When I think of spring, I think of spring cleaning which makes me think of detoxing.
This brings green juice to mind, and I have the perfect go-to green drink for you.
Cilantro Detox Juice Recipe
This Cilantro Detox Juice is packed with incredible phytonutrients that have healing properties.
What is Cilantro Good For?
Cilantro chelates heavy metals from the body, which is important since I have the MTHFR genetic mutation which can impair detoxification.
Is Cilantro Good for Cleansing?
Since cilantro is so great for cleansing, I drank a quart of this green juice every day when I was diagnosed with heavy metal toxicity in 2004.
Rather than doing medical chelation, which I thought would be too hard on my body, my doctor suggested that I eat A LOT of cilantro.
Free exclusive eBook, plus recipes and health tips, delivered to your inbox.
Can You Drink Cilantro Juice?
Since I wasn’t sure how to consume an entire bunch of cilantro each day, I juiced it. I love cilantro juice, and yes, you can drink it!
Cilantro Detox Juice
Ingredients
- 1 bunch cilantro
- 2 fingers ginger
- 1 lemon
- 1 lime
- 3 large cucumbers
Instructions
- Push cilantro through juicer
- One at a time, push ginger, lemon, and lime through juicer
- Push cucumbers through juicer
- Serve
Equipment
What is Detox Juice Good For?
In addition to helping detox heavy metals, cilantro also helps build healthy skin and hair and reduces the risk of heart disease and diabetes.
Further, it contains antimicrobial properties, which is likely why it’s been widely used in cooking for cultures in warmer climates, prior to the development of refrigeration.
Cilantro Health Benefits
The health benefits of cilantro are numerous. This superfood contains compounds that reduce the risk of:
- Heart Disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes
Further, cilantro contains a substance called dodecenal. This antimicrobial compound is thought to protect the body against infections caused by food spoilage.
Healthy Green Detox Juice Recipe
For this healthy juice recipe, I use all of the cilantro, both leaves, and stems.
I also do this for cooking because it stretches my food dollars, and reduces prep work and food waste.
The stems of cilantro taste every bit as good as the leaves!
Is Cilantro Parsley?
I’m often asked if cilantro and parsley are the same thing. To this, I must reply with a resounding NO.
While both are very bright leafy greens that grow on long, thin stems, to me they taste nothing alike.
Many people confuse flat-leaf parsley with cilantro because they look so similar. Parsley is more of a Mediterranean herb while cilantro is often used in Mexican, Thai, and Indian food.
Both parsley and cilantro have numerous health benefits. Herbs in general are packed with micronutrients and healthy anti-inflammatory compounds.
Is Juicing Good for You?
When it comes to juicing some people worry about losing the fiber.
If that concerns you, blend your veggies in a high-speed blender such as a vitamix or blendtec.
I haven’t tried that, so I’m not sure if it will taste as good as my Cilantro Detox Juice.
I get plenty of fiber since I eat many servings of vegetables each day. For me, juicing is like taking a supplement.
Green Juice Detox Recipe
While juice is not a whole food, that doesn’t mean it isn’t extremely healthy.
Pushing superfoods through the juicer gives me extra micronutrients that my digestive system would not have space for.
Health Benefits of Juicing
Because our soil is depleted, even organic food has diminished nutritional value.
Juicing is my insurance, it may not be for everyone, but it’s perfect for me.
The Best Juicer
You’ll notice I reference my Breville Juicer not only in this recipe but quite often on the site. I find this is one of the best bang for your buck juicers.
Better yet? I’ve had mine for ten years now with no issues.
Easy Juicing Recipe
When I make my Cilantro Detox Juice I leave the skin on the produce.
When I spoke to the company (Breville) they advised me not to push unpeeled citrus through it as this may decrease the lifespan of the juicer.
Still, I leave the skins on, as I want all of the bioflavonoids found in the citrus skin.
Green Juice Recipes for Detoxing
As you can see, I love juicing and I adore my healing Cilantro Detox Juice! If you’re looking for more healthy green juice recipes try these too.
Mojito Green Juice
My Mojito Green Juice is a total winner. Mint, parsley, lime, ginger, cucumbers, and apple come together in this infusion for the ultimate refreshment.
My inspiration for this Mojito Green Juice was from a favorite website of mine, Dr. Frank Lipman. I hope you’re inspired to try this detoxifying delight.
Simple Green Juice
As the name suggests, my Simple Green Juice is just that, simple.
With only three healthy ingredients –parsley, cucumbers, and lemon you’ll be surprised by how flavorful it is!
Green Lemonade
My Green Lemonade contains similar ingredients to the above recipes, however, this one is supercharged with kale. Anytime I can sneak kale into my diet I’m in!
Pro tips for newbies to juicing?
- Serve your green juice in a wine glass to feel festive and fancy
- Sip slowly to enjoy and absorb all the benefits of your juice
Detox-Retox Recipes
If green juice recipes aren’t your jam I have something else for you –healthy electrolyte drinks.
Cocktails with Electrolytes
To say we LOVE LMNT is an understatement. The boys and I can’t get enough of it.
My favorite flavor is orange, the boys like lime, and Mr. Pantry is a fan of watermelon.
When the boys are home they make amazing detox-retox cocktail recipes.
Here are two detox-retox cocktails we created using LMNT:
Healing Green Juice Recipes
So there you have it! My favorite green juice recipes for detox, plus some fun healthy cocktails –if such a thing exists!
What’s your favorite juice? Any new combinations you can recommend? Leave a comment and let me know!
This post is an oldie but goodie from the archives, I first published this Cilantro Detox Juice in January 2015.
Gwen says
What side effects does one encounter when doing this detox and should one detox every day?
