Our liver is one of the three main organs of our body. It has major functions for regulating different processes in the human body. According to Canadian Liver Foundation, our liver, alone, handles up to 500 crucial body functions?
Well, we are going to stun you with more liver facts like this later in this post. Since the liver handles so many of our body functions, we need to pay close attention to maintain it as well by having healthy liver foods.
It acts like a filter system for cleansing the body from the harmful waste it produces. These wastes are basically the by-products of different metabolic processes happening in our bodies. Therefore, to maintain the body’s health, the liver detoxifies it all the time.
Yamfit explains the significance of the liver for the human body and what foods can keep your liver healthy in the long run.
Why Is Eating Good For Your Liver Important?
The list of liver-friendly food is long. You can find such foods every day and still ignore them, and your liver suffers. If you consume liver-healthy foods, these will help maintain it, increasing your lifespan.
Fresh fruit, leafy green vegetables, nuts, beans, and whole grains are all beneficial for the liver’s health. Fiber-rich foods like nuts and beans avoid liver-relevant risks for you so that they can keep performing efficiently in the long run. According to National Institute of Health, fish that contains OMEGA-3 fatty acids is also beneficial for the health of the liver, as per the expert recommendations.
Now, come to the beverages. What beverages are good for the liver? Go for water, coffee, and tea since caffeine is healthy for the liver. Avoid additives in drinks that are not suitable for your liver at all. Also, your liver cannot tolerate fatty foods since these can cause fat build-up on the liver and slowly deteriorate it causing liver failure.
If you are a sugar-lover, you need to abandon this bad habit since extra sugary foods cause non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is quite common in several people.
Symptoms Of Fatty Liver
You need to know some common symptoms that indicate you are developing a fatty liver so that you can treat it in time without struggling to reverse it later. According to Medline Plus, following are the symptoms of fatty liver.
- Body fatigue and usual weakness.
- You are feeling nauseous often.
- You don’t feel hungry often.
- Your weight is reducing at a usual pace.
- You are experiencing edema, which means your legs and arms are becoming puffy.
- Moreover, You get mentally confused frequently.
- You are experiencing jaundice in which the body and eyes get yellowish to appear.
11 Best Healthy Foods for Your Liver
Following are some healthy liver foods for you.
Cruciferous vegetables
Indulge in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, mustard greens, and Brussels sprouts. Such foods are highly beneficial for the liver and never compromise its performance. Since these come packed with fiber, it is a good deal for your liver. The phytochemicals and antioxidants collectively work to maintain the liver in the long run.
Berries
Never underestimate fresh berries for keeping your liver healthy. Try all types of berries for this purpose and make them an important part of your daily meals. You can even pair them up with yogurt and have them for breakfast. The anthocyanins and antioxidants in fresh berries are extremely healthy for the liver. These berries never let your liver develop cancerous cells and protect its biological structure to a large extent.
Grapes
Grapes are another good source of fiber and antioxidants for the liver. It is because grapes contain a special antioxidant which is resveratrol which has been medically proven to benefit the liver. It also saves the liver from failure and protects you from NAFLD. Grapes also help with chronic liver inflammation, and doctors often recommend them to such patients.
Nuts for Fatty Liver
Nuts come packed with unsaturated fats, which are good for the liver’s health. Today, science recommends including nuts in your means that positively influence the liver’s health. You should include 20-28 grams of walnuts in your diet to be at bay from NAFLD. The people who ignore nuts for consumption are more likely to develop NAFLD as well. You need to try different nuts and see which suits you the best in terms of flavor and stick to it.
Beans
There are different credible institutions that recommend consuming beans for a healthy liver. These are rich in saturated fats and are equivalent to red meat as well. If you don’t want to have red meat, then replace it with beans or lentils. These will deliver the same amount of nutrition to the body as red meat does. Combine beans with legumes and develop a healthy diet strategy for the sake of your liver.
Fatty fish
Salmon and trout are both fatty fish which means these are a full package of OMEGA-3 fatty acids. Fish is all about good fat, which means it won’t harm your liver at all. Plus, such a diet that includes fish is a good way to prevent NAFLD on all counts. Makes sure you are confusing fatty fish to boost the results.
Coffee
Some people think coffee damages the liver, but it’s not true. Instead, it is an expert recommendation to consume coffee but with less sugar since sugar is a big threat to the liver. Coffee is good at reducing liver inflammation, and its antioxidants are also beneficial to it. Coffee also enhances the detoxifying action of the liver and makes it extra efficient in its performance.
