The liver is responsible for a range of tasks; cleansing the blood, synthesising proteins, storing energy, creating cholesterol, processing haemoglobin, aiding in digestion, and strengthening the immune system. These mammoth tasks continue without a break. Regular liver detox will only keep the organ up and about. Read through to learn why and how to do a liver detox.
Why Do You Need a Liver Detox?
An impaired liver will not be able to eliminate all toxins from the body. These toxins begin to accumulate as fats, leading to a condition called fatty liver. The signs and symptoms of a dysfunctional liver are:
- Abdominal bloating and weight gain around the belly
- Excessive sweating
- Excessive Fatigue
- Dry, itchy, and discoloured skin
- Constipation, diarrhoea, heartburn, and other digestive problems
- Recurrent headaches
- Poor concentration
- Mood swings
- Increased premenstrual symptoms due to hormonal imbalance
- Decreased libido
- Chemical hypersensitivity
Best Liver Detox Foods
Eating liver friendly fruits is the best way to detox the liver naturally. The best liver detox foods are:
1. Apples
One of the best liver detox foods is apple. Apples are naturally rich in pectin, a polyphenol that binds to heavy metals during digestion. The body thus removes them even before they enter the bloodstream. This helps keep the serum and lipid levels of the liver under control, reducing the excessive load on the stomach. Apples also possess anti-inflammatory properties that make them a must-have in a fatty liver diet.
2. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits are a rich source of Vitamin C. Lemons, oranges, grapefruit, and amla are high Vitamin C fruits. High amounts of Vitamin C convert body toxins into water-dissolving compounds. This ensures easy removal. Vitamin C also stimulates the production of bile, a fluid released by the liver. This flushes out more toxins and helps melt away extra fat. Citrus fruits also contain high amounts of antioxidants that support the natural cleansing abilities of the liver.
3. Olive Oil
Olive oil and other cold-pressed organic oils, like coconut oil and hempseed oil, contain compounds that help remove fat-soluble toxins. Consumption of l large amounts of olive oil sends signals to the liver to open up the bile ducts. As the bile ducts open up to process increased oil intake, everything that clogs the ducts is automatically removed. Olive oil also contains healthy fats and anti-inflammatory compounds which support liver detox.
4. Alliums
Allium is a monocotyledonous flowering plant. It consists of several species, including the most commonly used onions, garlic, leeks, and more. These root vegetables contain high amounts of sulphur compounds that are crucial for liver support. They also activate enzymes that help flush out toxins and waste from the body. Allium foods also contain selenium, a trace mineral that helps in liver detox by eliminating internal and environmental toxins and reducing excess fats. These foods also strengthen the immune system by clearing out bacteria, viruses, and fungi.
5. Leafy Green Vegetables
Green leafy vegetables are the most powerful when it comes to a liver detox diet. Whether they are consumed raw or cooked, or as a juice or smoothie; they are beneficial in every way because of their high chlorophyll content, which absorbs environmental toxins from the blood, reducing the toxic load on the liver, thereby helping in liver detoxification. Furthermore, leafy greens are an excellent source of nutrients and antioxidants. Bitter greens, like dandelion, mustard, kale, bitter gourd, etc. increase the production of bile.
6. Beetroots
Beetroots contain high amounts of betaine and pectin, compounds involved in optimal liver functioning. While consumption of betaine encourages liver cells to release toxins, pectin binds the toxins in the intestines, inhibiting them to circulate in the bloodstream. Beetroots are also a rich source of beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant that reduces toxins, fights oxidative stress, and neutralises free radicals, all helping to improve liver function.
7. Carrots
Like beetroot, carrots are amongst the best liver detox foods. The vegetable is rich in beta-carotene, which helps clean up toxins from the body. The antioxidants also safeguard the cells from potential damage caused by free radicals and oxidative stress. Carrots also contain carotenoids, fat-soluble compounds that stimulate bile production and reduce liver toxicity. Carrots are especially high in Vitamin A and plant flavonoids that help reduce fatty acids in the liver, helping correct fatty liver disease.
8. Walnuts
Walnuts pack high amounts of omega-3 and omega-6 healthy fats, which support the liver in flushing out fat-soluble toxins, which are a cause of fatty liver disease. The walnut fruit also contains a good amount of arginine, an amino acid that is used by the liver to eliminate toxins that cause liver damage. Walnuts are the most beneficial for reducing fatty liver disease.
9. Whole Grains
Including whole grain foods in your daily diet can offer a plethora of benefits, the main being cleansing of the liver. Whole grains are rich in vitamin B which improves liver function and fat metabolism and helps in liver detox. On the other hand, refined grains and processed foods affect blood sugar levels which harms the liver. Thus, include healthy whole grains like millet, buckwheat, brown rice, oats, and quinoa for liver detox.
10. Tomatoes
Tomatoes are a natural medicine. The vegetable contains high amounts of chlorine and sulphur, the minerals that play a vital role in the detoxification of the liver. While chlorine stimulates the liver functioning for filtration and detoxification of body waste, sulphur protects the liver from cirrhosis, a liver disease marked by the scarring of the liver. Daily consumption of tomatoes also stimulates the production of digestive and liver enzymes which help in digestion and liver detox.
11. Avocados
Avocados contain a rich amount of healthy fats and micronutrients. Avocados are one of the few fruits that contain healthy unsaturated fats. The nutrition content of avocados stimulates the production of glutathione, a compound made from amino acids. Glutathione is produced by the liver and is responsible for many body processes. In the liver, glutathione helps remove heavy metals, environmental pollutants, and stress-induced toxins. Glutathione also protects the cells against oxidation and supports detoxification.
12. Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, brussels sprouts, and cauliflower contain high amounts of chlorophyll, the chemical that boosts the detoxification capacity of the body. These vegetables are also rich in glucosinolate, a compound that helps the liver to produce detoxifying enzymes that support liver detox. Cruciferous vegetables have a high sulphur content that protects the liver from cirrhosis.
13. Turmeric
Turmeric is one of the most commonly used spices. The spice has the highest amount of anti-inflammatory properties and is rich in antioxidants. The antioxidants in turmeric aid in liver cell repair, helping in liver detox. Nutrients in turmeric further stimulate enzymes that play a role in liver detoxification. Turmeric also lowers cholesterol levels and neutralises carcinogens and other toxins.
14. Herbs
Herbs like milk thistle, dandelion, green tea, and rosemary have powerful plant compounds that help in detoxifying the liver. Including these herbs in a fatty liver diet shows significant improvement in the disease. Roots of the dandelion herb help the liver to break down fat and produce amino acids which help in the elimination of toxins. Drinking water that contains rosemary boiled stimulates the production of bile. This helps in digestion and reduces the risk of developing liver problems. Green tea is a powerful herb known for its several health benefits including liver detox.
15. Lentils
Lentils, sometimes referred to as pulses, are a type of plant called legumes. Lentils contain high amounts of choline, a nutrient which prevents fat build-up in the liver. This makes lentils a perfect inclusion into a fatty liver diet. The liver detox properties are not restricted to a particular lentil. All legumes in the category help normalise blood sugar levels, protect against cancer and cleanses the liver for healthy living.
Conclusion
Including liver detox foods in the daily diet is the best way to detoxify the organ on an everyday basis. Some of the best liver detox foods are onions, leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, herbs, apples, and avocados. Eating liver-healthy foods helps remove toxic build-up in the organ, which helps boost overall health.
