The foods that promote good health are termed as superfoods. Most of the nutrition experts and the dietitians do not use the term superfood commonly because the advocacy of certain foods by some does not match the claims.
The liver performs over 500 different functions including fighting off infection, neutralizing toxins, manufacturing proteins and hormones, controlling blood sugar and helping to clot the blood.
Many of the vital functionalities of the body are carried out by the liver and that includes metabolism, digestion, nutrient storage, and immunity. The key secretions of the gland are essentially required by other parts of the body, and the liver is the only part that is considered to be a gland as well as an organ.
Facts About Liver You Should Know
- The main role of the liver is the blood regulation, removal of toxic chemicals from the blood, processing followed by the conversion of key nutrients absorbed by the intestine in the process of digestion.
- Along with these duties, it also stores the iron, simple sugars and vitamins while breaking the hormones, hemoglobin, and insulin.
- In addition, the old RBCs are destroyed, and new chemicals are produced that are required for blood clotting.
- One will have to risk his/her body if not cleanse once a month or year, problems like cardiovascular disease, obesity, headaches, allergies, digestive problems, chronic fatigue and more will affect your health soon.
- Liver is one of the most important organs in the body. The production of bile takes place in the liver. Bile is useful in the proper digestion of the food and is beneficial for the removal of toxins from the body. Other than that, biles helps in breaking down the fats in the body, into smaller particles, so that the pancreatic lapse, can take in the fats in a much better way.
- The brown color that is found in our stool, is produced because of the bile found in the body. Bilirubin is a chemical that is found in the body. The substance is way too toxic for the body and if the substance rushes to the kidney, it can prove fatal for the body. In order to save us from the possible damage, liver detoxifies the chemical bilirubin, before it goes down in the kidney. The kidney then passes on the substance through our urine, which then flushes out bilirubin from our body. This is why, our urine is of yellow color.
- If you talk about artificial liver transplant, then the answer would be a big no. But you can always go for the option of liver transplant. In fact, liver is the strongest organ in the body and it can sustain, loads of damage. The reason behind this is that it can grow back again.
- One of the facts about liver does not use sugar for the purpose of energy. In fact the flip side to this fact is that it stores sugar, that is present in excess amount in our body. It stores the sugar and produces glycogen. This glycogen is then broken down into glucose, which is then used by the body for the purpose of energy, when required by the body, in between the meals.
- Another thing about the liver is that it helps in the production of cholesterol. Our body needs bad cholesterol also known as protein for the purpose of the buildup of hormones and cells. Hormones are needed to keep the body balanced and if the body goes off balance, there is sure to be an abnormality because of some hormonal imbalance.
10 Liver Cleansing Super Foods
1. Grapefruit
The grapefruit is rich in vitamin C, antioxidants and pectin and these medicinal components aid in cleaning the liver. You can take four slices of grapefruit along with a cup of water. Put the mixture into a blender and do the procedure for five minutes. You can enjoy the juice.
How Does It Work?
The other ingredients of the grapefruit include glutathione. This element is a strong antioxidant that functions in neutralizing the radicals while detoxifying the liver. Heavy metals are also detoxified, and the fats are broken down by the flavonoid, naringenin content present in the grapefruit.
The glutathione in grapefruit boosts the production of the detoxifying enzymes, and this leverages the liver cleansing process in a natural way. Glutathione is formed out of three building blocks amino acids or protein that includes glycine, glutamine, and cysteine. The sulfur is another important component that works in trapping the free radicals as well as toxins like heavy metals and throws them out of the body. In today’s world, this is very important because in almost all the issues, we are dealing with the heavy metals. You need to consume at least one glass of fresh grape juice regularly or at least one fruit during your breakfast.
Not Good, If:
- You are already on certain medications, consultation of the doctor is essential because the grapefruit juice may interact with the routine medicines.
- You have a chance of developing breast cancer. Postmenopausal women consuming a quart or more of grapefruit juice have a better chance of developing breast cancer (25 to 30 percent) as per the recent scientific survey.
