As the biggest gland in the human body, the liver has several vital jobs which keep you alive and healthy. Though this blog will not list all the 500 functions the liver performs, it is essential to note that the role of the liver is to:
Store vitamins and iron, convert stored sugar to usable sugar when our body’s sugar levels fall below normal, destroy old red blood cells and produce bile to break down and digest fats.
But the most important task of the liver is to detoxify the blood so as to get rid of harmful substances.
Nutritionist Avni says that the harmful substances generally occur due to lifestyle factors like usage of tobacco, alcohol, and eating processed foods specially when they are consumed in large quantities. The liver needs a number of micronutrients like vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to be able to function properly.
The liver has a unique ability to renew itself because when it gets a chance, the cells in the liver can regenerate and act as they should.
Cleansing or detoxifying your liver can be done by including a selection of certain foods in your diet that can be prescribed by a qualified nutritionist.
This blog, by Delhi’s Top Nutritionist and Dietician Avni Kaul, talks about certain foods that could help one to cleanse the liver naturally.
Green Tea
Green Tea is considered to be beneficial for health and evidence has indicated that it may be good for the liver too. A study based in Japan found that drinking a cup of green tea every day was linked with improved blood markers of liver health. This could be because of a compound known to help liver function named catechin. Green tea is full of this plant antioxidant but green tea extract could have a negative effect. Source: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/7711535/
Turmeric
Apart from its use as a spice and pigment, turmeric has been used in India for several medicinal purposes for centuries. Curcumin is an active ingredient in turmeric, and it has powerful biological components. This spice helps the enzymes that excrete toxins and has antioxidants that repair liver cells. It also helps the liver in detoxifying metals, while improving bile production.
Cruciferous Vegetables
It includes, but is not restricted to, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. These vegetables are a good source of glutathione, which triggers the toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver. Consuming cruciferous vegetables will boost the production of glucosinolate in your system, which helps flush out carcinogens and other toxins.
Beetroot
Beets contain vitamin C and a healthy amount of fiber which are both natural cleansers for our digestive system. But more impressively, beets clean the blood due to which oxygen in the body increases which in turn breaks down toxic wastes that get excreted quicker. They stimulate bile flow and improves enzymatic activity.
Walnuts
Walnuts are a top source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and the amino acid arginine, which helps normal liver cleansing actions, specially when detoxifying ammonia.
Garlic
Garlic is filled with sulphur, which activates liver enzymes that help your body flush out toxins. Garlic also holds good amounts of selenium. Selenium is an important micronutrient that has been shown to help boost the natural antioxidant enzyme levels in our livers. Supplementing selenium provides our livers even more ammunition in the fight against the damage caused due to oxidative stress.
Citrus
Lemons and limes contain citric acid, besides potassium, vitamin C, and bioflavonoids. These nutrients help improve energy levels, boost liver detoxification, and reduce inflammation. Grapefruit in particular, as it contains two primary antioxidants: naringin and naringenin. These could help protect the liver from injury by lowering inflammation and protecting the liver cells.
P.S. Please note: always consult a qualified nutritionist before including a particular food or food group in your diet. A self-prescribed diet is something one must refrain from following.
**This article has been written by team Nutri Activania**
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