Leek Detox and Weight Loss Remedy

Leeks act as a natural diuretic and help your body rid itself of toxins. Furthermore, they're rich in vitamins, minerals, and soluble and insoluble fiber, which helps to improve digestion.

Written and verified by psychologist Valeria Sabater.

Last update: 11 July, 2022

Vegetables are a great ally when you want to lose weight because they’re light, contain a lot of water, provide fiber, and have diuretic properties. If you’re interested in food with these kinds of qualities and are trying to lose weight, this simple leek detox and weight loss remedy will help.

Leeks have a much milder flavor than onion, although they’re part of the same family. They’re ideal for many everyday dishes.

We’re sure that this information will prove to be useful to you.

Leeks keep you healthy

Leeks belong to the alliaceous family, a group of plants that grow from bulbs just like garlic and onions. However, they’re characterized by a much sweeter flavor which makes them a lot more versatile in the kitchen.

Their consumption dates back to Ancient Egypt, where they were appreciated for their intense flavor and for being a highly resistant plant. Over the centuries, they’ve become a key ingredient in the cuisines of many cultures. Therefore, there are many different ways to eat them.

Their length, diameter, and even flavor can change according to the time of year in which they’re grown. For instance, those picked in autumn and winter are usually stronger, while in summer they’re small and sweet.

Nutritionally, they contain a great deal of water. They also contain fiber, vitamin C, folate, and B6. In addition, they have good quantities of potassium and phosphorus.

Like other vegetables, leeks also contain phytonutrients which are beneficial to health. These include antioxidants, polyphenols, and flavonoids.

On this blog, we often mention the benefits of consuming carrots, beets, garlic, lemons, etc. It seems time, therefore to recommend that you also include leeks in your diet due to their many health benefits. More particularly, as a remedy to detox your body and help you lose weight.

The health benefits of leeks

Leeks, like vegetables in general, are great allies in keeping you healthy and preventing the onset of certain diseases.

Indeed, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can help lower your blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It can also prevent some types of cancer and the likelihood of digestive and eye problems.

In addition, leeks are a source of antioxidants like vitamin C. They’re helpful in detoxifying, fighting inflammation, and alkalizing your body.

If you want to detox your body and lose weight, you’ll be interested to learn that leeks are low in calories (about 100 grams of fresh leeks contain about 61 calories). They also promote diuresis and, thanks to their fiber content, they help you feel full for longer.

This last component has more properties at the digestive level. It increases the size of your stools and softens them, making evacuation easier and reducing the risk of constipation. Fiber also helps keep your intestines healthy, thus preventing swelling and inflammation.

How to prepare the leek detox and weight loss remedy

Leeks contain a large percentage of water, are diuretics, and eliminate toxins. In fact, they’re renowned for their detoxifying qualities. The following remedy is an excellent way to cleanse your system.

Ingredients

• 3 large leeks.
• 1 liter of water.
• The juice from 1 lemon.

Method

• Fill a pot with the water and bring it to a boil. Slice the three leeks and add them to the water to cook for a few minutes.
• Once they’re ready, remove the pot from heat and reserve the cooking water.
• Store the liquid in a glass bottle and add the lemon juice.
• The leftover cooked leeks can be used to prepare a delicious soup for lunch.

Consumption

• Drink the first cup on an empty stomach when you get up in the morning. It’s a good idea to drink it while it’s lukewarm. This helps speed up your metabolism and compounds its detoxifying properties.
• Drink a second cup 15 minutes before lunchtime.
• Drink another cup around mid-afternoon and a final one 15 minutes before dinner.

You can follow this detoxifying weight loss diet for ten days. Try to accompany it with a low-fat diet and some exercise. You should see results fairly quickly.

However, we must mention that although this leek detox and weight loss remedy should work, thanks to the aforementioned properties of the vegetable, its effectiveness hasn’t been scientifically proven.

Furthermore, you shouldn’t use it if you’re following a really low-calorie or restrictive diet as it could have counterproductive effects.

Other ways to include leeks in your diet

There are many other ways to eat leeks and take advantage of their health benefits. Ideally, you should include them along with a wide variety of other vegetables to increase the presence and diversity of nutrients in your diet.

Before cooking, wash and dry the leeks well. Then, cut the green leaves from the top and keep them for making broths and soups. You should also remove the part closest to the root.

Cut them into thin or medium slices, depending on the recipe. If traces of earth and dirt remain between their layers, rinse again with water and strain.

Now they’re ready to cook in a variety of ways. You can sauté them (alone or with other vegetables), boil or roast them in the oven (in this case you can cut them into larger pieces), or make soup. They can be accompanied by other vegetables, whole grains, fish, or lean meat. With these different cooking ideas, you’ll be able to take advantage of their health benefits more often.