The 5 Foods You Need This Summer for Liver Detoxification
You enjoyed your summer – you grabbed a few glasses of wine on the weekend, hung out all day in the sun at the beach, and followed a not-so-healthy diet of burgers and french fries. What can you do to reset your body and get back to following a healthy lifestyle? Turn to healthy foods that can support liver detoxification.
The Important of Detoxification
Of your five major organs, your liver is probably not one you think of as much as your brain or your heart. But it’s just as important! The liver plays a vital role in filtering out what your body doesn’t need. When you have a healthy liver, it takes the toxins stored throughout your body and converts them into their water-soluble form so they can be easily removed.
An unhealthy liver can be caused by numerous factors like an infection or immune system abnormality. More commonly, risk factors like heavy alcohol use, diabetes or obesity can increase your risk of liver problems.
Getting back on track, nutritionally
The American Liver Foundation’s healthy eating guidelines recommend a diet rich in fiber sourced from fruit, vegetables and whole grains. Small amounts of non-red meat, as well as low-fat dairy and healthy fats (like avocado) are great dietary options to support liver detoxification. But there are some superfoods that can cleanse your liver better than others.
Garlic helps activate the liver detox enzymes, that assist in breaking down and eliminating toxins from your system. It also contains 39 different antibacterial agents, helping to protect your body from illness.
Beets have been shown to active liver enzymes (like bile), which helps to break down and absorb healthy fats and fat-soluble nutrients like vitamin E. Other benefits of beets include support of heart health and physical performance.
Apples contain a lot of fiber, so it can help to clean out your bowels and introduce friendly bacteria. Keep the skin on your apples and pair them with chia seeds for even more fiber.
Broccoli is rich in antioxidants and can help boost glutathione levels in the body, supporting liver detoxification.
Avocado seems to be taking over the world – and for good reason! Avocado has great levels of fiber and contains healthy fats, which can help you get your daily fiber intake for the day in no time!
What are some things you do to practice liver detoxification? Have questions? Leave a comment below to speak with a certified healthcare professional.
