Learn about the best liver friendly foods and which foods should be cut out of your diet.
If you’ve been diagnosed with a liver condition or have been diagnosed with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and obesity, you need to eat a healthy diet! So, what are the best foods you can eat to help maintain healthy liver function?
This article will highlight some of the best food you can eat for a healthy cleanse while also maintaining healthy gut function.
What Damages Liver Health?
Sugar – Sugar causes a rapid release of insulin, which causes your liver to use up sugar more rapidly. If the fatty acids aren’t used for energy, they will be stored as fat. Excess fat can also cause inflammation of liver cells and lead to liver damage.
Alcohol – Alcohol is absorbed by your body faster than any other nutrient. Over time, alcohol can cause scarring on the liver from excessive drinking or from fatty deposits called steatohepatitis that accumulate in the presence of alcohol abuse.
Medications – When taken in high doses or for long periods, many medications can damage your liver. This includes acetaminophen, some antidepressants, cholesterol medications, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), isotretinoin, methotrexate, and others.
Toxins – Some of the most common toxins are found in foods you eat every day. There are also pesticides that can be harmful to liver health. You should avoid drinking dirty water that has been contaminated by toxins, which can cause acute liver failure. Other substances that have also been known to cause liver damage are mercury and alcohol.
Cirrhosis – Cirrhosis is a condition in which liver cells are damaged and replaced with scar tissue. The scarring blocks the flow of blood and bile and can cause many problems to your body. Cirrhosis can be caused by conditions such as hepatitis, chronic alcohol use, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Hepatitis – Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. The inflammation can be caused by viruses (hepatitis A, B, C), bacteria (hepatitis E), excessive alcohol use, toxins, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or autoimmune diseases.
Unhealthy Snacks – Refined sugars, preservatives, trans fats, chemicals, and other additives are found in many snacks. Many of these are also found in packaged foods.
Liver Friendly Foods
1) Oatmeal
Oats have been used for generations as a natural food that can help detoxify the liver. Oatmeal can also increase the flow of bile that is necessary for your liver to produce the enzymes that break down fat and carbohydrates.
2) Whole Grains & Fiber
The whole grains you consume will help nourish your body from the inside out! The more fiber you consume, the better it will be for your liver by having healthy bowel movements so your toxic levels are reduced. Some sources of whole grain, fiber foods include brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, legumes, nuts and seeds.
3) Fish
Fish contains omega-3 fats that are good for the body. Also, the omega-3 fats found in fish help improve liver function and damage control by decreasing harmful inflammation.
If you don’t like eating fish but still want to get Omega-3 fats, check the article below:
17 Best Fish Oil Supplements that Will Make You Feel Wonderful
4) Garlic
Garlic has many health benefits for your body. Not only does garlic help eliminate unwanted bacteria in your system; it also helps increase bile production so your body can properly break down fat and cholesterol so they can be eliminated.
5) Grass-Fed Beef & Eggs
Grass-fed beef is an excellent source of nutrition that will benefit many things inside your body including the liver. If you’re looking to cut out the toxins in your life, then it’s time to say goodbye to factory-farmed beef and eggs.
6) All kinds of Vegetables
Vegetables are very important for the body because they are full of fiber, antioxidants and have many vitamins that help nourish your body. They can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, blood pressure and eliminate unwanted triglycerides from the liver. Vegetables are must-have liver friendly foods.
Check the articles below to see some of the best vegetable options:
11 Best Healthy Vegetables For Weight Loss Now!
15 Lowest Sugar Vegetables for Living Healthy
Healthy Vegetables with Low Glycemic Index
7) Cabbage
Cabbage is an excellent source of detoxification for your liver because it contains sulfur which helps the body eliminate toxins.
8) Asparagus
Asparagus is a vegetable high in fiber and it also contains sulfur, which will help eliminate toxins from your body.
9) Garlic & Onion Soups
These soups are full of antioxidants and garlic and onion will help your body get rid of unwanted toxins that can affect your liver.
10) Watermelon
Watermelon is an excellent source of water and fiber that will benefit you in so many ways. Watermelon has been shown to increase bile production, which will help support the liver to do its job so it can expel toxins from your body properly.
11) Beans
Beans are full of fiber and they contain no fat. This is an excellent way to improve your digestive system and your liver will thank you for it! We can say that beans are some of the best liver friendly foods.
12) Sweet Potatoes
Sweet potatoes are rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium, and vitamin B6. They can help lower bad cholesterol levels, reduce inflammation in the body and support the liver’s ability to produce bile. Also, sweet potatoes can help boost metabolism which is very good for weight loss. Sweet potatoes are also quite filling so this could help reduce biles production resulting in more weight loss.
13) Onions
Onions have been used for numerous different health benefits, including relieving sore throats, helping to lower cholesterol, and helping your liver to function better. The onions will help clean out your body and remove unwanted toxins from the liver.
14) Wild Blueberries
Wild blueberries contain a lot of antioxidants which will aid in the detoxification of the liver. They also have lots of fiber which will benefit you by supporting your digestive system so your body can eliminate more toxins. It’s truly one of the best liver friendly foods.
15) Chickpeas/Garbanzo Beans
Chickpeas are a great source of nutrition that is high in fiber and protein which will help your liver with many things including detoxification, breaking down fat, and forming new cells to replace damaged cells.
Conclusion
Eating a healthy diet can change everything. Please give chance to our liver friendly foods and avoid drinking alcohol!
Liver diseases are extremely serious. You can avoid all that by simply eating a healthy diet and exercising. Also, check the article below to see immune-boosting foods:
Best Immune Boosting Foods for a Healthier You
Thank you for reading.
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