For some people, the urge to “spring clean” extends to their body. They embark on a juice cleanse — a diet composed of fruit and vegetable juice – to jump start weight loss or to purify their systems. Will a detox diet help you and your family?
Benefits
• Awareness. The term “detox” can be used to describe the elimination of rich, sugary, fatty, empty calorie, and-or highly processed foods. Nobody will argue that by replacing these with whole fruits and vegetables, plus whole grains, your family is better off.
• Weight loss. We expect quick results. Detox diets can provide rapid weight loss because the regimen is so low in calories.
Negatives
• Extreme. Detox diets tend to be extreme, depriving, and eliminate food groups that provide important nutrients like protein and calories.
• Safety questions. It depends on how extreme the detox diet is, how long one stays on it, and the health status of the individual. Before putting oneself on a low-calorie detox diet with fewer than 1,200 calories, first consult with a medical professional.
• Typical low-calorie detox diets are not safe for children. Their growing bodies need adequate nutrients and calories, especially at this critical stage. Naturally, expectant mothers should avoid low-calorie detox diets.
Clean eating
• Rather than drastic detox, consider a switch to cleaner eating.
“Clean eating is a long-term lifestyle of choosing whole foods in their most natural state from all food groups,” says registered dietician Michelle Dudash, author of “Clean Eating for Busy Families” and a Cordon Bleu-certified chef. “Clean eating also means choosing foods from as close to home as possible and eating with the seasons when it comes to fresh foods like fruits and vegetables.”
Keep the switch simple and safe with these tips:
• Get ruthless. “Identify the snacks made of refined grains and sugars and either toss them, take them to the office, or donate unopened packages,” Dudash says.
• Keep a stash of new favorites on hand. Tempt your family with whole pieces of fruit in a bowl on the counter. Stock nuts, dried fruit, and a few types of raw veggies with hummus for munching.
• Keep the junk out. Dudash suggests you save the “unclean” foods for special occasions, if you must serve them at all — if it’s not in the house, your kids can’t torment you with incessant begging!
Keep in mind, there are no good studies proving the benefits of a juice fast. Rather than a drastic detox, make the switch to cleaner eating.
Christine M. Palumbo is a Naperville, Ill.-based nutritionist who is on the faculty of Benedictine University. Follow her on Twitter @PalumboRD, Facebook at Christine Palumbo Nutrition, or at Chris@ChristinePalumbo.com.
Pistachio & Whole-Grain Tortilla Crusted Tilapia with Chili Lime Sauce
Makes four servings (one large or two small pieces of tilapia each, with 1 tablespoon of sauce)
INGREDIENTS:
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup crushed whole-grain tortilla chips (from about 12 large whole chips)
1/4 cup finely chopped pistachios
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound tilapia fillets, cut into at least 4 portions (or cod, haddock)
FOR SAUCE:
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 pinch chili powder
1 pinch salt
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Whisk egg, cilantro, mustard, and 1 teaspoon of water together in a shallow dish. In another dish, combine chips, pistachios, cumin, garlic powder, chili powder, salt, and pepper. Dip fish in egg mixture, coating on both sides, and then coat fish well in breading. Place fish on pan with rounded side up. Bake for 14 minutes until golden on the outside, and opaque and slightly firm in the center.
Blend all sauce ingredients. Serve the fish immediately with the sauce.
NUTRITION FACTS: 264 calories, 18 g total fat (2 g saturated fat), 25 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 2 g dietary fiber, 97 mg cholesterol.
Used with permission from “Clean Eating for Busy Families: Get Meals on the Table in Minutes with Simple and Satisfying Whole-Foods Recipes You and Your Kids Will Love,” by Michelle Dudash, RD (Fair Winds Press, 2013).
