One of the greatest things about detoxifying your body is that there are so many healthy ways to do it. I made this Turmeric Detox Tea the other day and absolutely love it. Over last summer, I spent a lot of time working on detoxifying recipes for The Belly Burn Plan. The book includes plenty of breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert recipes that help keep your body healthy, but I kicked the whole program off with a 3-Day Cleanse. The results among my nearly 300-person test group were pretty spectacular! It's amazing how quickly you can lose unneeded body fat when you start clearing the gunk from your liver and fat cells.

Benefits of Turmeric, Cilantro and Lemon

This detox tea needs only three ingredients: turmeric, cilantro and lemon. Here are a few of the benefits when you combine all the ingredients in this super simple and incredibly health turmeric detox tea.

• Turmeric is one of the most potent anti-inflammatory foods out there, largely thanks to the compound curcumin.  Research also suggests that turmeric is helpful in protecting again mercury toxicity.For this recipe,  I used raw turmeric, not the dried spice. If you don't have access to turmeric in its whole form, then use the spice, but note the amount listed in the recipe.
• Cilantro is one of the most potent food-based detoxifiers of heavy metals, including lead, mercury, and cadmium. Studies have also shown cilantro may also play a role in protecting against skin damage cause by overexposure to the sun.I know a lot of people who don't care for the taste of cilantro. Fortunately, the flavor of the lemon and turmeric mask the flavor of cilantro nicely. It's in there, but doesn't taste nearly as strong as it smells.
• Lemon helps to cleanse the body by pushing toxins out of our cells, then out of our body. Limonene, a compound found in the white part of the peel, is touted for it's strong anti-cancer properties.

NOTE: While this recipe is truly healthy and quite detoxifying, if you're someone who experiences common kidney stones, this recipe is not for you as it's high in oxalates, a naturally-occuring substance found in some foods.

 

Turmeric Detox Tea

Yields 8 Servings

Ingredients

64 ounces water
1/2 cup raw turmeric*, peeled and chopped
1 bunch cilantro
1 lemon, quartered

1. Fill a large stock pot with water. I eyeballed what ended up being eight cups. It was just enough water to submerge all ingredients.

2. Wash all ingredients thoroughly, then add to water and bring to a boil.

3. After water reaches a boil, reduce heat and simmer for an hour.

4. Strain tea into a container(s) and refrigerate for up to a week. I used Mason jars.

Enjoy two cups daily.

*Turmeric spice (dried) substitute:2 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons.