"Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God?"
When we are healthy and feeding our bodies nutrient-packed, wholly natural foods, our organs work together in harmony, touching every system and assisting it in working correctly. One incredible organ, the liver, is an excellent multi-tasker. When working as it should, the liver holds up to 1 pint of our body's blood supply at any given moment, regulating most of the chemical levels in the blood while excreting bile. It's our bodies' central filtration system and vital to a healthy, happy life.
But circumstances in our lives don't always grant us a perfectly functioning body. Poor diet, genetics, and diseases can often interfere with our liver's functions. What we eat can help boost our body's functions and organs, and it is vital to assist your liver in being able to cleanse itself daily.
But what should you be adding to your daily diet to help? What foods can help cleanse your liver and keep it performing as best as possible? We are here to help guide you to the right food as God intended and help!
Drinks, Vitamins, and Natural Foods That Help Cleanse Your Liver
When it comes to our livers, not all foods are created equal. Especially true if you are already suffering from a condition such as cirrhosis or hepatitis C, which can make it difficult for your liver to filter nutrients and waste as it usually would.Eating and consuming the liver-friendly foods discussed below can help boost your liver's function and assist your liver's process of detoxing and cleansing.
1. Ginger
Ginger is one of the most-favored spices and is possibly well-recognized for its health benefits worldwide. Ginger's medicinal properties are well known to herbalists of many cultural traditions, and scientific research confirms many of ginger's purported health benefits, including some about liver health.
Ginger has what is known as hepatoprotection effects on the liver. Hepatoprotective is a chemical substance's ability to prevent liver damage. In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-control clinical trial, 44 patients with NAFLD (Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease) were assigned to take either a ginger supplement of 2g a day or an identical placebo for 12 weeks. (1)
Ginger supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in alanine aminotransferase, y-glutamyl transferase, inflammatory cytokine, insulin resistance index, and hepatic steatosis grade compared to those who took the placebo.
• Alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, is an enzyme in the liver and kidneys. Usually, the presence of ALT in the liver or kidneys should be low. ALT increases with liver damage and is part of the screening and monitoring of liver disease.
• Y-glutamyl transferase or gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) is an enzyme found throughout the body but mainly concentrated within the liver. If the liver is damaged, GGT may begin to leak into the bloodstream, and high levels of GGT may indicate liver disease or damage to the bile ducts.
• An inflammatory cytokine is a cytokine (signaling molecule) secreted from immune cells and other cells that promote inflammation.
• An average insulin resistance index should be 99mg/dL. Numbers 100 to 125 typically mean someone is insulin resistant but has yet to develop full-blown diabetes.
• Fatty Liver Disease is also known as steatosis, a common condition of too much fat built up in the liver. Hepatic steatosis grades depend on the fat percentage in the liver; for instance, it becomes an issue when it reaches 5 to 10% of your liver's weight.
2. Coffee
Surprisingly, coffee can be one of the best beverages to add to your diet to promote liver health and boost detoxing. In a study conducted in March 2022, elevated coffee consumption was consistently associated with a lower risk of significant liver fibrosis. Research also said that the result meant it could be used immediately in real-world situations. Increasing coffee consumption may even benefit patients at risk of advanced liver disease. (2)
Drinking a large cup or two cups of coffee in the morning not only gives us a bit of energy boost but gives us a boost to our liver as well. Just remember not to overdo it! Don't rely on just coffee to help boost your liver detox and cleansing. Make sure you add several liver-boosting foods and BarleyMax to your daily diet.
More to Help Cleanse the Liver Naturally
3. Green tea. Not a fan of coffee, but love tea? One Japanese study found that drinking 10 cups of green tea a day was associated with improved blood markers of liver health. Another study published in Frontiers in Nutrition on June 24th, 2022, showed that green teas also had a positive effect on both obesity and NAFLD in mice that were on a high-fat diet, which is promising for humans. (3)
4. Cruciferous vegetables. Vegetables like Brussels sprouts, broccoli, and mustard greens are known for their high fiber and distinctive taste but are also packed with beneficial plant nutrients. A study in human liver cells found that Brussels sprouts and broccoli sprout extract help increase detoxification enzymes which protect the liver from damage.
