liver-loving foods: the best foods for liver detox
If you’re wondering how to detox your liver, using food as medicine is a safe and powerful place to start—no capsules, diet drinks, or food restriction necessary. When it comes to holistic healing, adding nourishing things in can be easier, and go further, than taking things out.
Your liver carries out more than 500 functions every day, so supporting the liver can greatly support your overall health.
Your liver is in charge of many important jobs. Here are a few:
Storage and metabolism of sugar, fat, and micronutrients
Synthesis of blood proteins
Production of bile
Metabolism of toxins and hormones
Filtration of the blood
A well-functioning liver is necessary to help us overcome stressors, heal from illness, recover from injury, and move toward greater health.
Our bodies face exposure to a wide variety and quantity of toxic substances on a daily basis, and the liver is tasked with preparing those substances to be eliminated from the body. The liver is also in charge of processing the fats and sugars we ingest through food, so when our daily nourishment is out of balance, this can also place a burden on the liver.
How do you know if your liver is overworked and needing attention? Here are a few potential signs of poor liver function and liver disease:
Fatigue
Itching
Abdominal pain
Indigestion
Nausea
Weight gain
Blood sugar issues
Elevated liver enzymes
Changes in appetite
Constipation
High cholesterol
Sugar cravings
I want to make this very clear, because it’s so important: Detoxing your liver is not about shot-term cleanses and crash diets. Liver health emerges from a commitment to fully nourishing your body on a consistent daily basis. You don’t need a 7-day cleanse or something similar to promote liver detoxification. Your liver is detoxifying on its own, right now, as you’re reading.
Outside of eliminating our exposure to harmful toxins, one way to support the liver is by consuming foods that nourish, support, and stimulate hepatic function.* Keep reading to learn about this long list of foods!
*If you’re looking to use food and herbs as medicine to treat and prevent disease, make sure you’re working one-on-one with a licensed practitioner. This blog is not intended to be used as medical advice. If you have undiagnosed symptoms or an untreated medical condition, including concerns about your liver, work with a licensed practitioner to ensure you’re making medical decisions that are safe and healthy for your body. Talk with your practitioner before changing your nutrition, supplement, or medication routines.
Brassica (cruciferous) vegetables
These brassica family veggies are high in sulfuric compounds called glucosinolates, which support a critical antioxidant system in the liver: glutathione. Glutathione plays a large role in detoxing your liver. Eating the foods on this list can help support the liver’s natural glutathione system:
Cabbage
Broccoli
Asparagus
Brussels sprouts
Arugula
Cauliflower
Turnips
Rutabage
Radish
Horseradish
Kohlrabi
Arugula
Kale
Watercress
Collard
Bok choy
Food sources of glutathione
Asparagus
Avocado
Raw grass-fed milk
Foods high in protein
The process of detoxification requires an abundance of amino acids to fuel glutathione and all the other enzymes involved. Amino acids come from protein-rich foods. The best sources of protein are animal foods, including beef, poultry, eggs, and dairy. Plant sources include organic soy, beans, and lentils. Although nuts are often included in this list, they are fairly low in protein and are better categorized as a source of healthy fats.
Foods rich in fiber
Fiber slows digestion to decrease spikes in blood glucose and insulin. Because the liver is in charge of sugar and fat storage, supporting balanced blood sugar over time helps protect the liver. Fiber also helps bind toxins in the gut, decreasing their recirculation back to the liver. Cleanses often highlight fiber as a central part of liver detox. Foods high in fiber include rolled oats and other whole grains, fruits and vegetables with the skins, lentils, avocados, and seeds like flax and chia.
Foods rich in antioxidants
Antixidants are highly protective to the liver in preventing and decreasing the oxidative damage caused by everyday toxins.
Antioxidants are often present in high levels in the most colorful foods—the bright purple (cabbage, beets, grapes), blue (blueberries, blackberries), red (bell peppers, raspberries, cherries), orange (carrots, sweet potatoes, oranges), and dark greens (leafy green veggies) as quick examples
Foods rich in choline
Choline is an essential, vitamin-like nutrient necessary for many functions including cholesterol transport and neurotransmitter production. Deficiencies in choline can result in fatty liver. Choline supports liver health through its impact on fat metabolism and its role as a methyl donor within the detoxification pathways. The human body synthesizes very little choline on its own, therefore choline is considered essential—we need to eat it through food. The following is a list of foods highest in choline:
Beef liver
Pasture-raised egg yolks
Pasture-raised milk, yogurt, and butter
Scallops
Beef
Poultry
Salmon
Shrimp
Cruciferous vegetables including broccoli and brussels sprouts
Digestive bitters
This group of plant foods contains a special compound called sesquiterpene lactones. These sesquiterpenes offer a variety of helpful functions in the body, including anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and antimicrobial. They promote digestive function through stimulation of the vagus nerve, which promotes bile production and flow through liver and gallbladder.
In the Asteracea plant family:
Dandelion leaf
Artichoke leaf and heart
Burdock root
Chamomile leaf and flower
Chicory root
Milk thistel seed
Tarragon
Helichrysum
Radicchio
Bitter fruits
Bitter melon
Cranberry
Lemon
Lime
Grapefruit
Other bitter foods
Coffee
Green tea
Dark chocolate
Endive
Sasame seeds and tahini
Fennel seed
Anise
Yarrow leaf
Peppermint leaf
Turmeric root
Liver supportive herbs
The following list highlights some of the more widely-known hepatoprotective herbs used in live-support formulas
Silybum marianum, Milk thistle seed
Schisandra chinensis, 5-flavor berry
Centella asiatica, Gotu kola leaf
Glycyrrhiza glabra, Licorice root
Rumex crispus, Yellowdock root
Fumaria officinalis, Fumitory leaf
Considering the long list above, there are so many ways you can support the health and functioning of your liver through the foods you eat. Consider adding just one new food per week to begin expanding your food-as-medicine cabinet!
Wanting more focused guidance in your preventative health and holistic healing? Apply below to work one-on-one with Dr. Savannah
References
Linus Pauling Institute, Micronutrient Information Center: https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/other-nutrients/choline