Food for Healthy Liver: Enhance Liver Performance

Your body is your temple. It deserves the same reverence as you give to your beloved gods and goddesses. You offer prayers, flowers, prasadam, and whatnot to show them your devotion and gratitude, ensuring you are immensely blessed. 

Similarly, your body needs the utmost care and love to feel healthy inside and out and to live longer. 

There is an organ in your body that, if it functions properly, can give you good health and a long life. 

Altogether, there are seventy-eight main organs in the human body, the most remarkable of which is the liver. 

The 5 main roles of the liver 

The liver is the only organ capable of regenerating itself and cleansing itself. Several enzymes, proteins, and bile produced by the liver break down what you eat or drink into the stomach and intestine. Hence, eating a balanced, liver-friendly diet is vital to stay fit. 

Listed below are some important functions of the liver: 

1. It provides immunity against infection.
2. It purifies and detoxifies the blood. 
3. It is a storehouse of fat-soluble vitamins and minerals.
4. It produces and excretes bile. 
5. It metabolizes carbs, fats, and proteins. 

The liver is an interesting part of our body, located beneath the rib cage in the right upper abdomen. It removes toxins and waste from the blood, regulates hormones, and produces essential proteins that your body needs to function properly.

Here are five interesting facts about the liver: 

You must take excellent care of your liver, which is crucial in keeping bodies healthy and functioning properly. It is important to look after your liver because: 

1. It keeps your brain healthy. Having a healthy liver is important. If your liver is damaged, it won’t function properly, and toxins can build up in the bloodstream. If they enter the brain, it may result in hepatic encephalopathy. 
2. It is multitasking. Did you know that a liver performs 500 functions, from breaking down food and converting it into energy to breaking down carbohydrates and storing them as glycogen? It can also replace damaged tissue with new cells. 
3.  It produces bile. The liver produces bile, a fluid that aids in fat digestion and the absorption of fats in the small intestine. 
4. It acts as a body’s factory. It has wide-ranging benefits, including processing everything you eat and drink. 
5. It metabolizes a wide range of drugs: The liver is the primary site for drug metabolism, producing chemicals soluble in water that can be eliminated in bile. 

Note: Look after your liver to help it look after you. Good nutrition is the key to keeping your liver function normal and healthy. 

7 Best Foods to Eat to Maintain a Healthy Liver

This blog emphasizes the seven best foods to eat that help keep your liver healthy—a list. 

Let’s begin with the oatmeal.

Oatmeal is one of the superfoods for your liver. It is a rich source of dietary fiber and an important digestion tool. Oats and oatmeal are high in compounds called beta-glucans, which reduce liver damage and oxidative stress in individuals. 

Healthy Tip: Oats are the most nutritious, gluten-free grains that promote weight loss and maintain good heart health and sugar levels. 

Beetroot juice is highly nutritious.

It promotes the healthy functioning of the liver. Beetroot is a rich source of antioxidants, which help detoxify the blood in your body. Besides, this juice also contains vitamin A, vitamin B-6, and iron, which help save your liver from inflammation. 

Avoid fatty foods. 

You already know that foods such as french fries and burgers are not good for your liver as they are high in saturated fat. Excessive consumption of these fatty foods can lead to inflammation, which could become dangerous and cause scarring of the liver, known as cirrhosis. 

Health Alert: White bread is also not healthy for your body. It does not contain any dietary fiber or nutrients. 

Also read:

https://redcliffelabs.com/myhealth/food-creative/brown-bread-vs-white-bread-which-is-better/

Switch to olive oil.

It is time to discard cooking oils containing saturated fats and incorporate ones with polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, which promote good heart health.

It is beneficial for heart patients to eat food made from olive and canola oils, as they are rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, reducing heart disease risk.

Befriends with Leafy Greens 

Not a hidden secret anymore, green leafy vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals, and fibre. They are also high in chlorophyll. Spinach, kale, and collards are your go-to foods, as they do not add much to your calorie count. 

A diet rich in green leafy vegetables reduces the risk of heart disease, poor liver health, and obesity. 

Best Fish: The Fatty Fish

Salmon, sardines, trout, and tuna are great sources of omega-3s. The consumption of these fatty fish significantly helps those with a fatty liver disease called nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Besides, adequate intake can boost good cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels.

Nuts are not ‘nut.’

Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and are also rich in vitamin E content. They keep your liver safe and protect it against NAFLD. Further, nuts are good for the gut and are high in fats and nutrients. They improve the level of liver enzymes in your body. 

The top five healthiest nuts are: 

1. Almonds: They reduce cholesterol and are good for your heart, eyes, and skin. They also regulate blood sugar levels. 
2. Brazil nuts are rich in antioxidants, which help fight free radicals and reduce oxidative stress and inflammation. 
3. Cashew intake can reduce bad cholesterol and also manage diabetes. 
4. Chestnuts are infused with immune-boosting properties, relieve digestive problems, and control blood pressure. 
5. Hazelnuts support healthy bowel movements and also promote insulin sensitivity. 

Also read: 

https://redcliffelabs.com/myhealth/food-and-nutrition/10-amazing-benefits-of-almonds-their-nutrition-value-and-health-benefits/ 

So, these are our few recommendations for foods to keep your liver in good shape. 

Conclusion:

Remember, your liver must function properly for your body to function normally. A well-balanced diet may help keep your liver working optimally and prevent long-term disease. 

Most of the liver-boosting foods are easy to buy and taste great!