As the biggest gland in the body, the liver does many vital jobs to keep you alive and at peak health. Most notable among those 500 jobs are: Storing vitamins and iron, converting stored sugar to usable sugar when the body’s sugar level falls below normal, destroying old red blood cells, and producing bile to break down and digest fats.
Those 500 jobs take energy, so your liver cells are packed with mitochondria.
Mitochondria are like tiny power plants providing energy to our cells. When our mitochondria start to decline with age or illness, our livers can sometimes bear the brunt of this. There are as many as 2000 mitochondria in every liver cell and, without them running at 100%, our livers can’t effectively detoxify our blood or properly metabolize the food we eat.
Luckily, those functions can be supported by choosing the right diet and taking the appropriate supplements.
The liver helps to detoxify the blood to get rid of harmful substances – and that’s where the right superfoods can help.
These harmful substances are most commonly due to lifestyle factors such as alcohol, tobacco, beauty products and processed and fried foods, especially when consumed in large quantities. Other harmful chemicals are harder to avoid, like pollution, prescribed drugs, viruses, and the natural by-products of metabolism. The liver requires large amounts of micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants) to be able to perform its processes – and many of those micronutrients can be found in common foods.
Incorporating a selection of superfoods to your diet, you can naturally cleanse and protect this hard-working organ.
Here is the list of the top five super-foods to naturally detox and cleanse your liver.
Tea
Tea is widely considered to be beneficial for health, but evidence has shown that it may have benefits for the liver. A study undertaken in Japan found that drinking 5-10 cups of green tea a day was associated with improved blood markers of liver health. This may be due to a compound known to assist liver function named catechin. Green tea is packed full of this plant antioxidant. Just be mindful of green tea extract as it can have a negative effect.
Cruciferous vegetables
This includes, but is not limited to, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, cabbage, and kale. These vegetables are a major source of glutathione, which triggers the toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver. Eating cruciferous vegetables will increase production of glycosylates in your system, which helps flush out carcinogens and other toxins.
Turmeric
In addition to its use as a spice and pigment, turmeric has been used in India for medical purposes for centuries. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric, and it has powerful biological properties. This spice helps the enzymes that flush out toxins and contains antioxidants that repair liver cells. It also assists the liver in detoxifying metals, while boosting bile production.
Remember to grind some black pepper on turmeric when you consume it to increase its bioavailability.
Citrus
While also providing a big hit of vitamin C, citrus fruits stimulate the liver and aid the synthesizing of toxic materials into substances that can be absorbed by water. Grapefruit is particularly beneficial as it contains two primary antioxidants: Naringin and naringenin. These may help protect the liver from injury by reducing inflammation and protecting the liver cells.
If you are on medication, check with your doctor about consuming grapefruit as it can have adverse effects.
Beetroot
Beets also contain vitamin C and a healthy dose of fiber which are both natural cleansers for the digestive system. But more impressively, beats assist with increasing oxygen by cleansing the blood, and can break down toxic wastes to help them be excreted quicker. They stimulate bile flow and boost enzymatic activity.
That’s it for now; see you all the next time.
