The Ultimate Antioxidant Detox Salad

This ultimate antioxidant detox salad has every color in the rainbow,
is very nutrient-dense, incredibly delicious, and whole-food nutritious.

Do you ever have days where you have eaten too many bad things? Me too! For me, it is normally too many carbs, sugars, and dairy. The result is I start to feel sluggish and tired. The fatigue is my body telling me it's time to change my diet and eat foods loaded in nutrients.

This particular detox salad is chocked full of whole foods and freshness. If you're making this salad, use fruits in veggies that are in season. The food will be at its prime in terms of nutrients and budget. If there are items below that you do not have or are not in season, it's ok. Just eliminate that item or swap it out for something else. Have fun making this salad and be sure to use fruits and vegetables you enjoy.

Jump to:

• Instructions
• Health Benefits by Ingredient
• Recipe

Instructions

There are four essential keys to making a good detox salad

1. Use kale - this vegetable is the ultimate in terms of detox.
2. Offset the bitterness of the kale with sweet fruits and vegetables
3. Use only fresh fruits and vegetables
4. Make your own salad dressing

My goal was to pack as many nutrients into each bite of this salad as possible. To do this, I started with a rough chop of kale, broccoli, parsley, and red cabbage. Working in small batches, use the food processor on the chop setting, to achieve a very finely chopped salad base.

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After the base of the salad has been created, I toss the base with dressing and salt. This has three benefits.....

1. You will use less dressing

2. The dressing is evenly distributed throughout the base of the salad.

3. The salt and oil combination will help to soften the kale.

The next step is to assemble the top of your salad. I like to do this in zones that create a dramatic look and give it that "wow" factor.

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Health Benefits by Ingredient

Item	Color	Benefit
Red Cabbage	Red	A half-cup contains about 45% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and is a good source of fiber, vitamin A and potassium.
Pomegranate	Red	One pomegranate gives you about 28 mg of vitamin C, which is almost 50 percent of your daily recommended intake. Pomegranate is also rich in vitamins B and C as well as potassium, protein, carbohydrates, and fiber.
Carrots	Orange	One-half cup can give you up to 73% of vitamin A. Carrots are also an excellent source of vitamin C and fiber.
Opal Apple	Yellow	Rich in vitamin C and fiber, along with smaller amounts of vitamin A, calcium, and iron.
Lemon	Yellow	Excellent source of vitamin C and has been known to help skin, immune system, reduce the risk of complications from a cold or flu, and reduce inflammation in the body.
Kale	Green	Kale is among the most nutrient-dense vegetables on the planet. Kale is rich in antioxidants and packed with vitamins A (206%), K (684%), C (134%), and B6 (9%), especially folate. It has a fair amount of protein and iron and has more vitamin C than other leafy greens. It’s also high in fiber, and has more calcium, gram for gram, than a cup of milk. Researchers have even found that the phytochemicals in Kale may inhibit cancer cell growth.
Broccoli	Green	One cup of broccoli contains 134% vitamin C and 116% vitamin D. A valuable source of carotenoids that have antioxidant properties capable of preventing and reducing risks of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
Parsley	Green	A good source of vitamins A, B, C, and K, and the minerals iron, potassium, and copper. Parsley has antifungal, antiseptic, and anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Parsley is used as a pallet cleanser and digestive aid.
Avocado	Green	Rich in B vitamins and vitamin K with good content of C, E, and potassium.
Blueberry's	Blue	Excellent source of antioxidants, vitamins C and K, manganese, copper, and fiber.
Ginger		Anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, and other healthful properties.
Garbanzo Beans		Contain folate, magnesium, and insoluble fiber.
Almonds		Ounce for ounce, almonds are higher in fiber, calcium, vitamin E, riboflavin, and niacin than any other tree nut. Rich in vitamin E, magnesium, riboflavin, calcium, and potassium.
Sunflower Seeds		Great source of amino acids, dietary fiber, vitamin B, vitamin E, and minerals such as copper, magnesium, iron, potassium, manganese, calcium, phosphorus, selenium, and zinc.
Olive Oil		Source of omega-3 fatty acids, high antioxidant, anti-cancer agents (such as squalene and terpenoids).

Recipe