A liver detox is necessary to flush out toxins, rejuvenate an overburdened liver and help it function better. However, it doesn’t mean doing harsh cleanses and depriving your body of food. In this article, learn the 10 best foods for liver detox to naturally cleanse your liver!
The liver is one of the most important organs in our bodies. It has over 500 distinct functions including removing toxins from the blood, manufacturing chemicals needed in the body, breaking down old blood cells, storing vitamins & minerals, producing bile which helps in breaking down fats, and many others!
People who have an alcohol addiction, consume a lot of medications, are regularly exposed to environmental toxins and eat a lot of processed and artificial foods should incorporate these foods for liver detox in their daily diets:
10 Best Foods for Liver Detox
Below is a list of foods for liver detox to naturally flush out harmful wastes, leaving your liver to function optimally.
1. Beets
Beets are known to be excellent blood purifiers. They also help increase red blood cells, which increases oxygen in the blood. Have you ever felt like gagging or actually gagged when you drink beet juice? This is because it has detoxifying properties that help break down toxins & wastes which are then eliminated by the body. [Must Read: 7 Benefits of Drinking Beetroot Juice First Thing in the Morning]
2. Citrus Fruits
Grapefruits, lemon, oranges, limes and other fruits belonging to the citrus family are incredibly cleansing when it comes to the liver. They help the liver produce detoxifying enzymes that help remove unwanted wastes.
Try drinking fresh lemon honey water first thing in the morning 15 minutes before breakfast to rejuvenate & cleanse your entire body.
3. Garlic
Garlic is one powerful superfood that helps with numerous conditions. It helps get rid of heavy metals from the body and also remove toxins. This is because it contains selenium that helps in liver detoxification. Garlic also activates the enzymes in the liver, promoting natural elimination of harmful wastes.
Remember to crush fresh garlic and wait 10 minutes before consuming it to make sure its active compound allicinis released. Allicin is the compound that gives garlic its special powers.
You can consume crushed garlic by infusing it in honey for about 3 weeks. Then take one teaspoon of this infusion 1-3 times a day. This concoction is helpful for fending off colds, cough, stomach, ear & other infections, allergies, inflammatory conditions and bacterial, viral & fungal infections as well.
4. Carrots
One of the best foods for liver detox is carrots! These orange colored fruits are high in beta carotene which is converted into Vitamin A in the body. It helps prevent liver disease and stimulates optimal liver function in the body.
5. Cruciferous Vegetables
Broccoli and cauliflower are two examples of cruciferous vegetables that are helpful for liver detox. They contain glucosinolate, a compound which stimulates the liver in producing detoxifying enzymes. These veggies also help remove heavy metals from the body as well!
6. Chlorella
Chlorella (get it here) is a dark green superfood algae that is found in freshwaters. It has strong detoxifying properties as well as a high chlorophyll content that leaches toxins out of the blood stream. Chlorella also protects the liver form heavy metal accumulation by neutralizing them and transporting them out of the body. [Must Read: 15 Benefits of Chlorella for Detox, Fertility & More]
You can consume chlorella by adding it to smoothies. Or, make a morning drink by mixing warm water, ½ tsp of chlorella, 2 tsp apple cider vinegar and 1 tsp raw honey. Drink this first thing in the morning 10-15 minutes before breakfast.
7. Apples
One of the best foods for liver detox is apples. Make sure they are organic apples, though, because you do not want to get pesticides into your system while you try to help your liver to detox.
Apples contain pectin, a chemical compound that helps cleanse toxins from out of the digestive tract, which can harbour a lot of harmful wastes. Because of this, the liver doesn’t have to be overburdened with having to work on removing the excess toxins in the digestive tract.
Every time you are eating an apple, know that you are doing your liver a big favour in managing its toxin load!
An apple a day truly does keep the doctor away.
8. Turmeric
Turmeric (get it here) is a golden colored spice that originates from India. It’s used in traditional Indian medicine as an antibacterial, antibiotic, anti-inflammatory and antitumor substance.
Turmeric contains antioxidants that repair liver cells. It also stimulates bile production and assists liver enzymes in flushing out toxins efficiently.
You can take turmeric supplements: curcumin & piperine supplements to benefit from turmeric’s cleansing properties. [Must Read: How to Use Turmeric as a Natural Antibiotic]
9. Avocado
Did you know that avocado is also on this list of best foods for liver detox?! This creamy rich superfood contains healthy fats that are beneficial for the body. Avocado also helps the body naturally produce glutathione that helps the liver eliminate toxin wastes.
10. Walnuts
Last but not least on this list of best foods for liver detox is walnuts (get it here). These healthy nuts are known to be amazing for brain function but they also have natural liver cleansing properties due to their content of glutathione and omega 3 fatty acids. Walnuts contain arginine, an amino acid that helps the liver detoxify ammonia.
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