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Our liver is a very important organ in the body. Its main role is to process and eliminate the by-products of the food we eat. It also plays a role in detoxing the body of unwanted chemicals and toxins as well regulating our metabolism.
However, the western diet is becoming increasingly unhealthier with many people eating processed and junk food. These foods also include foods that are high in refined sugar such as cakes, cookies and chocolate. As well as been high in sugar they all so contain additives and preservatives. These types of food put pressure on the liver and make its job harder to do. Drinking alcohol can also damage the liver as it contains a high degree of toxins.
Below is a list of foods that you can include in your diet to help support the health of your liver.
Water
Water is the most effective detoxing liquid you can consume. Drinking plenty of water during the day makes the livers job of detoxing a lot easier. As well as water include regular freshly squeezed fruit drinks as they contain healthy enzymes and important nutrients that help support the function of the liver.
Fruits
Dark skinned fruits are very good at supporting and maintaining the health of the liver. Eat dark skinned fruit such as red grapes, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries. These fruits contain essential nutrients that help to stimulate and leverage the functions of the liver. These fruits can be eaten on their own or made in to a healthy refreshing fruit drink.
Vegetables
Fresh organic vegetables contain vitamins and minerals that help with balancing and repairing a stressed out liver. One of the symptoms of a stressed out and over worked liver are feelings of tiredness and lethargy. When many people feel this way they feel the need for a fast energy boost. The usual thing they go for are sugary snacks and chocolate. This may give a temporary boost however, it makes the situation worse because these foods stress out the liver more and compound the problem.
Avoid eating sugary snacks when you feel low in energy. There are naturally sweet vegetables that you can use as an alternative. A great one is the sweet potato. As its names suggest this has a sweet taste however, the natural sweetness will not raise your blood sugar levels. It will actually help to regulate it. Sweet potato is a very versatile vegetable to eat and tastes delicious when roasted or used in a soup.
Other vegetables that are good for the liver are as follows:
Broccoli
Brussels sprouts
Cauliflower
Cucumber
Celery
Ginger
Onions
If you have a health condition or you are on medication always seek the advice of doctor before making any changes to your diet.
