Everything that you eat or drink impacts your liver in some way. Foods can have either a positive or a negative impact. Considering its value to your health in so many ways, what you consume is crucial for keeping your liver running in top form. It is the filter of your body- too much gunk and it takes it out on your health.
Knowing what foods are good for your liver is absolutely essential for your good health. A diet high in green vegetables can greatly aid liver function. Greens provide antioxidants that are crucial for beating back the inflammation that you face every day. In fact, the top foods for liver health all have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Here some food groups for a healthy liver
Leafy Greens
In addition to their antioxidant properties, leafy green veggies can boost levels of your innate anti-oxidant, glutathione. This substance might be your body’s own best defense against destructive free radicals. Greens are also loaded with potassium, which is closely tied to liver health.
As you age or become ill, an anti-inflammatory diet that includes greens becomes increasingly important due to the typical age-related drop in glutathione levels.
Cruciferous Vegetables
This is an extensive list of common veggies that include broccoli, cauliflower, kale, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, collards and kohlrabi. They are all varieties of the same species, Brassica oleracea. All crucifers produce substances called glucosinolates. These ingredients help the liver to remove carcinogens and heavy metals from the blood.
High-Antioxidant Fruits
Berries and melons provide a rich source of electrolyte minerals needed by the liver. These include magnesium, calcium and potassium. Blueberries are a particular favorite of nutritionists due their high levels of antioxidants. Watermelon can have up to 40% more lycopene than raw tomatoes. Lycopene is the red carotenoid that adds antioxidant power to these fruits.
Fermented Foods
Bacteria provide phenomenal benefits to your liver via fermented foods. Foods such as sauerkraut, kimchee, pickles, natto, yogurt, kombucha and kefir contain live cultures that benefit digestion and boost your immune system. The sour foods in this list (sauerkraut, pickles, kimchee, kombucha) also help the liver in eliminating heavy metals and other toxins.
When selecting fermented foods, make sure they come from the refrigerated section in your supermarket. Non-refrigerated sauerkraut and pickles, for example, are devoid of the live bacterial cultures that benefit your health.
Conclusion
In general a diet consisting of whole foods is the best for your liver. Consuming processed foods will undermine the beneficial effects of everything else you eat or drink.
