The liver is the most critical metabolic site in the body. It is the largest digestive gland in your gastrointestinal tube, and everything you eat reaches this organ before coming to the heart and being distributed to the rest of the body. It serves as a type of colander, taking out what is toxic for you before it reaches general circulation. But sometimes, we put too much burden on this organ, and that’s why detoxification has become a popular topic in natural medicine.
But what if you stop eating foods that overwhelm your liver’s capacity to cleanse the blood? What if you eat foods that contribute to liver health instead of putting this noble organ to work? A closed mouth catches no flies, and if you decide wisely what to eat, you won’t probably need costly treatments and complex detox remedies.
In this article, we are going to help you select the best foods for liver health. They contribute to liver health in various ways. Some have potent antioxidant activity, which is vital for your liver because free radicals are released in an attempt to cleanse the blood. Others fight inflammation or prevent cancer, keeping this organ clear from malignant cells. Still, others counter the effects of alcohol or lower fat and cholesterol levels in the liver.
Since these foods work in synergy, we recommend consuming as many as possible, if not all of them. These recommended foods include:
1. Beetroots:
This food was used for centuries, and the Ancient Romans consumed not only the roots but also the leaves of this plant. They didn’t know why, but they did so and found benefit from the healing abilities of this plant. Galen, the father of modern medicine, appraised these vegetables and talked about their health benefits. Now modern chemistry has unraveled the full potential of this food by breaking down the most useful ingredient and confirming the statements made by ancient doctors more than 2000 years ago.
Beetroot contains minerals such as magnesium, iron, phosphorus, fluorine, and calcium. It also has iodine, bromine, and other elements you don’t find in many foods, like cesium and strontium. It contains plenty of vitamins, including B12 and amino acids that reduce blood pressure levels, cholesterol in the blood, urine excursion, and liver function. Beetroot facilitates bile excretion in the liver, and it is used to help people with bile duct diseases. It cleanses the liver by facilitating detox metabolic reactions and assisting this organ in producing more bile.
2. Cranberries:
There’s also a long story of cranberries as healthy food that dates back to American Indians. The plant is native to North American soil, and it is a bush plant used as a medicine by many tribes.
Nowadays, we know that cranberries contain brusnicin, arbutine, hippuric acid, and other components associated with various health benefits. The berries are rich in iron, manganese, copper, vitamin C, and different B vitamins. They speed up the metabolism and improve digestion. In the liver, they also contribute to detox by providing antioxidants and fighting off the effects of bad cholesterol. It protects the organ from free radicals and helps control blood sugar levels through different anthocyanin compounds.
3. Whole wheat:
Most of us consume wheat products, and it is not a bad idea to do so as long as you don’t have gluten intolerance. This grain is widely used in almost every country as a staple food, and the main problem with consuming wheat is that we consume this food in the form of refined flour. Instead, look for whole wheat sources, which contain more phytonutrients and dietary fiber.
It also has ferulic acid and alkylresorcinols. These components increase lipid metabolism, which is a good idea if you want to cleanse your liver from fat.
4. Artichoke:
This plant food is also highly appraised in modern literature in terms of liver health and detox. It is recommended to eat artichokes along with the leaves in a salad because it is the leaves that contain more healing properties than the flower. When you consume artichoke, it provides plenty of phytonutrients, including sesquiterpene lactones, flavonoids, and chlorogenic acid. They contribute to liver health by protecting the organ from injuries, controlling cholesterol levels, and providing a potent antioxidative function.
The only problem with artichokes is that some people develop an allergic reaction, and you’re encouraged to use it as food as long as you don’t have an ongoing obstruction in the bile ducts.
5. Grapefruit:
This evergreen tree gives a 15-centimeter fruit with many vitamins and plenty of phytonutrients.
All in all, grapefruit is known to regulate body metabolism, reduce the risk of some cancers, and strengthen body immunity. It contains pectins, organic acids, antioxidant pigments, and minerals such as magnesium and potassium. It controls cholesterol levels in the blood and their impact on your liver.
Moreover, it is recommended in people with liver and pancreatic problems because it protects both organs simultaneously. However, not everybody should drink grapefruit juice, especially if you are currently consuming different medications to control chronic disease. If that is your case, ask your doctor for clearance to avoid an increase in drug concentration in the blood.
6. Garlic and onions:
They are both included in a group of foods of the Allium genus. Onions and garlic have much in common, and not only the strong odor. They contain a substance known as allicin, which is responsible for their taste and characteristic smell.
An interesting fact about garlic and onions is how they reduce our circulating levels of bad cholesterol while protecting the body against oxidative stress. They have hepatoprotective activity and prevent heavy metal accumulation in the liver, especially cadmium. These foods have also been tested in alcoholic fatty liver and fibrosis.
