The liver is one of the hardest working organs. It carries out an impressive 500 processes in the body, including bile production, fat metabolism, storing vitamins and minerals and blood filtration. It is also the only organ that we have that can regenerate itself. In this way, liver transplants can successfully remove part of a liver from a living donor and implant it into a patient with liver disease, thereby saving his life.
Yes, the liver is an absolutely amazing organ that needs to be protected. The most common cause of liver damage is alcohol consumption, but excess fat in our diet can also damage it. Fortunately, a good selection of foods plays a major role in making our livers happy, and there are some foods that are particularly good for cleaning. They’re delicious things too, nothing to force. Let’s see.
1. Blueberries
Blueberries are one of those superfruits that seem to be good for everything. This is especially true for your liver. Blueberries contain antioxidants, so-called anthocyanins, which, together with the characteristic blue color, can stop the growth of cancer cells in the liver. Several animal studies have shown more benefits. In rats, regular consumption of blueberry extract increased immune cell response and antioxidant enzyme levels, and slowed the growth of fibroids, lesions, and scar tissue in their livers. It only takes 3-4 weeks of blueberry consumption daily to make a positive and lasting difference.
2. Grapefruit
Grapefruit also contains many powerful antioxidants, in this case naringenin and naringin. These are ideal for reducing inflammation and protecting cells. Grapefruit can also reduce the risk of liver fibrosis, in which chronic inflammation causes additional connective tissue to accumulate in and around the liver and gradually drown out its functionality.
If you want to buy alcoholic beverages tonight, drink grapefruit before drinking. Naringin is really good at helping the liver metabolize alcohol and can even counter some of the harmful effects of alcohol. It won’t save you a hangover completely, but it should shorten the duration.
3. Avocados
Avocados are great because they have a decadent taste and are actually very healthy. The good fat in avocados is necessary for our body to store energy. Good fats insulate against extreme temperature fluctuations and protect our vital organs. They also serve as messenger substances by helping proteins do their job.
Eat avocados to get plenty of glutathione, vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin K. Not harmful to the liver. These nutrients have an antioxidant function that protects the liver cells from damage. Vitamins E and K prevent harmful inflammation. Recent studies have also shown that avocado extract can be useful in treating viral hepatitis and slowing the progression of general liver damage.
4. Coffee & Tea
If you ever feel guilty about your coffee habit, you can put it aside immediately. Coffee is a low-calorie drink with a variety of health benefits. As long as you keep sugar and cream at a reasonable level, coffee works wonders for the liver. In fact, studies have shown that coffee not only lowers the risk of cirrhosis by about 44%, but can also partially delay the tide in people who already have liver disease. In addition, coffee increases the levels of stored antioxidants, reduces inflammation and reduces the risk of liver cancer throughout life.
Coffee has a distinctive taste that not everyone likes. If this describes you, you will be happy to know that tea is also very good for your liver. The green variety is considered the best, but black tea also has advantages. Both improve liver enzyme levels and reduce the effects of oxidative stress and harmful fat deposits.
5. Leafy Green Veggies
Green leafy vegetables can help reduce stress in the liver by neutralizing metals, chemicals and pesticides that get into your body through food and the environment due to their high chlorophyll content. Things like arugula, spinach and chicory are particularly good for increasing bile production and removing waste products.
As we talk about vegetables, beets do an excellent job of purifying the blood, and cruciferous vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and cauliflower contain a ton of glucosinolate so the liver can make enzymes that are necessary to flush out toxins.
6. Nuts
Walnuts have a bad reputation because they are relatively high in fat and are often made with a lot of salt and sugar. However, the natural fat in walnuts is mainly the good unsaturated variety. In their raw form, walnuts can be classified as superfood due to their high protein and antioxidant content.
And because walnuts generally grow in a shell that cracks and is removed before consumption, walnut meat is protected from pesticides. Since the liver is responsible for neutralizing toxins in the bloodstream, eating walnuts is a great way to protect your liver by minimizing exposure to these environmental toxins.
Finally, studies in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have shown that eating nuts and / or seeds daily improves liver enzyme levels. A walnut habit can also reduce the risk of NAFLD development.
Turmeric & Garlic
While not exactly standalone foods, turmeric and garlic are two spices that do great things for the liver. Turmeric contains curcumin, a powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compound. It supports the function of your bile duct, increases the flow of bile and thus cleanses the liver. Curcumin also helps the liver detoxify metals and prevents alcohol and other toxins from becoming dangerous compounds. However, note that turmeric is not recommended for people with gallstones, gallbladder disease, or diabetes.
Garlic contains selenium as an antioxidant and B6 is a powerful anti-inflammatory. Garlic also contains arginine, an amino acid that relaxes the blood vessels. This action can lower the blood pressure in the liver. Finally, garlic helps the liver activate the enzymes that are used to flush out toxins.
These delicious foods, drinks and spices naturally support the health of your liver in addition to many other physical processes. Now that you know how hard your liver is working, you may want to thank him with some of his favorite foods. Maybe you go the extra mile with a handful of mixed nuts that contain mixed nuts and are rinsed off with a couple of glasses of iced tea with cranberry juice. Just save a little space for a garlic guacamole. These foods are a pleasure for the tongue and liver!
