Best Food to Eat When Detoxing From Alcohol

Some people in recovery from alcohol have mixed feelings about whether drinking helped or hurt them. Many think of it as the best friend you can ever have. However, they eventually realize that it can become the worst enemy too. When you decide to quit and rid your body of toxins, some types of food can help you through the detox process. Certain food groups restore the nutrients that alcohol took away, giving you an advantage just by eating them.

Mapping Out a Winning Approach

If you know about as much as most people about the nutrients in food, then you probably face a guessing game. So when you learn that they can help give you the best alcohol detox, it can make you want to look for them when you shop. The layout of your grocery store can give you a pretty good idea of where to start.

Starting in the Produce Department

Did you ever notice the beautiful colors of the fruits and vegetables in the produce department? Each one wants to attract you to choose them for flavor, nutrition and hydration. Fruits and vegetables provide some of the Best Foods For Alcohol Detox. They taste great and help restore vitamins A and C, which need building up after alcohol depletes them.

  • Apples
  • Bananas
  • Blueberries
  • Cucumbers
  • Grapefruit
  • Lettuce in small amounts
  • Melons
  • Oranges
  • Peaches
  • Pears
  • Raspberries
  • Tomatoes

Fruits and vegetables take a while for the body to digest the high fiber content which helps prevent hunger pangs. The sweet flavor makes them easy to eat as they fill the craving for candies. In addition, they give you the hydration that you need with a high water content. So when you choose fruit or vegetables as a snack between meals, it keeps you from getting too hungry. You can find a nutrition chart here.

detoxing from alcohol

Moving Along to the Meat and Dairy Cases

As you follow along the outer rim of your grocery store, you find more of the Best Foods For Alcohol Detox. With everything under refrigeration, it stays fresh and appealing as you start to repair the damage that drinking alcohol caused. Alcoholism creates a lack of essential vitamins that a good diet can help restore.

The best foods for alcohol detox help your body heal. Especially in the early stages of your detox and recovery, your liver needs to rest and regain its ability to function.

  • Milk helps restore the vitamins and minerals that you need in recovery.
  • Beef, chicken and lean fish contain nutrients that give you the best alcohol detox.

In addition, other foods that can help you fight against vitamin deficiency and contribute to good health include the most popular ones.

  • Broccoli
  • Dried fruit such as raisins
  • Green leafy vegetables such as spinach
  • Orange juice

Shopping the Center Aisles

You can find whole grains on the shelves in the middle of the store, along with cans of soup, canned meats and spices. As a source of energy rich in fiber, whole grains release sugar into your system slowly. As a result, you can feel fuller for a long time and avoid mood swings. However, processed foods in the center aisle do not help you during detox as opposed to the way that whole grains do.

For example, when cereals go through processing, they lose the natural nutrition and color that they once had. Processed cereal and white rice give you examples of food to avoid. Similarly, you want to exclude food that contains flour or cornmeal. Choose these instead:

  • Barley
  • Bread made of whole wheat
  • Brown rice
  • Oatmeal
  • Quinoa
  • Whole wheat pasta

Whole grains contain carbohydrates that your system needs during recovery. They give you energy and restore your levels of vitamin B that alcohol depletes. In addition, the fiber helps keep your gut healthy and helps create strength and function in other organs. For example, your liver and kidneys serve as your body’s most essential detox organs.

Also located in the center aisles, canned soups and stews can help support your recovery process. Tasty and packed with nutrients, they let your digestive system slowly recover without taxing it with solid food before it feels ready. In addition, the hydration that they provide can help avoid detox symptoms such as feeling dizzy or lightheaded.

Meeting the Need for Electrolytes

The best foods for alcohol detox contain high levels of electrolytes, and you may find them almost anywhere in your grocery.

For calcium, choose these:

  • Almonds
  • Dairy
  • Dark green leafy vegetables

Find potassium here:

  • Avocados
  • Dairy
  • Citrus
  • Potatoes
  • Tomatoes

You can get magnesium in nuts and find phosphorus in cocoa and dairy products.

Electrolytes help your body by rebuilding damaged tissue from abusive alcohol use. In addition, they affect nerves and muscles, blood pressure, hydration and much more. The water and other fluids you drink help circulate them throughout your body. Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning can get your body a head start on hydration for the day. Foods that support hydration and contain electrolytes in addition to valuable nutrients include these:

  • Avocado
  • Beans
  • Broccoli
  • Green tea
  • Peaches
  • Potatoes
  • Watermelon
  • Yogurt

Focusing on Vitamin B

Support for the body comes from many sources of the best foods for alcohol detox, but vitamin B helps your body provide some essential functions. Your body needs the eight B vitamins to convert sugar into energy efficiently. In addition, they help produce blood cells. As a result, they give you staying power and help maintain a good mood during detox. You can find them in these foods which also provide many other vital nutrients.

  • Almonds
  • Avocados
  • Beans
  • Eggs
  • Lentils
  • Liver
  • Seeds

Keeping Your Appetite Up and Calories in Check

Unfortunately, some alcoholics who choose to detox tend to lose their appetite and do not want to eat. Of course, the outcome does not bode well because the body needs nutrition maybe more then than at other times. However, the situation deserves an alternative that preserves health and allows recovery to continue. For example, a nice cup of warm beef broth can tempt a weak appetite and provide needed nourishment. In addition, eggs and lentils offer protein that the body needs during detox.

Adding Some Spice to Your Recovery Program

Some spices may surprise you with their ability to help during detox. For example, over time and with practical experience, cayenne pepper shows that it can help by releasing endorphins. A significant benefit comes from its ability to stimulate your appetite. If it can divert your attention from cravings, then its history may prove valuable.

Research shows that endorphins can lift moods and promote happiness. In addition, the hot qualities in cayenne may help prevent some of the symptoms that come with stopping alcohol consumption. Some people experience nausea and appreciate any relief that a spice can provide. Some of the best foods for alcohol detox that include cayenne pepper may appeal to you.

  • Hot or mild chili
  • Condiments such as chili sauce
  • Highly spiced meat marinades
  • Indian dishes such as curry
  • Pepper-flavored vegetable soup

Enjoying Healthy SnacksDuring recovery, you may face challenges that can lead to setbacks. However, you have many options that can let you maintain forward progress with the best foods for alcohol detox. A fight against cravings may present some of your hardest hurdles to overcome. Some different foods that you may not regard as helping you get past the obstacles may surprise you.

For example, nuts have a great taste, and they can reduce your hunger pangs. In addition, they let you avoid the high calories that come with cookies or candy bars. Some research shows that nuts can help prevent mood swings that relate to hunger. When your blood sugar drops, a supply of nuts can increase your energy level.

You can count on nuts like these to help you with recovery by providing essential nutrients such as fiber, iron, protein and zinc.

  • Almonds
  • Brazil nuts
  • Cashews
  • Hazelnuts
  • Pecans
  • Peanuts
  • Pistachios
  • Walnuts

I hope this guide was helpful, please let us know below if it helped. 

Published on: 2022-02-26
Updated on: 2022-11-11