- If you are a woman with the hormone-sensitive condition. Hormone levels will shoot up leading to more challenges.
2. Green Tea
The consumption of the green tea will help your body in fighting with the fat deposits and toxins. Further, these chemicals are thrown out of the body while increasing the levels of hydration within the body.
The liver diseases can be kept away if the green tea is consumed on a regular basis. And from the studies conducted in the year 2009,
it is known that the people who intake the green tea are at lower risk of getting cancer.
You need to consume at least two to three cups of green tea, and if you want, you can even add honey to increase its sweetness.
How Does It Work?
The catabolism of lipid in the liver gets stimulated by the catechins present in the tea as printed in the International Journal of Obesity in the year 2002. This process prevents the accumulation of the fat within the liver and also in combating the ill-effects of the alcoholic beverages.
Not Good, If:
- You have become an addict to green tea. Excess intake of the green tea must be avoided because this will lead to adverse complications in the liver and on other body parts. More than four cups a day can cause nervousness, vomiting, diarrhea, heartburn and dizziness.
- If you are suffering from anemia, anxiety and heart conditions. The situation will take a turn for the worse.
3. Avocados
You need to consume only one to two Avocados in a week for the complete recovery of the liver damage.
Take one cup of milk, a cup of water and an avocado. Peel the avocado and cut it into small pieces. Put the mixture in a blender. Do the blending for two minutes. The juice is ready.
How Does It Work?
The studies conducted by the American Chemical Society in the year 2000, reveal that the Avocados contains more potent chemicals that prevent the liver damage. Most importantly, this fruit contains the compound called glutathione that is the driving force to throw away the harmful toxins from the body. An avocado is a superfood with a high nutrient density that helps the body in secreting the glutathione chemical compound.
Not Good, If:
- You are allergic to latex. You can experience the same symptoms if you ingest avocado or its juice.
- You are using Warfarin for slowing down the clotting of blood. The interaction might happen with warfarin losing its effectiveness.
Must Read: 100 Best Superfoods and Their Life-Saving Benefits
4. Apples
For a healthy liver, you need to have one apple per day.
How Does It Work?
The pectin is widely available in the apples, and it is a soluble fiber that removes the toxins from the digestive tract as well as the cholesterol from the blood. This prevents the liver from being subjected to overwork; the result – you will have a healthy liver. Another constituent of an apple is the malic acid, which acts as a cleansing nutrient available naturally that removes toxins and carcinogens from the blood. .
Not Good, If:
- You are sensitive to almond, apricot, peach, strawberry and pear (Rosaceae family).
- You are taking medication of Fexofenadine (Allegra – the medicine for allergies and hayfever).
5. Walnuts
Daily intake of a handful of walnuts as a snack is to be practiced. You can also sprinkle the small pieces of walnuts on the salad, milk, dish, baked goods and more to have them in your consumption pattern.
How Does It Work?
Walnuts contain a high amount of amino acid L-arginine that helps in detoxifying the ammonia from the liver. The natural cleansing of the liver is done by the ingredients of the walnuts. The contents of the walnuts include arginine, omega-3 fatty acids, amino acid and glutathione. All these chemicals elevate the strength of the liver in cleaning the excess ammonia content from the body. According to the paper published in the Agricultural and Food Chemistry Journal, it is evident that the damage done by the D-galactosamine (major contributor to free radicals) and carbon tetrachloride (simple ailments such as headache, nausea and vomiting) is prevented by the walnut polyphenols.
Not Good, If:
- You do not maintain a diary of consumption of walnuts. A regular diet of Walnuts can result in gaining weight because of their high energy content.
- You can be prone to allergic reactions by walnuts if the antibodies in the body mistake the protein in walnut to be an allergen. Allergic symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, fainting and loss of consciousness.
6. Beets And Carrots
You have the option of consuming the above mentioned vegetables in either the juice format or they can also be eaten raw.
