Tips to help you protect and improve your liver
Liver health is very important for overall health, one can maintain a healthy liver simply by consuming necessary nutrients that the Liver needs to properly function and improve.
The Liver is the major [largest internal] organ in humans and other higher animals (vertebrates), performing many vital functions such as detoxification, synthesis of proteins and biochemicals necessary for digestion and growth.
Other roles played by the “Liver” in metabolism includes regulation of glycogen storage, decomposition of red blood cells, and the production of hormones.
The liver as well is an accessory digestive organ, hence it produces bile (an alkaline fluid containing cholesterol and bile acids), which helps in breaking down of fat in the body.
Although it may seem difficult to manage all risk factors, but it’s proven that consuming certain food products and drinks helps promote the liver health and functionality.
Not taking good care of your liver can lead to liver disease and metabolic disorders. Type 2 diabetes is also said to be commonly catalyzed by liver diseases.
Furthermore, including antioxidants in your diets is something that your Liver and other organs in your body will always thank you for, (Antioxidants promote immunity, protect and reduce the effects of inflammation on the liver and so on)
There’s many food products and drinks that can help you protect and promote the health and functions of your liver, such as green tea, olive oil, berries, oatmeal and garlic. Conversely, fatty, salty, and sugary foods are harder for the liver to digest and may start weighing the liver down gradually or trigger other health complications soon or in the future.
Foods and drinks that protects the Liver and improves its functionality
Our diets play the most vital role when it comes to liver health, hence the liver helps process almost all that we take into our bodies. You can protect your liver by practicing better eating habits, such as eating fiber-rich whole grains, avoiding excess saturated and trans-fats, added sugars and sodium. Choosing more lean meats instead.
Some of the best foods and drinks, certified suitable for the liver includes the following:
1. Coffee
Several studies has demonstrated the positive effects of coffee on chronic liver diseases. Read more>>
Coffee has been proven good for the liver, hence it protects against ailments such as fatty liver diseases. The protective effects of coffee on liver is pointed at how it influences liver enzymes.
One 2014 review has revealed that over 50% of people in the United States consume coffee daily. The review also notes that daily coffee intake may help reduce the risk of chronic liver disease. It may also protect the liver from damaging conditions, such as liver cancer.
Coffee, it reports, seems to reduce fat buildup in the liver. It also increases protective antioxidants in the liver. The compounds in coffee also help liver enzymes rid the body of cancer-causing substances.
“It’s even been recommended that people with fatty liver disease should drink three or more cups of coffee a day. If you don’t have health issues with your liver, you may not need to drink that much — but know that your cup of joe may help improve your liver function”.
2. Olive oil
Olive oil is a vital component of a healthy diets. It is one of the best all-natural solutions available for cleansing the liver. By drinking large amounts of olive oil, the liver gets signal to open the bile ducts. As the bile ducts opens to process the extra quantities of the olive oil, any impurities that have been stuck in there also easily flows out.
Consuming high amount of fat is not good for the liver, but in the other hand some fats can help it. Replacing less healthy fats with “olive oil” also helps you reduce oxidative stress and improve your liver functions. This is due to the high content of unsaturated fatty acids in the olive oil.
3. Garlic
A mineral present in Garlic, known as selenium works great in cleansing the liver. It can trigger liver enzymes, and fundamentally flush out toxins from your system.
4. Fatty fish
Fatty fish is said to be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which are the good fats that help reduce inflammation. These fats may be especially helpful in the liver, as they appear to prevent the buildup of excess fats and regulate enzyme levels in the liver.
Fish oil alleviated high-fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via regulating hepatic lipids metabolism and metaflammation: a transcriptomic study
5. Grapefruits
Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants, this optimizes the natural cleansing processes of the liver. Grapefruit contains two powerful antioxidants; naringin and naringenin. These helps protect the liver from injury by reducing inflammation and protecting the liver cells.
Just a small glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice would boost the production of liver detoxification enzymes that does a whole lot in disintegrating and discharging carcinogens and other toxins.
