With non-communicable diseases the major cause of premature deaths in Fiji, Chef Seeto wonders why more people don’t understand the link between diet and health. In this exclusive new food series, he sets out to change the mind-set of a new generation.
Over the past few weeks I’ve talked about eating more of the antioxidant foods to combat and protect against cellular damage and a weaker immune system, but you can also help your body to stay healthy by doing what every living species on the planet does — drink enough water.
Whether you’re trying to lose weight or you simply want to look and feel healthier, one of the best ways to rid your body of harmful toxins is to drink fresh water. Just six to eight glasses every day will help to keep you hydrated and keep your vital organs in their best possible health. You don’t only have to drink plain water. In fact, there are a number of things that you can add to your water that will not only boost the taste, they will help to flush those harmful toxins out of your body.
Reduce sugary drinks
Many of us loathe drinking plain water because we’ve developed a taste for sugary drinks at a young age. Many nutritionists believe sugar is more addictive and dangerous than salty or oily foods so it frightens me to see so many people drinking sugary drinks as if it was the normal thing to do.
Yet when you look at the traditional diets of most old cultures — before the advent of processed sugar — they mostly drank water. In the South Pacific diet, it came from rain water, river water or coconuts.
In Asian cultures, it’s black or green tea without sugar or milk.
Iced teas have become popular in Fiji but be wary of their sugar content. Check the labels of infused waters to make sure sugar is not the first ingredient listed as their advertised healthiness may be outweighed by its high sugar content.
Here in Fiji we are blessed with some of the healthiest bottled water on the planet that everyone should be drinking every day, no excuses. The popularity of bottled Fiji artesian water overseas owes much to its high mineral content and purity, but if you’re bored drinking plain water all of the time, there are plenty of ways to make it tastier and healthy.
Detox waters
Detox and infused waters have become very popular overseas as people are beginning to realise the importance of flushing and detoxifying the body but can’t stand the taste of plain water.
Detox waters contain ingredients such as lemons which help flush harmful toxins from your body. Mint aids in digestion, cucumber contains anti-inflammatory properties and ginger which is a natural pain reliever and aids in digestion. All of these ingredients are readily available at the markets and even easier to grow at home.
Some waters contain melon and other fruits that are equally as healthy and beneficial. If you have been thinking about adding detox waters to your healthy routine, they are all very easy to make, require very few ingredients and the best part is you can mix and match ingredients to adapt the recipes to your personal taste.
Fat-burning
apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been a secret weapon in the pantries of holistic believers and nutritionists alike. While some of the benefits of ACV are simply folklore passed down from generations, others are backed by research and scientific evidence.
To make apple cider vinegar, chunks of cut up apples are mixed with water and then left to ferment. After a few weeks, the apple chunks are removed and the mixture continues to ferment for a few more weeks.
The natural sugars found in the apples actually turn the mix into a form of alcohol. While the mix is fermenting, healthy bacteria begin to form and eventually produce the vinegar’s star attraction, acetic acid.
More expensive than normal vinegar, ACV has become known as the ultimate fat melting additive to drinks or a salad dressing.
Cucumber and lemon
If you haven’t already realised, lemons are an essential ingredient to detoxify the body and are great for boosting your immune system and cleaning out harmful toxins.
Cucumber is an anti-inflammatory and helps you to stay hydrated. Mint sweetens your drink without adding sugar and aids in digestion. This is a really tasty combination and one that offers many wonderful detoxing benefits.
Lemon and
ginger powerhouse
Ginger is a natural pain reliever and adding it to your water can give you wonderful detox properties as well as calming any tummy problems.
This is a great drink for first thing in the morning. Not only will it help to relieve pain all day, it will cleanse toxins from your body throughout the day and the lemon juice helps to release those nasty toxins so they’ll flush out better.
Simple morning
detox water
The easiest way to get detox water every day is to simply squeeze the juice from half a lemon into a tall glass of room temperature water each morning. If you’re drinking it every day, you are certainly going to feel better because you will be constantly releasing toxins that can make you feel sluggish and sick. There’s no recipe aside from squeezing that fresh lemon juice into a glass of fresh water.
Watermelon water
One of my favourite sayings is to eat more water as many fruits and vegetables are high in water content that you can get your daily intake by eating it instead of drinking it.
But when you tire of eating fruit, why not add it to your water to get the best of both worlds and one of the easiest fruits to use is watermelon. Not only does watermelon contain vitamins and minerals, it helps to flush out your system. Instead of making that juicy and sticky mess, just add a bit to your water to enjoy the full detoxing benefits.
Mango and ginger water
Ginger and mango are both great for boosting your metabolism and ginger is a natural pain reliever as well. Mango aids in digestion and can help to flush a number of free radicals out of your body.
The recent cyclones have probably delayed this season’s mango season but if you can buy frozen mango you’ll be able to try this recipe before fresh mangoes appear once again. The recipe for mango and ginger water is popular with day spas overseas as the two ingredients are quintessential tropical island with powerful detoxifying properties.
Once you’ve made it, the infused water needs to sit in the fridge for about three hours to allow the flavours to infuse.
The importance of detoxing and flushing is fundamental to maintaining health. Just imagine all the different types of foods you put in your mouth every day, from the healthy to not so healthy. Unless you assist your gastrointestinal tract by drinking six to eight glasses of water a day, your tubes and pipes become clogged with all that undigested food, and just like a blocked drain, things begin to back up!
As unsavoury as it is to talk about, like every other animal, humans are designed to eat, digest, pee and poo, and water plays a huge part in that digestive process.
* This article is intended as information only and should not be considered as medical advice. Please consult your doctor to learn more about your own personal needs as everyone is different. Lance Seeto is the multi award winning chef at Mana Island Resort and Spa, culinary ambassador for Fiji Airways, and host of Fiji TV’s “Taste of Paradise”.