Elana says
Gwen, when I use this juice every day I find that my mercury levels drop. Haven’t had other side effects but everyone is different :-)
Sameir Pawar says
Hey such an informative article. Thank you for sharing your views. Recently I was feeling indigestion and some other stomach problems, does cilantro help with it and also is it a good remedy for estrogen dominance and hormonal imbalance in Male?
Elana says
Sameir, you ask such fantastic questions! I’ve used cilantro for chelating heavy metals such as mercury out of my body, have not done research on estrogen dominance, though I have family members (male) that take zinc since it may be a good aromatase inhibitor :-)
Maria says
Hi elana, do you recommend this drink to a breastfeeding mom to cleanse a baby after getting vaccines, since bby is getting all these heavy metals injected and cant take the drinks herself? Maybe my breastmilk will contain something in it after drinking this?
Elana says
Maria, thanks for your comment! I’m not a doctor, nor have I read or conducted studies on this. Best to consult with your functional medicine practitioner.
Marie says
Hello Elena, is this ok to drink if you don’t have any ailments?
I’m looking for something to help with bloating and a health professional told me that cilantro is the newest thing for it.
Elana says
Marie, I would say yes. We all have toxic exposures and this is a very detoxifying remedy :-)
Kay says
Do you consume the entire recipe in one sitting?
Elana says
Kay, I often do!
Kay Wood says
I guess I could make it a goal. :) Even though I’ve done a lot of work on my gut, cukes make me blech.
Elana says
Thanks Kay!
Giovanni says
Thanks Elana I appreciate. ..
Elana says
Giovanni, you’re welcome! I’m so happy to help. I hope you’ll keep me posted on your progress :-)
Kyli says
I heard drinking cilantro tea detoxes kidneys
Elana says
Kyli, cilantro is amazing on so many levels!
Giovanni says
Hi Elana,
Giovanni here again. …I have been taking the cilantro detox juice for a month now. ..but from yesterday I had a migraine …and up to today I have some headaches. ..is this a side effect of the detox juice and if so what should I do because I don’t want to stop until I get free from mercury…and how long do you think it will take for me to start healing coz the mercury in my body was very high. ….hoping that I can get a solution to migrane and headaches. ..looking forward to hear from you …
Thanks Elana. ..you’re always useful
Elana says
Hi Giovanni, thanks for your comment! Were you experiencing migraines prior to starting the juicing? Are you seeing a Functional Medicine Practitioner? What tests did you do that indicate high mercury levels :-)
Lauren says
Do you have amalgams? You cannot eat/drink cilantro with silver fillings!!!
Eileen Wojtowicz says
Why?
Giovanni says
I have been diagnosed with excess mercury. ..and my joints nerves are giving me problems. ..a lot of pain. and am very weak…..I would like to know how to measure. ..All the ingredients I need and what’s the best time to take. ..how many times a day
thanks for your help
Elana says
Giovanni, I drink this any time of day on an empty stomach.
Giovanni says
can I add a fruit in it I mean any kind of fruit
Elana says
Giovanni, feel free to customize it in whatever way best suits you! I don’t ever juice fruit (other than lemon or lime) because it is incredibly high-glycemic.
Giovanni says
Hi, Elana I started taking the cilantro detox juice and am having. .heart burn what can you advise. .?
Elana says
Giovanni, thanks for your comment! Have you ever experienced heartburn prior to this?
Afnan says
Hi
I want to ask you how you recover from heavy metal toxicity ? Is this juice is enough?
Elana says
Afnan, it worked for me but we’re all biochemical individuals so your case may be different. I also eliminated fish that are high in heavy metals such as tuna and sword fish which helped as well :-)
Sandy says
How long did it take to be detoxed from Mercury?
Elana says
Sandy, that was back around 2003 or 2004, so I don’t exactly recall, but it took some years to get it all out of my system :-)
Jean says
Thank you for posting this. I get an extremely horrible hive out break once a year . It began after I started having children . After giving Birth to first child. I think it’s hormone related , doctors are little help . I noticed one episode after I conceived my daughter, we were keeping track of my cycle and days we tried to conceive and it happened after the egg dropped. (days after success ). Definitely hormones playing maybe with something In my stomach -Not sure. 10 years I’ve suffered . It’s disfiguring , the skin fills with water underneath too . I look like Mickie Rourke…horrible , can’t leave house and all itchy. The hives grow large and connect it’s called “dinner plates” to form one huge hive. First time I needed to go to ER, for drip and meds. Now I get steroids which I despise, and the hydrozine for itch, makes me fall asleep -Not good when I have little ones to care for. My husbands friends mother had stomach issues and tried a similar recipe of this drink . They sent it to us , I tried it and It did knock out the hives . Don’t know how but it was a God send. Doesn’t taste good but did job. For some reason I lost the recipe and came online to look for anything similar and came here . Our recipe had celery and apple cider vinegar , only difference. There is also many new things in our food system , GMOs and agents in our foods. I hate what’s going on with the spraying of the crops . Just evil . This is not good for us either -Thanks again , take care.
Elana says
Jean, thanks so much for sharing your story here, it sounds like you’ve had a very challenging journey. I’m so happy that this green juice is helping! Please keep me posted on how you’re doing :-)
Lena says
Elena, with the MTHFR gene, would you recommend any particular detoxes and should you do them in any particular order? And is it better to do a gradual detox in order to prevent too many “die off” symptoms? I’ve read that a colon cleanse should be first, then liver and gallbladder, followed by heavy metal cleanse, parasite and candida. Your thoughts?
Elana says
Lena, thanks for your comment! Stay tuned, I will be writing more about this in the future :-)