Overview of foods good for liver

Understanding the foods good for liver is important. It’s unwise to consume every type of food without moderation, especially if they’re not good for an organ.

Therefore, it’s better to know the foods good for liver, add them in moderation to your diet, ensure that your daily macros and calories are being met, and follow the diet for optimal results.

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What is the liver?

The liver is a large organ located towards the upper right side of the abdomen, below the diaphragm. It's the largest internal organ and can weigh up to 3 lbs in adults. It's reddish-brown in color and performs several vital functions.

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What are the foods good for liver?

Foods good for liver (Photo via Mor Shani/Unsplash)

It’s important to know that the liver is an essential organ and plays a vital role in metabolism and detoxification.

Hence, maintaining liver health is extremely important, and one of the ways to do so is to know the foods good for liver and its health. Here are the foods that are good for liver:

Leafy greens

Leafy greens like kale, arugula, and spinach are high in antioxidants that can help with reducing liver inflammation.

Cruciferous vegetables

Vegetables like broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber that support liver functions.

Fruits and nuts

Fruits, nuts and seeds are high in antioxidants, vitamin C, healthy fats, protein and fiber that are important to reducing inflammation, protecting liver cells and supporting liver health.

Fatty fish

Certain fish like mackerel, sardines and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can help reduce inflammation and improve liver function.

Olive oil

Olive oil has healthy fats and antioxidants that help support liver health and reduce inflammation.

Garlic and green tea

Garlic is among the foods good for liver that assist with reducing liver inflammation and boosting liver function. However, just consuming foods good for liver will not be enough to maintain its health. There are certain other factors that play a role in the same, and you should incorporate them to lead a healthy lifestyle.

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How to maintain liver health?

Drinking water (Photo via Unsplash/Engin akyurt)

While foods good for liver play an important role, here are some of the other elements of healthy liver diets that will protect the organ and increase its sustainability.

• Limiting alcohol
• Eating a balanced diet
• Limiting processed sugar
• Drinking water
• Reducing salt intake
• Choosing healthy fats
• Consuming antioxidants-rich foods
• Considering supplements
• Maintain a healthy body weight
• Regular exercise
• Get vaccinated

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What are the functions of the liver?

It’s crucial to understand the important role that the liver plays in overall health. It performs several essential functions, including:

Detoxification

Certain harmful toxins and substances are filtered from the blood like alcohol, drugs and metabolic waste products.

Metabolism

The liver plays a vital role in the metabolism of the body. It converts glucose into glycogen and keeps it for storage. That's later used to synthesize proteins and break down fatty acids.

Storage

The liver works as a storage source for essential vitamins and minerals.

Immune function

The liver helps with the body’s immunity system by producing immune factors and remaking foreign substances along with bacteria and viruses from the bloodstream.

Regulating hormone levels

The liver helps with producing and breaking down hormones, which includes thyroid hormones and insulin.

Blood clotting

The compounds that are necessary for normal blood clotting are produced by the liver.

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Overall, the liver’s functions help improve various bodily processes. Therefore, not only are foods good for liver important to know but you should be aware of their properties. That will help you understand when your liver health isn’t optimal, as some of the functions of the liver will not work as expected.

It’s extremely important to be aware of these symptoms to ensure that you seek medical help whenever necessary.