A healthy liver is the key to having good health and a healthy lifestyle. There are 3 principle commandments that you should abide by to maintain a healthy liver:
- Drink lots of water
- Have a balanced diet
- Avoid foods high in fat, salt, and sugar
If you maintain a healthy liver diet, your liver functions at its best thereby giving you signs of a healthy liver. But if you binge on fatty or fried food items, have a high intake of sugar or salt, your liver gets into trouble. You will soon have a fatty liver which is the starting point to any fatty liver disease.
The liver is responsible for producing glucose, breaking down carbohydrates, and detoxifying the body. It also preserves nutrients and creates bile, which is essential for digesting and absorbing nutrients in foods properly.
Hepatic dysfunction can lead to liver disease, metabolic disorders, liver cancer, and even Type 2 diabetes. It is of utmost importance that you care for your liver to maintain your overall health.
Here is a list of the top 10 liver healthy foods to maintain your liver health and their benefits.
1. Garlic:
Allicin and selenium present in garlic have shown positive effects in cleansing the liver. Consuming garlic activates the enzymes present in the liver and thus promotes the elimination of toxins from our body. Eat a couple of fresh and raw garlic cloves daily. Add garlic to your recipes as often as possible.
2. Beet:
Studies have shown that beet can fight against the appearance of certain cancers including liver, lung, and skin. This is due to the pigment betacyanin which gives beetroot its red color. It promotes the proper functioning of the liver.
3. Avocado:
This fruit has a purifying and detoxifying power. They help the body provide glutathione, an antioxidant that is necessary for the process of removing toxins from the liver.
4. Cruciferous Vegetables:
In addition to their richness in minerals and vitamins, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli can stimulate digestion, which reduces the work of the liver and reduces the storage of toxins.
5. Turmeric:
This spice has strong detoxifying power. It accelerates bile production and helps in cleansing the liver. The curcumin, present in turmeric, helps repair damaged liver tissue.
6. Rosemary:
Popular for its digestive and detoxifying properties, this herb stimulates the secretion of bile and thus facilitates digestion. Rosemary is popular in herbal medicine, as a remedy for liver and gastrointestinal disorders.
7. Lemon:
A natural diuretic, lemon promotes the elimination of impurities present in our body. Also, lemon citric acid helps in stimulating and detoxifying the liver.
8. Green Tea:
The high catechin content of green tea stimulates the liver by accelerating the catabolism of lipids. This prevents fat storage in the liver. Green tea also reduces the harmful effects of alcohol and other toxic substances on the liver. Studies indicate that regular intake of green tea can help in preventing liver cancer.
9. Apple:
The secret to keeping your liver healthy is eating an apple daily. This crunchy fruit is an excellent source of pectin, a soluble fiber that helps eliminate toxins from the digestive system, and lower blood cholesterol levels. Thanks to these two beneficial actions, pectin avoids excessive solicitation of the liver by your body.
10. Walnuts:
Thanks to their high amino acid arginine content, walnuts help the liver eliminate the ammonia present in your body. In addition, these nuts also contain glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids which help in the natural cleansing of the liver. Polyphenols found in walnuts also prevent liver damage.
Sum Up
A healthy liver diet should be an integral part of your daily food regime. For the health of your liver, health experts also recommend eliminating or reducing the consumption of animal products, alcohol, refined sugar, excess caffeine, and processed foods.
While managing all risk factors might not be possible, consuming the above-listed foods can help promote liver health by keeping it hale and hearty. But remember, it is equally important to maintain a healthy weight and exercise regularly.