5. Omega-3. Foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids like walnuts or omega-3 supplements can inhibit triglyceride synthesis in the liver.
6. Cranberries and blueberries . In a BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies Study, published in 2021, researched found that cranberry supplementation had a positive effect on some lipid profiles, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis (accumulation of triacylglycerols in the liver) in patients with NAFLD. (4) Blueberries are well known for their high content of bioactive compounds and have demonstrated positive impacts on metabolic factors that influence general health and well-being. A study involving a group of elder rats and blueberry extract over a period of 4 weeks showed blueberries could have potential therapeutic effects for the management of age-related liver dysfunction and disease. (5)
7. Grapefruit is jam-packed with natural antioxidants that naturally protect the liver. As the liver metabolizes various compounds that produce free radicals (FR) , antioxidants scavenge FR and maintain he oxidative/antioxidative balance in the liver.
8. Turmeric is a must-have for any cleanse as it is a natural anti-inflammatory. Inflammation is a key symptom of NAFLD. In a 2021 study, 64 people with NAFLD took either 2 grams of turmeric or a placebo every day for 8 weeks. Liver enzymes dropped significantly in the turmeric group, which is a great sign, as liver enzymes tend to climb with NAFLD. (6)
9. Beets are high in flavonoids that can help stimulate and improve overall liver function. Flavonoids can help protect against chemical liver injury by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxygen free radicals, as well as regulating CYP450 enzymes.
10. Leafy Greens are high in plant chlorophylls and absorb environmental toxins, help increase bile production, and lower the burden on the liver. Chlorophyll aids in the removal of toxic substances that help support a healthier liver..
Your Liver: A Vital Organ Used Daily
Why is the liver so important? Most of us know we need a healthy one to function and survive, but what exactly does a healthy liver do for us?• Produces bile, which helps carry away waste and break down fats in the small intestine during digestion
• Produces specific proteins for blood plasma
• Produces cholesterol and unique proteins to help carry fats through the body
• Converts excess glucose into glycogen for storage (as the body can convert glycogen back to glucose for more energy), balance, and make glucose as needed.
• Regulates blood levels of amino acids, which are the building blocks of proteins
• Processes hemoglobin for the use of its iron content
• Converts poisonous ammonia to urea
• Clears our blood of drugs and other poisonous substances
• Regulates blood clotting
• Resists infections by making immune factors and removing bacteria from the bloodstream
• Clears bilirubin, also from red blood cells. When there's too much bilirubin in the body, this turns skin and eyes yellow.
How can we help our livers detox and cleanse? Some foods to add to your diet are super-charged with the proper nutrients to help detox your liver!
Make sure to add these delicious, healthful foods, drinks, and natural ingredients to your daily diet, and you'll boost your liver with what it needs to continue flushing away toxins for a healthier, happier you.
Sources:
1. Ginger Supplementation in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Pilot Study, published on PubMed. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27110262/
2. Elevated Coffee Consumption is associated with a lower risk of liver fibrosis, published March 1st, 2022, at Clinical Nutrition. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35124468/.
3. Effects of Different Green Teas on Obesity and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease induced by a High-Fat Diet In Mice. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.929210/full.
4. Effect of cranberry supplementation on liver enzymes and cardiometabolic risk factors in patients with NAFLD: a randomized clinical trial, published by BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies. https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12906-021-03436-6
5. Effect of Blueberry Extract on Liver in Ages Rats, Published 2022 in Nation Library of Medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35898615/
6. The effect of turmeric on lipid profile, malondialdehyde, liver echogenicity and enzymes among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a randomized double blind clinical trial.
https://dmsjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13098-021-00731-7#:~:text=In%20conclusion%20the%20results%20of,indicate%20improvement%20in%20liver%20function.
