Feeling Bloated? The Potassium-Rich Detox Broth Diet Could Help With That
The not-so-good news: You’ve just noticed your favorite pair of jeans has inexplicably shrunk (and as much as you’d like, you can’t blame the washer and dryer). The oh-so-good news: There’s a plan that not only eliminates bloat, it helps melt any excess fat in a hurry. “You can see a noticeable difference in a day or two,” says Yale-trained women’s health expert Aviva Romm, MD.
At the center of this plan is Dr. Romm’s brainchild, a potassium-rich Detox Broth. In fact, Woman’s World readers who tested Romm’s approach shed up to six pounds overnight and 10 pounds in 48 hours. They also shrank their middles by up to seven inches. How much bloat can you whisk away over the course of a couple of days? Here’s how to find out.
What Is Detox Broth?
What You Eat and Drink
You’ll enjoy satisfying meals rich in nutrients like potassium, antioxidants, fiber, and omega-3s that work in numerous ways to help speed the release of bloat and fat. You’ll also get plenty of liquids, since being even mildly dehydrated slows metabolism and signals our bodies to hang on to fluid. Romm’s potassium-rich Detox Broth is the centerpiece of the plan. Other staples include spiced tea, eggs, seafood, veggies, nuts, and even potassium-rich potatoes.
How Potassium Fights Bloat
When we eat lots of salty foods, our bodies automatically retain fluid to dilute the sodium and keep it from reaching harmful concentrations in our cells. The antidote? Potassium, which according to findings from Northwestern University helps the body swiftly eliminate both excess sodium and retained fluid. That’s one reason Romm’s Detox Broth and potassium-rich foods such as potatoes, salmon, broccoli, chicken, nuts, spinach, and Swiss chard are so effective. As you flood your system with potassium, it flushes out bloat.
Another Potassium Benefit
There’s evidence potassium helps soothe inflammation in our bodies, a problem worsened by stress and not-so-healthy food choices. Turns out, inflammation makes us hold onto fluid. Soothe the inflammation, and pounds of fluid can be released. There’s also new German evidence that soothing inflammation allows cells to burn more fat. So Romm’s plan emphasizes potassium along with other anti-inflammatory nutrients, including antioxidants and good fats.
Bonus Bloat Release
Apart from a daily serving of potassium-packed potatoes, you’ll limit carb-dense foods. The reason: Some of the carbs we eat end up stored in our muscles for fuel — and each gram of this fuel, called glycogen, is “packaged” in up to four times its weight in fluid. By cutting carbs, we burn through all our glycogen and lose pounds of water weight along with it. Romm adds that as glycogen is depleted, our bodies are forced to burn primarily stored fat for fuel.
Benefits of Detox Broth
Even if bloat isn’t an issue for you, increasing potassium intake can deliver other benefits.
Diabetes Protection
Potassium plays a crucial role in regulating blood sugar and insulin. In one Johns Hopkins study, the more potassium folks got from food, the less likely they were to develop type 2 diabetes.
Lower Blood Pressure
Since potassium helps rid us of sodium that can constrict blood vessels, increasing intake of the mineral helps lower high blood pressure — and slashes the risk of stroke up to 24 percent in the process.
Kidney Stone Prevention
Because potassium helps keep stone-causing excess calcium out of the kidneys, studies show that people with high potassium levels have a 50 percent lower risk of painful kidney stones.
Detox Broth Recipe
Here is exactly how to make Dr. Romm’s Detox Broth. Prepare this broth the day before your cleanse. Use organic vegetables if possible. The broth keeps in the fridge for up to five days.
Ingredients
- 2 medium white potatoes (cleaned but not peeled), cubed
- 4 large carrots (cleaned but not peeled), chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh organic parsley
- 1 Tbsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. dried rosemary
- 6 cups water
Instructions
- Place all veggies in large pot. Add 2 tsp. good quality salt. Cover with water.
- Bring to a boil; simmer 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender.
- Strain and discard vegetables, reserving liquid for drinking. Makes 6 to 8 cups.
Detox Broth Diet: How to Get Started
Upon waking for the day, sip 8 oz. room-temperature water with 1 Tbsp. of lemon juice.
10 a.m.
- 1 cup decaf chai tea (no milk, sugar, or sweetener of any kind)
- 2 or 3 omega-3-rich eggs (or 6 oz. unprocessed lean protein of your choice) cooked in 2 tsp. olive oil, 1/8 tsp. each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 cup roasted broccoli, cauliflower, or kale and 1 Tbsp. toasted almonds or walnuts with a splash of lemon juice
Note: Dr. Romm says research shows a late breakfast works with body chemistry to reduce bloat-triggering inflammation and amp up fat burning.
1 p.m.
- Water with lemon and 1 to 2 cups of Dr. Romm’s Detox Broth
- 1 large salad with de-bloating veggies like spinach, chard, arugula, cucumbers, broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus; top with 1 Tbsp. olive oil, lemon juice, and seasoning
- Small handful of nuts
4 p.m.
- 1 to 2 cups of Dr. Romm’s Detox Broth
7 p.m.
Repeat the same meal at dinnertime. “If you like, you can safely follow this plan for up to three days,” says Romm.
What to Eat After the Detox
To stay bloat-free and continue slimming down, Romm recommends emphasizing lean protein, fruit, veggies, and good fats. She also suggests going easy on salt and inflammatory foods and beverages (especially sugar, processed carbs, and alcohol).
This story originally appeared in our print magazine.
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