The Healthiest Foods After a Long Fast

People abstain or fast from food for different reasons, including religious beliefs, to treat health conditions and detoxify the body. Irrespective of the intentions of the fast, if properly observed, fasting provides innumerable health benefits by eliminating toxins from the bloodstream, building immunity and cleansing the liver and intestines. Yet, according to the Mayo Clinic website, there is little evidence to prove that a detox diet or fasting eliminates toxins from our bodies. While commencing a fast is good, breaking or ending the fast is equally significant. Breaking a fast should be a gradual process--healthy foods must be eaten to replenish our bodies with nutrients lost during fasting, and to ensure the long-term health benefits of the fast.

Fruits

• The digestive system was inactive during the fast period, hence it must be gently revived. Consume fruit juices and ripe fruits, as they are easily digested and absorbed by our bodies. Diluted grape or orange juice stimulate digestion. According to the Healthy Net website, a laxative-type meal of grapes, cherries, or soaked or stewed prunes, helps exercise the bowels. Unnecessarily overloading digestive organs after a food fast can cause toxicity. In her book, "Scientific Fasting: The Ancient and Modern Key to Health," author Linda Hazzard advises that sweet fruit should not be mixed with acidic fruits, and only one type of fruit should be eaten at a time.

Vegetables

• Introduce raw vegetable meals like salads and lightly steamed low-starch vegetable soups, including spinach and other greens in your diet. Add some sauerkraut, a fermented cabbage, to stimulate digestion. Ensure that you eat slowly and chew your food well, taking care not to overeat or mix too many foods at one meal. The sweeping action of the soft vegetable fibers will flush out accumulated toxins in your body.

Whole Grain

• Whole-grain and wholemeal foods like rice and toast are complex carbohydrates and give a feeling of fullness for a longer time after being consumed. Consume well-cooked wholegrain like brown rice, quinoa, millet or buckwheat groats during meals. You can also add nuts, seeds or legumes to these foods based on your preference and tolerance levels.

Probiotics

• Probiotic foods are rich in enzymes and provide our digestive system with natural microflora. Consuming probiotics like yogurt is good way to break a fast and help digestion. Yogurt improves your body's immunity, reduces the risk of intestinal infection and protects against colon cancer.

Lean Meats

• Slowly introduce lean meat like poultry, lamb, mutton and fish into your diet. These protein foods should ideally be consumed as a broth. Ensure that you trim the fat, grind the lean meat and simmer it until the juices are extracted from the meat. Strain the broth and serve it with some organic salt for taste.