7. Spirulina:
This blue-green algae has gained a lot of reputation as a superfood lately. But it is actually one of the most ancient living beings on Earth, and it was consumed by the Aztecs in biscuits. Spirulina is filled with proteins, it has plenty of minerals and other extra nutrients. Vitamin B12 in this algae contributes to cell metabolism in the liver and other body parts. Potassium and magnesium are excellent for blood pressure, which indirectly affect the liver, and chlorophyll balances pH levels in the blood and contributes to detox by helping the organism get rid of toxins.
If you thought carrots were rich in beta-carotene, spirulina contains ten times more of this antioxidant substance. Thus, it is one of the best nutrients in nature if you want to fight free radical damage in your liver.
Moreover, it has another potent antioxidant known as zeaxanthin, which is more efficient in scavenging free radicals than beta-carotene itself. This food has been found beneficial to counter drug poisoning and heavy metal intoxication because it helps the liver get rid of these harmful components.
8. Burdock:
Not everybody knows burdock root, but it is popular in Japan and originates from Siberia and some parts of Europe. This root is particularly useful for liver health because it contains caffeic and chlorogenic acids and plenty of inulins. It is one of the best plants to consume if you need liver drainage because it is choleretic. In other words, burdock increases the volume of bile your liver produces and helps clear out toxins through the gallbladder.
Moreover, it has a positive health effect on your gut microbiota and your gastrointestinal defenses. Thus, there will be more layers of protection in anything that comes into your organism through the liver.
9. Sweet potato:
Burdock is not the only root with a potential hepatoprotective effect. We can also consume sweet potatoes, which are widely available and cheap in almost any country.
Sweet potatoes are heavily pigmented with beta carotenes and similar antioxidant substances. They are excellent when it comes to fighting off free radicals in your liver. The fiber in sweet potato also makes it a safe food if you struggle with fats and high sugar levels. Experience with sweet potatoes also suggests that it is helpful to attenuate liver injury in.
10. Turmeric:
This is a popular anti-inflammatory plant that grows in Southern Asia but has been made famous as a spice worldwide. It has beneficial effects on different organs and systems, including the cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. Besides the anti-inflammatory effect, it is also an antioxidant and contains a potent phenolic substance known as curcumin.
Like burdock, turmeric is also known as a choleretic, making this spice very recommended for people with bile secretion problems. Before reaching another organ, turmeric imbues the liver with antioxidants, which provides a hepatoprotective effect that reduces the risk of liver damage against some hepatic insults.
To facilitate the absorption of turmeric and curcumin, it can be consumed along with black pepper, but not in high doses because it may cause an upset stomach.
11. Green leafy vegetables:
In general, all green leaves are beneficial for your health. They contain plenty of micronutrients and a flavone glucoside known as saponarin. This is what gives the dark green color to these vegetables, along with chlorophyll.
Barley leaves, kale, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables counter inflammation and have a powerful antioxidant effect. They inhibit liver cancer and counter free radical damage in the hepatic tissue.
12. Green tea:
This is probably one of the most popular teas in China, Japan, and worldwide. All teas from Camellia sinensis plants are very high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. They are also known to reduce the risk of cancer.
In the liver, green tea provides the highest level of hepatoprotection compared to black tea and other types. It contains polyphenols that alleviate liver damage caused by inflammation and free radicals. Green tea is also known to help clear out the excess when the liver is overloaded with iron.
13. Pomegranate:
This fruit was highly regarded in Greek mythology and consumed in Europe and other parts of the world. It is one of the richest sources of antioxidants and is considered beneficial for fertility and longevity. Besides its antioxidant potential, it contains vitamin B5, potassium, and other nutrients.
Punicalagins in pomegranate have anti-inflammatory potential and provide liver protection against toxins and free radical damage. It also prevents tumor growth in different types of cancer and protects against obesity and diabetes, ultimately affecting the liver.
14. Milk thistle:
You can consume milk thistle in salads, but it is usually taken in supplements. Even so, milk thistle should be included in the list because it is probably one of the best plants you can find in terms of hepatoprotection.
Besides protecting the liver from future damage, milk thistle also has hepatoregenerative effects. In other words, it helps the liver heal from injury. It is not toxic in any way and does not cause an increase in bile secretion. Thus, even when drainage plants are contraindicated, milk thistle can be taken safely.
It is particularly helpful in cases of alcohol-induced damage, steatohepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and viral damage to the liver.
15. Citrus fruits:
This food group comprises plenty of fruits, including limes, lemon, oranges, grapefruit, and mandarins. They are helpful in the case of hepatotoxicity with a variety of drugs and metabolic toxins, including a potent hepatotoxin called aflatoxin.
As you have probably read above, there is a wide range of foods to cleanse the liver with different functions and roles. Some increase the volume of bile, while others stimulate the secretion in the gallbladder. Still, others are useful to maintain the metabolic machinery working correctly.
Be careful with foods that increase the volume or excretion of bile if you have small gallstones and cholestasis problems. They should be consumed under the supervision of a doctor if you’re trying to recover from persistent liver disease.
Most of these foods can be consumed without any restraint, and it is actually recommended to combine them every day to achieve the best results. Along with a healthy diet and exercise, your organism will be grateful and reward you with quality of life.