How Does It Work?
The glutathione is present abundantly in the carrots, and it helps in detoxifying the liver. Both the carrots and beets contain a high quantity of beta-carotene and plant flavonoids. The consumption of the carrots and the beets help and improve the overall functionality of the liver.
Not Good, If:
- You had a pre-existing problem of kidney stones or suffering from kidney stone problem. Beetroot contains a high level of oxalates, and they might contribute to the development of kidney stones.
- Your body is prone to accumulation of copper (Wilson disease) or iron (hemochromatosis) – beetroot.
- You are diabetic. Carrots have a high sugar content (glycaemic index 97). The sugar can get converted into glucose and the sugar level will increase.
- You are breast-feeding a baby. Carrots can change the flavor in breast milk.
7. Garlic
It is advisable to include garlic in your everyday diet. It is better to have garlic in the diet as part of a recipe.
How Does It Work?
The sulphur is present in higher levels in the garlic. It activates the liver enzymes while throwing the toxins out of the body. The other components of the garlic include selenium and allicin; these natural compounds aid in liver cleansing.
Not Good, If:
- If you are using oral contraceptives, stave off the garlic. It is known to reduce the effectiveness of these pills. According to research, birth control pills produce estrogen and having garlic will intensify the process of breaking down estrogen in the women’s body.
8. Broccoli
Popularly known and recognized as the green plant from the cabbage family. It’ has the huge flower-like head and is consumed as a vegetable.
How Does It Work?
The glucosinolates within the Broccoli aids in driving the toxins and carcinogens out of the body. The digestion improves due to the presence of fiber. The effective functionality of liver happens due to the presence of the fat-soluble vitamin E. At least you should take up one cup of broccoli a minimum of three times in a week for a healthy liver.
Not Good, If:
- You have hypersensitive skin. Broccoli can cause rashes.
- You have a stomach upset. It can lead to gas, otherwise bowel irritation because of high fiber.
- You are on a roll for blood thinning medication. Interaction might occur leading to less effectiveness of the medicine.
- You are suffering from hypothyroidism.
9. Lemons
Lemon juice is one of the best wonders that Nature has given to mankind. They also add flavor to multiple dishes and have numerous health benefits.
Take a lemon and a cup of water. Squeeze the juice using a juice crusher and mix with water. Your lemon juice is ready.
How Does It Work?
Another important superfood is the lemon that leverages the waste substances from the liver. The antioxidant D-Limonene plays an important role in activating the liver for detoxification. The great quantity of vitamin C helps the liver in producing the numerous enzymes to assist in the digestion process. Apart from these benefits, absorption of minerals becomes quite easier because of the lemons. You need to add a fresh juice of a lemon to the water contained in a jar, and you should keep on drinking it at regular intervals.
Not Good For, If:
- You are suffering from gastroesophageal reflux disorder. The symptoms will be nausea, heartburn, and vomiting. If you are suffering from an ulcer, the acidic content in the stomach may damage the lining of the stomach, and the situation can be worsened.
- You are pregnant or breast-feeding a baby. It is safe if you use as part of the regular diet. However, doctors advise against the use of lemon juice or supplements in large amounts.
10. Watercress
It is a good health booster as well as a detoxifying agent as well. You can have it in your diet by adding in the soups, sandwiches, and salads.
How Does It Work?
The contents of the watercress include vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin B, potassium, and zinc. It also contains natural diuretic properties that help in eliminating the toxins. It also contains a good volume of glucosinolate (water soluble phytochemicals containing sulfur). Glucosinolate regulates the enzymes of the liver and keeps it healthy. This one of the best liver Cleansing superfoods you should consume everyday.
Not Good For, If:
- You have low immunity. Watercress is not advised for children below four years.
- You are pregnant. It might cause menstruation and can lead to a miscarriage.
- You have stomach/intestinal ulcers or kidney diseases.
These are some of the top liver cleansing foods which we have enlisted. You are free to drop your suggestions in the Comments Box.