6. Nuts
Nuts has a very high nutritional value, Nuts generally contain unsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants, which helps in preventing Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Diseases (NAFLD), as well minimizes inflammation and oxidative stress.
“Daily handful of nuts and seeds can help common chronic liver disease”.
Try including these bellow listed nuts into your salads or daily meals:
- Almonds
- Pistachios
- Hazelnuts.
- Pine nuts.
- Pumpkin seeds.
7. Green tea
Long-term use of high-dose green tea extract may provide some protection against cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes, but it also may create liver damage in a small minority of the population.
It is important to note that drinking green tea may be better for health than taking a green tea extract, as high dose extracts may damage the liver rather than heal it. It was earlier warned that green tea extract may harm liver in people with certain genetic variations.
8. Berries
Most dark berries such as blueberries, cranberries and raspberries contains antioxidant called polyphenols, which plays a vital role in protecting the liver from damage.
Blueberry juice is said to increase antioxidant capability in the liver. A certain study also suggests that blueberry juice could help alleviate liver fibrosis.
9. Plant foods=> Fruits/veggies
Generally, plant foods (common fruits and veggies) are helpful for the liver. Such as:
- broccoli
- carrots
- figs
- avocados
- watermelons
- pawpaw
- bananas
- lemons
- barley
- beets and beet juice
10. Leafy vegetables
There’s enough reasons to always add leafy vegetables to your diets, for instance, vegetables is a rich source of Vitamin K, and Glutathione.
Vitamin K: Is a vital nutrient for your liver, hence it helps your liver being in charge of controlled blood clot formation in the body.
“Glutathione” Is also a strong antioxidant contained in Leafy greens, which aids in keeping your liver properly functional.
You can consider incorporating bellow leafy vegetables in your diets:
- Lettuce
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Collard greens
- Kale
- Microgreens
11. Oatmeal
There are many benefits to a decent dish of oatmeal, principally because it gives you that healthy boost of fiber; consuming oatmeal is another easy way of upgrading your system with soluble fiber nutrients.
Oats is also said tohave protective effects on the liver, hence they contain a specific kind of fiber known as beta-glucan.
Some studies report that beta-glucans are organically active in the body hence they help modulate the immune system, fight inflammation, and mainly helpful in the fight against diabetes, obesity and Liver damage.
Avoid following Foods, They’re not good for your Liver
Some foods and food groups are difficult for the liver to process. They includes:
- Starchy foods: These include low fiber, floor, butter and sugar breads, pastas, cakes, and other baked foods.
- Sugary foods: Cutting back on sugar and sugary foods; such as cereals and candies may help stress the liver less.
- Energy Drinks: This is not encouraging for the entire system except you’re up for extra calories.
- Fatty foods: These includes highly processed foods, fried foods, fast food/takeout meals. Some Packaged snacks and chips may also be surprisingly high in fats.
- Salty Foods: Some simple ways to reduce salt intake include eating out less often, avoiding canned meats or vegetables, and reducing or avoiding salted deli meats and bacons.
- Alcohol: Anyone who is looking to give their liver a break may wish to consider reducing their intake of alcohol or eliminating it completely.
Summary
In general, your liver is a fairly self-sufficient organ. But as it plays a lot of important roles in your body, it can be helpful to keep up with a balanced diet. But be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about any dietary restrictions or health concerns before starting a new diet.
The liver plays an important role in the body, you may not realize how much this vital organ does for you. It handles everything from removing toxins from your blood to promoting digestion and storing vitamins for your body to use later, and more.
Although it primarily takes care of itself, a person can help maintain liver health by consuming certain foods and drinks as elaborated above that can give your hard-working liver a boost and help prevent or fight against certain liver diseases.
“It’s one of the only organs that can regenerate itself,” “If you have an infection or an injury to your liver, it’s possible that if you live a healthy lifestyle and eat the right foods, your liver may be able to heal itself.”
There are also many foods and food groups that may harm the liver. A person may wish to avoid them.
References
https://www.forthwithlife.co.uk
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
https://health.clevelandclinic.org
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com
https://healthyeating.sfgate.com
