The liver is one of the most important and largest organs in the body. Your liver is responsible for managing all carbohydrates, protein, and fats that you ingest. It is also responsible for controlling the production of other numerous proteins and fats essential for bodily functions.
Liver health is essential to maintain overall health. According to the liver specialist in Islamabad, an unhealthy liver may lead to metabolic disorders and chronic liver disease. Type 2 diabetes is amongst the most common causes of liver disease.
It may be impossible to tackle all the risk factors associated with an unhealthy liver. However, taking certain foods and drinks can play an essential role in promoting liver health.
This article will cover certain foods best for your liver health, including their huge beneficial effects.
Foods for Healthy Liver
Here are some foods to improve and maintain your liver health:
- Grapefruit
Grapefruits have antioxidant properties that naturally protect your liver. Naringin and naringenin are the two main antioxidants found in grapefruits. These both play an essential role in protecting the liver from injuries.
Grapefruit shows effectiveness in two ways-by protecting cells and reducing inflammation. Antioxidants may also be effective in reducing the development of hepatic fibrosis, a disease in which excessive connective tissues build up in the liver, which may lead to chronic inflammation.
In addition, the antioxidant naringenin also decreases the amount of fat in the liver and increases enzymes responsible for burning fat, which helps prevent extra fat from accumulating.
- Broccoli
You need to add a lot of veggies to your diet if you want to improve and maintain your liver health. Broccoli can be a good option to be included in your diet. Some studies indicate that this food may prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
You can use this veg with sliced almonds, tangy vinaigrette, and dried cranberries. It also has a delicious taste when roasted with a splash of balsamic vinegar and garlic.
- Oatmeal
Taking oatmeal is an effective way to add fiber to your diet. Fiber is an essential tool to improve digestion, and fibers in oats can be especially helpful for your liver. Oats and oatmeal are full of compounds known as beta-glucans.
Biologically, beta-glucans are very active in the body. They help to fight inflammation and modulate the immune system, and they can be helpful in fighting obesity and diabetes.
Moreover, beta-glucans from oatmeal reduce the amount of fat stored in the liver and help to protect the liver. People who are thinking of adding oats to their diet should go for steel-cut oats or whole oats rather than instant oatmeal. There can be flour or sugars in instant oatmeal, which may not be beneficial for the body.
- Cranberries and blueberries
Cranberries and blueberries contain anthocyanins, which are natural antioxidants that give berries their distinctive colors. They have many health benefits.
Whole cranberries or blueberries along with their juices, may help keep the liver healthy. Consuming these fruits for several days may protect the liver from damage. In addition, blueberries increase antioxidant enzymes and immune cell response.
Moreover, blueberries extract inhibits the growth of the human liver cancer cells. Therefore, making these berries a part of the diet may be a good way to provide antioxidants to maintain health.
- Garlic
Supplements of garlic powder may be helpful in reducing body fat and body weight in people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) without loss of lean body mass.
Obesity or being overweight can be contributing factor to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Therefore, it is essential to reduce body weight to keep your liver healthy.
- Beetroot Juice
Beetroot juice is a rich source of antioxidants known as betalains and nitrates, which are essential for heart health and to reduce inflammation and oxidative damage.
Several studies in animals show that this juice reduces oxidative damage and inflammation in the liver and increases natural detoxification enzymes.
- Olive Oil
Consuming too much fat is not good for your liver, but some fats may improve your liver health. Replacing harmful fats with olive oil may reduce oxidative stress and improve liver function. Olive oil shows effectiveness in improving liver health because it contains high content of unsaturated fatty acids.
- Fatty Fish
Eating fatty fish and consuming its oil supplements may help to reduce the risks of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In addition, fatty fish also contains a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fats to reduce inflammation. These fats maintain the enzyme liver in the liver and prevent the extra build-up of harmful fats.
- Nuts
Regularly eating nuts can be a simple way to maintain liver health and prevent nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Nuts contain vitamin E, unsaturated fatty acids, and antioxidants which can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress.
Conclusion
Liver diseases can be chronic or severe, which may even lead to death. The best way to prevent these diseases is by taking care of the liver. You can add different drinks and foods to your diet to maintain and improve your liver health.
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