Let’s learn how to keep that powerhouse organ healthy.
The liver is the largest internal organ in your body, which does many crucial jobs to keep you healthy and alive.
Here are a couple of tasks your liver performs each day.
- Converting stored sugar to useable sugar
- Your liver is also responsible for getting rid of old RBC
- Your liver also filters the blood, especially alcohol and drugs.
- Resist infections, etc.
Keeping your liver in the best shape is super important to living a long and healthy life. In this article, I am going to share the top 6 foods to incorporate into your daily diet to boost your liver health.
#6 Garlic
My grandmother used to grow her own garlic when I was growing up, and at the end of the season, she would prepare 1–5kg bags to gift fresh garlic to her relatives.
Garlic has antimicrobial effects. Garlic aids in the activation of liver detox enzymes. The enzymes then aid in the removal of toxins from your body.
#5 Olive Oil
I did not know anything about olive oil back in the 90s. My mother used to get fats from fresh milk to use on roti (bread). My father used to bring basic cooking oil for cooking from the city once a month.
Now I realized we could not afford olive oil at that time because it was too expensive than regular cooking oil.
When I moved to a big city, everyone talked about the benefits of olive oil, especially at the hostel by Arab people.
Nowadays, olive oil is known as a health symbol that is way better for your heart health. However, many studies show that it’s also great for your liver health.
According to research, adding merely one teaspoon of olive oil to your daily diet will help you improve your liver enzyme.
After consuming only one teaspoon of olive oil, the participants showed positive metabolic effects and also reduced fat accumulation in the liver.
Oil is a mandatory part of our lives; it will be really great if you replace the basic cooking oil with olive oil to boost your overall health.
#4 Beets
When I was a kid, I used to get fresh beetroot from the fields to color my teeth red. It’s really a multipurpose vegetable with several health benefits.
Beetroots are an important element of South Asian cuisine. Beets are also well-known for their earthy taste.
Beets are packed with rich minerals and vitamins that can help to boost your overall health.
Many rat studies show that beetroot juice helps to reduce the inflammation in the liver and raises detox enzymes.
I could not find any study on humans, but we can assume that it will affect you in a similar way to boost your liver health.
#3 Vegetables
Vegetables, especially cruciferous vegetables like sprouts, broccoli, kale, arugula, wasabi, and mustard green, are famous for their high fiber properties.
A couple of studies on animals show that broccoli extract helps increase the detox enzyme in the liver, which can help improve liver health.
Cruciferous vegetables are a great source to boost your liver health. I usually love to add garlic (good for the liver) and ginger in almost every type of cooking.
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#2 Turmeric
Turmeric is used in nearly every well-prepared food in South Asian culture. I sometimes think we cook too much on high heat, which can reduce the health benefits of turmeric.
Turmeric is a yellowish spice that can aid with liver detoxification. It can help in enhancing the enzyme that removes toxins from your body.
My grandma used to take half a spoon of turmeric powder in lukewarm water first thing in the morning a couple of times a month.
#1 Avocado
Avocado is one of my favorite fruits that also contains a healthy dose of unsaturated fat. Avacado is part of a healthy diet in North American culture compared to South Asia.
Studies show that avocados can help you lose weight and improve your liver health.
Another study shows that people who consume avocado daily have lower BMI and a high level of good cholesterol. Avocados are also rich in fiber, which is good for your digestive system.
The bottom line
Is life worth living? It all depends on the liver. — William James
Your liver is a vital organ. You can easily help your liver do its job perfectly by adding these healthy foods to your daily diet.
The foods I suggested have proven health benefits for your liver. For example:
- Increase antioxidant and detox enzymes
- Great source to protect your liver from toxins
- Decrease the risk of liver diseases
Bonus healthy tips
- Properly chew your food each time
- Try to drink more water
- Cut down on sugar and salt
- Quit smoking
- Do at least 150 minutes of walking each week. That‘s roughly 21 minutes a day
- Prioritize sleep
- Hiking is one of the best activities to boost your physical and mental health.
Further reading: I highly recommend this book.
Book: Medical Medium Liver Rescue Answers to Eczema, Psoriasis, Diabetes, Strep, Acne, Gout, Bloating, Gallstones, Adrenal Stress, Fatigue, Fatty Liver, Weight Issues, SIBO & Autoimmune Disease by Anthony William (amazon affiliat link)