Tea
We have green tea for the effective maintenance of the liver. It comes packed with antioxidants and several bioactive elements that benefit the liver in multiple ways. It has been proven to reduce the chances of developing NAFLD for people who consume green tea often.
Catechins in green tea are integral for protecting your liver and saving you from developing liver cancer. However, don’t be too relaxed in this pursuit since excessive green tea is a leading cause of liver damage, as per the latest reports.
Olive oil
Olive oil has good fats that won’t damage your liver. Plus, avocado oil is also winning the hearts of health-conscious patients, and liver patients are also benefiting from avocado oil these days. Olive oil is beneficial for the regulation and control of liver enzymes. It contains a lot of monounsaturated fats. You can get these from other oils like canola and sunflower oils.
Garlic
It is obvious that the people who consume garlic in their meals are always protected from facing any type of liver problem. Garlic is also beneficial in preventing NAFLD and protects your liver in the long run without compromising its efficiency in detoxifying the body.
Soy
You can consume soy in multiple forms, like soy milk and even tofu. Soy basically treats the fatty liver in an effective way and protects it from several problems as well. Studies also show that patients with NAFLD can take huge benefits from soy in reversing the problem.
What Foods To Avoid For Fatty Liver?
If you are aiming for a healthy liver, you need to avoid the following foods:
- Sugary beverages, & refined carbohydrates such as white bread: Completely abstain from sugary foods and consume less carbs as well.
- Diet drinks with low calories: These drinks are not recommendable for the liver’s health at all.
- Butter & ghee: Butter and ghee both enhance the triglycerides in the liver, which are extremely harmful to its performance.
- Sweet & desserts: Avoid baked foods like pies, buns, and pastries since these are not effective in maintaining your liver and instead bring harm to it.
- Bacon, sausage & fatty meat: Due to the excessive saturated fats, these are not beneficial for the liver at all.
- Alcohol: It is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis in patients and weakens the liver’s structures, and makes it difficult to reverse the problem as well.
- Salty foods: Excessive salt in your diet eventually damages your liver, which is why you need to strike a good balance in this regard.
- Fried foods: Oily and fried foods are not healthy for the liver because of saturated fats, which compromise the liver’s performance as well.
Methods To Reverse Fatty Liver Disease
The following are the best ways to reverse fatty liver disease with the least effort:
Exercise more
Proper exercise is a good way to reverse the problem. It is because an hour of proper exercise will be enough to reduce the influence of fatty liver. You can even try walking if you are aiming to reverse the fatty liver. You can also try different forms of exercise and see which suits you the best at your convenience.
Get Enough Sleep
It is important to maintain your sleeping pattern when you want to reverse the fatty liver. Experts recommend proper sleep for fighting against fatty liver. Proper sleeping will greatly help you to lower the influence of fatty liver to a large extent with minimal effort.
Take Supplements After Consulting With Your Doctor
There are different supplements available that help in reversing the fatty liver. However, it is not recommendable to consume supplements without any medical supervision. Therefore, always consult your doctor before consuming a supplement to not complicate the situation further.
Try medication
Always rely on the prescribed medicines for fatty liver. You don’t want to make your condition worse; therefore, always go with what your doctor suggests. Fatty liver medicines are also effective in reversing the problem as soon as possible.
Conclusion
Now you know keeping your liver healthy is your responsibility. There are different foods that make it simpler for you. However, a healthy liver is not an easy job since it needs your dedication and commitment.
Abstinence from your favorite sugary and oily foods can seem to be difficult, but at the end of the day, it’s for the sake of your liver. Yamfit have discussed healthy foods for the liver that you need to start including in your diet. Also, effective ways to reverse fatty liver problems. You need to be aware of the signs of fatty liver to treat it in time without any complications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take eggs to make my liver healthy?
Yes, you can take egg whites as it is good for your liver. But always remember that overconsumption of eggs can lead to issues in digestion. Do not take too much egg yolk, as it can cause bad cholesterol levels. Excess of eggs in your body can lead to kidney and liver diseases.
Is yogurt healthy for the liver?
Yes, yogurt is one of the healthiest foods for the liver. It contains probiotics which lower the levels of fat in the body and reduce liver damage.
How can I clean my liver?
Avoid the use of alcohol in your food. Always have a well-balanced diet every time. You should use fresh vegetables and fruits for a healthy liver in your diet.
