can be a bitter drink because of all the citric acid. If you want to add a little sweetener, opt for a teaspoon of honey.It is best to enjoy this before your breakfast. The citric acid will help to speed up the digestive process to help cleanse your gut and get you ready for food for the day.
How Do Fruits and Vegetables Work?
You will notice that most ingredients on the detox lists are fruits and vegetables. Many of them are either green leafy vegetables or citrus fruits. Why’s that?
Well,itis linked to the natural sugars and the nutrients.
When you go through an alcohol detox, your body will start craving other foods. Part of the withdrawal symptoms involves low energy levels. The body will start craving food it is sure to gain energy from, which means anything with sugar. Opting for something naturally sweet will get rid of the cravings without risking your health.
You do not just have to go for the fruits mentioned above. Opting for more bananas, strawberries, raspberries, pears, and even figs will help to get rid of the sweet cravings.
The fruits and vegetables are also light on the stomach. There’s nothing worse than facing a heavy meal when you are going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Some of the symptoms include bloating and nausea. You want something that’s light and easy to digest afterward.
Opting for fruits and vegetables will also give you the fiber your body needs. The fiber will boost the digestive efforts to get more nutrients to your liver and other parts of the body.
Are Juices and Smoothies Good for You?
There are many suggestions that juices, and smoothies are bad for your health. While they are not as good as just eating the fruit and vegetables on their own, they do certainly have their benefits. Smoothies are better than juices, as we have already considered above.
The benefit of smoothies and juices is they get the water content into your body. You will find them easier to stomach after a night of drinking, and they can feel incredibly hydrating. Your body will crave as much water as possible, and this is one of the best options.
You will also get more nutrients straight into your bloodstream. The juicing and blending help to remove the need to break down the food within the body. All the digestive system needs to do is a process and absorb the nutrients to get them where they need to be. In the case of alcohol withdrawals, smoothies and juices can work out to be more beneficial than eating whole fruits and vegetables.
It is All About an Overall Diet
You cannot just rely on the recipes above to help overcome alcohol addiction. The recipes will help to handle the withdrawal symptoms the morning after a heavy night. In the long term, you want an overall healthy diet.
Focus on foods that have high protein levels without lots of fat. Poultry and fish are often the most obvious choices, but opting for legumes and beans are also good. The high protein foods will have reasonable levels of fiber too. Both food groups will keep the calorie count down and help you feel full and satisfied.
For energy levels, you will want to consider whole grains. They are full of healthy carbs that will release their sugars over a period. This means you do not get the blood sugar rush to burn the energy as quickly as possible. Whole grains can also contain more fiber, further supporting the digestive system through your withdrawals.
Finally, look out for toxins that you could put back into your body. Avoid processed or packaged foods. Fresh and raw are the best options (unless meat, which needs to be cooked!) to help avoid chemicals and keep adding nutrients back into your body. Your liver is already trying to get rid of the toxins the alcohol has added. Putting anymore in will just make the liver’s job harder.
It should go without saying that you need to scrap the alcohol. Avoid it to help your body recover and get you on the right path for a healthier lifestyle without the withdrawals.
Do Seek Medical Help
If you are or believe you may be an alcoholic or dependent on alcohol, you need to speak to a doctor. It is difficult to admit to yourself, but once you do you will be on the road to recovery. The recipes above are good for balancing hormones and getting over the initial stages of withdrawals, but they are not miracle juices. The temptation for alcohol and other withdrawal symptoms will still be there.
Your doctor will be able to offer all the psychological and physical help needed to overcome your addiction. You will be able to gain support throughout this difficult process, including access to support groups. There you will get help from people who do not judge you for who you are or what you have been through.
Get on the Path to Recovery
Whether you need something to add nutrients back into your body after a few heavy nights or you need help against alcoholism, the recipes above are an excellent way to start. They will help to improve the health of your liver and put the nutrients back into your body. You will be able to get rid of the toxins and find yourself on the first steps of recovery.
For more info on the alcohol detox drink recipes, check out these articles:
The Incredible Health Benefits To Quitting Drinking
The Ultimate Guide To Doing a Juice Detox or Cleanse
13 Foods To Eat After A Weekend Binge
and
How To Combat The Symptoms Of Sugar Withdrawal
