I’m ready for a holiday detox. My daughter baked up a storm of fresh scones, cinnamon rolls, cookies, and other baked treats from Thanksgiving to Christmas and I gave in to all of the temptation. I’ve been feeling tired and sluggish — I know it’s time to hit the reset button and detox. I’m here for anything that will help me feel better after indulging through November and December. How about you?
Whenever I want to jumpstart my system I turn to my favorite detox drink. Most every detox concoction I’ve tried has been kind of disgusting but not this one. I know it sounds horrible — it’s a Lemon and olive oil base — but trust me when I tell you that it actually tastes great especially when you add ginger and vanilla extract to it. It’s really quick and simple to make too. You probably already have all the ingredients in your kitchen right now. I think the vanilla extract is an essential ingredient that adds a touch of creaminess to the drink.
Lemon and Olive Oil Detox Drink*
*This recipe was borrowed from Paleo Secret on You Tube.
Ingredients:
- a lemon
- 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cups filtered water
- optional: vanilla extract and/or a small piece of ginger root
- mesh strainer
Scrub a lemon under running water and pat it dry (do a good job with this because you are about to consume the whole lemon including the rind). Cut the lemon into quarters and place them into your Vitamix or blender cup. Add the olive oil and filtered water into your blender cup. I like to add a splash of natural vanilla extract to the mixture to reduce the tartness of the drink. I haven’t tried it with ginger yet but that is another option. Blend the mixture until it takes on a milky consistency. Place a mesh strainer over your drink cup and pour the mixture through. Discard the seeds and pulp that remain in the strainer. You can opt to refrigerate your drink or enjoy it right away.
Lemon juice, more than any other food, allows our metabolic organ, the liver, to make more enzymes to protect against environmental toxins and process metabolic waste. Extra virgin olive oil is also an antioxidant that protects against toxins that stress and damage the liver. The combination of both gives a boost to our liver function, flushes out the bad stuff, and helps the liver do its job metabolizing the food we eat. That’s why this is a good way to reset our bodies after indulging in all the fun but bad stuff we eat throughout the holidays.
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