There’s no way around it: We live in a toxic world these days. And toxins can age you quickly, put pounds on your waistline, or even kill you. Luckily, there are steps you can take to lower your body burden of toxins. For instance:

• You can switch to nontoxic cleansers and skin care products.
• You can filter your water and drink lots of fluids to help flush toxins out.
• You can cut out the bad foods that load your body with toxins—sugar, grains, heavily refined oils, soy Frankenfoods, and artificial colors and flavors.

However, you’re still going to get a daily dose of toxic chemicals from other sources. For example, simply taking a deep breath can expose you to dozens of dangerous chemicals, from benzene to dioxins to nasty chemicals like perchloroethylene.  (And it’s pretty hard to quit breathing, right?)

But don’t freak out! There’s no need to panic, because natural, healthy foods are potent detoxifiers that can sweep that trash right out of your system. Today, I want to introduce you to ten foods in particular that “punch above their weight” when it comes to cleansing your body.

My Ten Detox “Power Ups”

Here are some of the best foods you can eat if you want to banish toxins. I recommend including at least one or two of them in your diet every single day.

• Bone broth. Bone broth is loaded with the amino acid glycine. Your liver needs glycine to do its job of detoxification, and its ability to cleanse your body is limited by the amount of glycine available. So drink up!
• Onions. That distinctive smell of onions comes from sulfur-containing compounds that are potent detoxifiers. That’s one reason why eating onions can reduce your risk for liver and colon cancer.
• Seaweed. The alginate in seaweed absorbs toxins from your digestive tract so your body can get rid of them. (Want another plus? Research suggests that alginate might help you lose weight.) Sea weed is also loaded with minerals that help to whoosh toxins out of your system.
• Cilantro and coriander. Cilantro (also called Chinese parsley) refers to the leaves of the coriander plant, while coriander refers to its seeds. Research shows that cilantro can help reduce the amount of lead your body absorbs, and coriander can ramp up the power of your body’s natural detoxifying agents.
• Curcumin. Is there anything this powerful detoxifying and anti-inflammatory spice can’t do? It’s linked to easier weight loss, a reduced risk of cancer, and even improved memory in people with Alzheimer’s disease.
• Apples. These yummy fruits are loaded with pectin, which can help remove heavy metals from your body.
• Raw cruciferous veggies. Foods like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and Brussels sprouts contain glucosinolates, which break down to form cancer-fighting molecules including indoles and isothiocyanates (ITCs). These increase the detoxification of substances that otherwise could promote cancer. Cooking may reduce the bioavailability of ITCs, so regularly include raw or very lightly cooked cruciferous veggies in your diet.
• Dandelions. If you think dandelions are simply a lawn pest, you’re missing out! Dandelions and other bitter greens can give a big boost to your liver’s detox efforts. Toss a handful into salads or soups, take dandelion in capsule form, or try drinking dandelion tea.
• Milk thistle. As your body’s primary detoxifier, your liver takes a beating in today’s polluted world. Milk thistle, which contains a powerful healing substance called silymarin, can help it bounce back from the damage that toxins do. In fact, milk thistle is used in many countries to help the liver recover from alcohol damage or even mushroom poisoning. You can use milk thistle in capsule or liquid form, or as a tea.
• Burdock root. Eastern cultures prize burdock root as a blood purifier, and science shows that it has liver-protective and detoxifying properties. You can take burdock root in capsule form, as an extract, or as a tea.

One note: Avoid dandelion, milk thistle, and burdock root if you’re allergic to ragweed, marigolds, chrysanthemums, and related plants. If you have any plant allergies at all, test a small amount first to make sure you do fine with it. Add these ten detox Superfoods to your diet, and they’ll help you transform your cellular matrix from sludgy to sparkling.  So don’t fret—even in a dirty world, you can keep your insides squeaky clean!

Keep thinking Big and living BOLD!