How healthy is YOUR liver?

The liver manages all the fats, proteins, and carbohydrates people ingest. It’s the primary functional system of the human body. In fact, it has a lot of significance for expelling the toxins and harmful chemicals that can make your body’s organs sick.

If you happen to have digestive problems or heaviness in your stomach, can’t curb your appetite, or have complete disinterest in your appetite, maybe this organ needs a little attention and loving care.

Well, as you may have guessed, what you eat can have a massive impact on your liver’s health. Fatty, salty, or sugary foods can worsen it, while others may help cleanse or even repair this crucial organ.

Even though several kits are available in stores, claiming to detoxify and cleanse this important organ, why not choose from the many other natural and easy solutions available to you?

Here are 7 of the best liver healing and cleansing foods to add to your diet, including some that can help improve liver damage from alcohol as well.

Apples

An apple a day keeps the doctor away! Well, just because this saying is really old doesn’t make it less accurate. It’s just as effective today. Apples are a unique fruit and a true treasure trove of minerals and many other nutrients.

This super fruit contains lots of vitamin C, antioxidants, and anti-bacterial properties. They all aid in killing harmful bacteria and increase the good and healthy bacteria, making your liver function optimally.

Try to eat at least one apple a day. But you can also drink the juice of fresh apples. Just don’t add extra sugar to it. And then there’s always the option of making a sweet apple pie or some other sweet dishes.

Garlic

Garlic is an influential friend when cleansing your liver. And interestingly, in some countries, garlic has been used in many dishes and is the primary ingredient of culinary artists.

This plant includes anti-bacterial and anti-oxidants which are perfectly suitable for the health of your organs. Try to use a few cloves when cooking your main dishes. You can add it to your soups and stews as well as vegetables.

You can also use some dried garlic powder if you don’t have any fresh cloves on hand. How does it help you? It will activate your healthy liver enzymes, which in turn help kill any harmful bacteria in your body and raises your immunity.

Yes, garlic is a fantastic immunity booster. Studies have found that regular use of garlic strengthens your immunity with a healthy liver, so a person rarely gets sick. Garlic also has selenium, which is very beneficial for detoxifying your body.

It can also fulfill the lack of certain nutrients and minerals necessary for the human body.

Avocado

Avocado is one of the yummiest fruits in the world and has incredible power to boost your immune system and improve digestion. This superfood is a fantastic ingredient to use in making many dishes like cakes and smoothies and can even be consumed as is.

But when it comes to your liver, it’s a powerhouse with anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties, which help cleanse it. Avocado also helps to detox this organ by expelling out all the harmful toxins and chemicals from your body through the stool and urine.

Many studies have shown that eating avocado regularly makes your liver healthy and improves your appetite and any other digestive issues you might have. So it would help if you eat avocado every day, or you can also make yourself some healthy smoothies.

Just be sure to choose the right avocado from the market. Otherwise, it won’t taste the way you expect it to.

Coffee

A few studies have shown that over 50 percent of the American public consumes coffee daily. It’s good for the liver mainly because it protects against a few issues, including fatty liver disease.

The research also notes that daily coffee intake might even help reduce your risk of chronic liver disease. It’s also been known to protect the liver from damaging conditions like cancer in the liver.

The shielding effects of coffee may be due to how it influences liver enzymes. And it seems to reduce all the fat buildup in the liver. It also increases protective antioxidants in it.

Turmeric

Turmeric is said to be a wonderful spice and a surprising remedy for many body issues. In India, turmeric is the star culinary spice. Without it, each main course is incomplete.

While most people know turmeric as a cooking spice, it’s also a popular health supplement that’s sold at most health stores. Turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, and it has been shown to reduce elevated liver enzymes.

It can even improve some types of liver disease. This root has plenty of anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties, which help to cleanse your liver effectively. You can use dried turmeric powder in your dishes and fresh turmeric for your stews, soups, and vegetables.

While taking turmeric is typically safe, rare liver problems linked to this supplement have been reported. Therefore, it’s best to consult a medical professional before taking any new supplements.

Oatmeal

If you eat oatmeal regularly, you’re already adding fiber to your diet. And fiber is an essential tool for digestion. Oatmeal and oats, in general, are high in compounds called beta-glucans. One study reports that beta-glucans are biologically active in the body.

They help regulate the immune system and fight inflammation, which may be especially beneficial in the fight against obesity and diabetes.

The same study also notes that beta-glucans from oats appear to help lower the quantity of fat found in the liver in mice, which could also help protect the liver. Some more clinical studies are required to confirm this advantage in humans, but the results so far are promising.

If you decide to add oats to your diet, you should look for whole oats or steel-cut oats rather than instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal may contain fillers like flour or sugars, which won’t be as beneficial for your body.

Citrus Fruits

Any fruits that contain plenty of vitamin C, like lemon, orange, grapes, Amla, Indian gooseberry, and many others, are excellent sources for cleansing your liver.

The Vitamin C in them has many anti-oxidants and anti-bacterial properties that are known to boost your immune system and the detox process. So if you’re looking to cleanse your liver, you should try to take vitamin C on a regular basis.

You can choose to eat some fresh fruits rich in vitamin C, or you can also take juice like Amla juice and lime juice with some water and drink the mix in the morning. Nowadays, many kinds of vitamin C supplements are available on the market.

So you can also go for those if it’s easier. However, since citrus also contains high levels of fructose, it’s best to consume it in moderation. Too much fructose can heighten fatty liver disease.

Takeaway Tips On Maintaining A Healthy Liver

Besides including some more liver cleansing foods into your diet, there are also many other steps you can take to protect your health. The following will also help:

• Drink alcohol in moderation. If you already have liver damage, you should abstain from alcohol entirely.
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Regular exercise
• Avoid toxins. This includes pesticides and chemicals found in certain foods.
• Be aware of specific cleanses that promise quick results. Most aren’t based on research, and a few may even cause additional damage to your organs.

Important Note: If you believe you may have severe liver problems, none of the foods above should act as a substitute for medical treatment.

Liver disease is a serious matter and shouldn’t be ignored. If it advances far enough, it can become fatal. If you’re unsure of your liver’s health, we suggest getting a liver function test and talking to your doctor.

But meanwhile, if you’re looking for some more great advice on health and nutrition, we suggest reading: Top 9 Alkaline Foods You Should Be Eating Daily