Real Health / 6 Foods to Save Your Liver

6 Foods to Save Your Liver

August 13, 2024 Dr Livingood

Your liver may be the most overworked and underappreciated organ of the body.

It’s responsible for filtering toxins from your body. If you are stiff, sore, inflamed, or gaining weight, it may mean your liver needs help

To get the liver the nutrients it needs, I suggest these six fantastic foods.

Try getting as many of these in each day as you can. The liver works hard, so we need to help it out with the best raw materials.

1: Blueberries — For the Antioxidants

The number one food for liver health: blueberries, as well as their counterparts, cranberries.

Both berries are rich in anthocyanin, the compound that gives the fruit its color.

Anthocyanins play an important part in protecting the liver from oxidative stress, which can help reduce inflammation and swelling.

Often, when we get bloating or inflammation pain, we wind up popping pain medications.

But that habit is actually putting a heavy burden on the liver. It’s a nasty cycle, but blueberries and cranberries can come to the rescue!

How to Use Them

My favorite way to get more blueberries is to put them in a smoothie. Freeze them, blend them up, and you have a fantastic breakfast!

If smoothies aren’t an option, go for the bitterest cranberry juice you can find.

Water it down if the taste is too much, but don’t be fooled by the overly sugary options at the store. You want as close to the original berry as you can get.

Of course, fresh is always fantastic as well. We have fresh blueberries almost year-round at the Livingood household.

2: Milk Thistle — For Protection

Milk thistle is like a galvanizer, a metal shield around your liver. As a well-known liver cleanser and antioxidant, milk thistle combines the power of both to protect your liver.

How to Use It

My morning coffee is always made with a scoop of milk thistle.

Having it first thing in the morning helps to build up a protective layer around the liver, reducing the risk of oxidative damage.

3: Tumeric — For the Anti-Inflammatories

Research has shown that turmeric can decrease the pro-inflammatory molecules that contribute to the development and worsening of many illnesses. This includes various liver diseases.

How to Use It

Emulsified turmeric is more bioavailable, so adding them to teas or smoothies speeds up the process of absorption. You can also swap out irritating black pepper for tumeric during cooking. This is even more effective when you’re making dishes that incorporate Number 4 on this list:

4: Fish Oil — For the Omega-3s

Fish oils are rich in various omega-3 Fatty acids.

These are fantastic for your brain, bones, and heart, and they also provide excellent support for your liver by potentially reducing overall inflammation.

How to Use It

Recipes that incorporate both turmeric and fatty fish like salmon can be a delicious way to support your liver health.

Another option is to take fish oil supplements. This way you can get your daily amount even if fish isn’t on the menu that evening.

5: Beets — For the Detoxification

You might not regularly be reaching for a glass of beet juice, but it has incredible health benefits. High in nitric oxide, it makes a great blood pressure regulator and supports the heart.

When it comes to liver health and detoxification, beet juice is incredibly important.

In a preclinical study conducted on rats, beetroot juice was found to help maintain a healthy weight, support healthy cholesterol, and maintain a healthy liver.

How to Use It

Outside of drinking a glass with your morning coffee, powdered greens can provide your daily dose of fruits and vegetables — beets included — in a scoop.

6: Coffee — Because Coffee!

Cheers to this one! Coffee is the number one source of antioxidants for us.

It has been shown to reduce the risk of liver diseases.

By preventing the accumulation of the fat inside of the liver, and the corresponding scar tissue, it supports the connective tissue that prevents liver disease.

How to Use It

While your morning cup is already great, I recommend adding a touch of fat like coconut oil or butter.

This helps to clear the digestive tract and aids your gallbladder. So adding in coffee supports your liver and also helps to empty the digestive tract, which is going to contract your gallbladder.

To see how to make the ultimate liver-detoxifying coffee, check out my video on it!

Conclusion

Our livers are the unsung heroes of the body, so do your part to support yours! Focus on adding more quality sources of the nutrients that protect the organ that protects you.

These six foods are the first step on the path toward a healthier lifestyle.

For more detailed information on supporting every aspect of your body, including the liver and beyond, take a look at my free book!

After that, be sure to check out the Dr. Livingood website for even more tips, resources, and connections to others on their health journey.

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