This 5th of our 6-part review of the Dr Junger Clean Program has detailed information on foods to include and which to avoid while on the 21 Day Detox Diet Plan.
In addition to a range of shakes, supplements and probiotics that come as part of the Clean Program (created by Dr. Alejandro Junger), an important component of the program is to eat a healthy and balanced diet. Gaining a working knowledge of how the Cleanse diet recipe plan is done will provide valuable insight as to the real merits of this plan, not just as a detox diet, but also as a method to achieve long term health goals.
One of the most important aspects of the recipe plan is the Elimination Diet, which involves the process of excluding certain food types from one’s daily meals. Below is a detailed explanation of what the Elimination Diet entails, as well as a number of practical tips that would help people in successfully completing this phase of the program.
Preparing the Body for a Cleanse
It is imperative to understand that the body simply cannot be subjected to an intensive cleanse without appropriately preparing it. Keep in mind that the Clean Program involves cutting out 90% of solid food intake, which can really take a toll on the body. To prevent any adverse effects and get the most benefits from the 21-day cleanse, it is necessary to make certain adjustments in one’s diet prior to the detox program.
What Foods to Exclude and What Foods to Include?
Fruits and Vegetables
Many people assume that all types of fruits and vegetables are good to eat since they are healthy and filled with nutrients. However, for purposes of a detox diet, there are certain fruits and vegetables that need to be excluded from the list and others that need to be included. They are as follows:
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
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| Avocados | Oranges |
| Seaweed | Bananas |
| Unsweetened whole fruits | Grapefruit or Pomelo |
| Olives (all types) | Strawberries |
| All types of wild Berries | |
| Grapes | |
| Tomatoes | |
| Peppers | |
| Potatoes | |
| Eggplants | |
| Rhubarb | |
Animal Protein
Since protein is a primary energy source, it is important to know which food items to stock up on while preparing for a cleanse.
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
|
| Fresh water fishes (trout, salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines, pike, and kippers) | All types of shellfish (lobsters, prawns, clams, oysters, etc) |
| Wild game (rabbit, venison, elk, bison, etc) | Beef (including veal) |
| Lamb | Pork (including bacon) |
| Duck | canned/processed meats |
| Organically raised turkey | Raw meats and fishes (sushi, sashimi, etc) |
| Chicken | Caviar |
| All kinds of sausages and cold cuts/cured meat | |
Carbohydrates
Keeping up one’s strength is very important during the preparation phase of the program so it is highly recommended to consume as much protein as possible while cutting back on carbohydrates.
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
|
| Purified or distilled water | Alcohol |
| Freshly squeezed fruit juices | Coffee |
| Coconut water | Caffeinated teas |
| Green Juice | Soda and all carbonated drinks |
| Wheat grass juice | Fruit juices (unless freshly squeezed) |
Vegetable-Based Protein Sources
In addition to meat, vegetables also make for an excellent source of protein. When shopping for the week’s meals, be sure to skip these items:
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
|
| Anything that includes soybean (soy sauce, soy bean oil, etc) | N/A |
| Split peas | |
| Lentils | |
| Legumes | |
| Blue-green algae | |
| Spirulina | |
Nuts
These make for an excellent snack. However, it is best to exclude peanuts as well as peanut butter from the list. Peanuts are not in fact nuts, but legumes. It is in the list of excluded food items because it causes allergic reactions and is a common culprit of digestive distress. Instead, take your pick from any of these other types of nuts:
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
|
| Almonds | Peanuts |
| Walnuts | |
| Pecans | |
| Cashews | |
| Hazelnuts | |
| Pistachios | |
| Macadamia | |
Sweeteners
Preparing one’s body for detoxing does not mean having to renounce sweets altogether. However, it is important to note that the following items must be excluded from the list:
| Include | Avoid |
|
|
|
| Stevia | Refined sugars |
| Coconut nectar | Brown sugar |
| Yacon | Maple Syrup |
| Splenda | |
| Equal | |
| Sweet N’ Low | |
| Agave Nectar | |
| Corn syrup | |
| All other synthetic or artificial sweeteners | |
Note that these sweeteners might be a tad difficult to find in the market so it would be wise to stock up on one or two of these items a few weeks prior to delving into the cleanse.
What Ingredients Can I Use for the Shakes?
The Clean Shake is a very important item in this entire process, which means it has to be something that is not only edible but enjoyable as well. 21 days of consuming only shakes can become tedious so it is necessary to know which ingredients can be used to make each glass taste better.
Here is a list of fruits and other natural additives for your Clean Shake:
| Include | |
|
|
|
| Avocados (pitted) | Almonds |
| Ripe Mangoes | Coconut meat |
| Coconut flakes | Cacao powder |
| Cashew Nuts | Vanilla |
| Pistachios | Stevia |
| Spinach | Flax Oil (for better digestion) |
| Blueberries | Coconut water |
Keep in mind that not all shake recipes call for a sweet finish. However, adding the items above will make the shake smoother and more appealing to the palate. Most of the nutrients are already provided for in the pre-packaged shake powder. However, it is always good to have something fresh added to the shake just to keep the taste buds interested.
Tips and Tricks
Buying Groceries and Fresh Produce
Since the program involves 21 days of intensive cleansing and a couple more weeks for the preparation and reintroduction phases, it would be a good idea to stock up the kitchen cupboards with everything that you need. Apart from the fresh produce, which should only be bought a day or two in advance, you can pick up the list of ingredients from the recipe book and the elimination diet guide.
Keeping Snacks Handy
Once you have entered the elimination phase, experiencing hunger pangs can become a common occurrence so it is necessary to keep healthy snacks on hand. Most of the things listed on the included items (things to replace the excluded food items) such as nuts and fruits would make for healthy and filling snacks.
The elimination diet prepares the body well for the coming challenges of the Clean Program. Doing this phase well and keeping with the guidelines would definitely help you get through the detox diet without much incident.
Other Parts of this 6-Part in-depth review of the Clean Program include:
- Part 1: A quick summary of the Clean Program
- Part 2: The core of this Clean Program Review: what are the six key elements that makes the program so special
- Part 3: The 5 steps of the 21 Day Elimination Diet and its benefits
- Part 4: How to prepare for the 21 Day Cleanse Diet, and 6 hints on what to do afterwards
- Part 6: In this last of our 6-part in-depth review of the Clean Cleanse Program we have 10 helpful hints on managing emotions to make sure you can stay on the Program
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Further reading
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