30 Amazing Foods You Can Use To Naturally Detoxify Your Liver Today
Do you eat food?
Do you drink water?
Do you live on the planet earth?
If you answered yes to any of the previous questions, then unfortunately you’ve been exposed to toxins. In this toxic world we live in, the human body’s liver has a lot of work to do.
Why is Your Liver SO Important?
First of all, a person cannot survive without their liver and it is the largest gland found in the human body. Aside from helping to keep you alive, your liver has many important functions that include:
- Detoxifying the Blood of Harmful Toxins
- Storing Vitamins and Minerals
- Boosting Energy by Converting Stored Sugar to Usable Sugar
- Producing Bile to Help Digest Food
- Breaking Down Hemoglobin, Insulin, Hormones, and Old Red Blood Cells
In order to keep your liver healthy, you must detoxify your body on a regular basis. According to Dr. LePore, a naturopathic doctor and liver cleansing expert, there are two stages of liver detoxification. During phase 1, the liver dissolves fat soluble toxins. During phase 2, the liver then absorbs and eliminates those toxins.
Detox diets and cleanse supplements can help eliminate toxins from your body all at once, but is also a good idea to consume detoxifying foods on a regular basis to keep your organs clean and functioning optimally.
Food Doesn't Have to Be Exotic To Detoxify!
We have poured through all the research to find 30 incredible foods that will naturally help your body detoxify. Guess what? Many of these foods are not exotic, expensive or hard to find. Apples and onions may not fall into the category of exotic Superfood, but they can absolutely help you detoxify and feel better.
While we don't expect you to include all 30 foods in your diet, pick a few, include them in your diet TODAY and start feeling the effects tomorrow!
Fruits that Detoxify Your Liver
#1. Lemons and Lemon Water – The juice from lemons work to activate your liver’s natural detoxification process which triggers the liver to release toxins. Lemon juice also improves digestion and helps cleanse your intestines. Add lemon juice to water, another natural detoxifier, for an awesome detoxifying beverage.
#2. Grapefruit & Other Citrus Fruits – Grapefruit and other citrus fruits are packed with glutathione, vitamin C, and antioxidants that detoxify and protect the liver.
#3. Apples – Everyone’s heard the saying that an apple a day keeps the doctor away, and when it comes to your liver, the saying is definitely true! Apples contain pectin and other chemicals that help cleanse the liver and digestive system.
#4. Avocados – Did you know that avocados are technically a fruit? This luscious superfood helps the body produce glutathione naturally, which in turn detoxifies the liver.
#5. Schisandra Berry – This tiny red berry supports liver detoxification in 3 ways: it promotes phase 1 and phase 2 liver detoxification pathways, it protects the liver from toxins by promoting the production of the antioxidant glutathione, and it promotes regeneration of liver tissue that has been damaged by alcohol or hepatitis.
#6. Tomatoes – This red superfood is often considered a vegetable but it is actually a fruit. Tomatoes are rich in Glutathione which is a protein that helps detoxify the liver.
#7. Goji Berries – Eat plenty of goji berries to boost your vitamin C and beta-carotene intake. Vitamin C works to remove waste from your body while beta-carotene boosts liver performance.
Vegetables that Detoxify Your Liver
#8. Carrots – Eat plenty of carrots for a healthy liver. Carrots are rich with flavonoids, beta carotene, and glutathione, all of which helps detoxify and improve the function of the liver.
#9. Beets – High in flavonoids and beta carotene, beets are an excellent way to stimulate and improve liver function and detoxification.
#10. Broccoli & Broccoli Sprouts – Broccoli and broccoli sprouts stimulate phase 2 liver detoxification pathways, they enhance the body’s ability to detoxify pollutants, and they increase production of glutathione which is a natural antioxidant that works to protect the liver from toxins. Broccoli sprouts actually contain even more liver detoxifying and protecting nutrients than broccoli itself!
#11. Spinach – If you haven’t noticed, many of the foods on this list either contain glutathione or help the body produce glutathione. Leafy greens like spinach are another excellent source of liver detoxifying glutathione.
#12. Asparagus – Ever heard the saying that asparagus makes your pee smell funny? Well, it’s true! Asparagus is an excellent diuretic that helps your body release toxins when you use the bathroom. Asparagus also boosts liver drainage, which is the process that removes toxins and other waste from the liver.
#13. Artichokes - Artichokes help the liver function optimally. Artichokes also increase the liver’s production of bile which works to break down foods and toxins.
#14. Brussels sprouts - Brussels sprouts are high in sulfur which causes the liver to release enzymes that block damage from the toxins found in our food, water, and air.
#15. Onions – This common superfood is packed with sulfur-containing amino acids which work to detoxify the liver naturally.
#16. Cabbage – Cabbage provides beneficial liver detoxifying enzymes that help to break down toxins and flush them from your liver. Cabbage is also an excellent source of fiber which aids the detoxification process.
#17. Cauliflower – cruciferous vegetables such as cauliflower work to improve liver function and to protect the liver from future damage caused by toxic overload.
#18. Watercress – Watercress is an aquatic plant that is similar nutritionally to many leafy greens. This cool little plant works to release enzymes in the liver that eliminate toxins.
Herbs that Detoxify Your Liver
#19. Milk Thistle – You may not have heard of is, but this herb is the number one way to detoxify your liver. Milk thistle stimulates phase 2 liver detoxification pathways while enhancing liver function and protecting the liver from toxin overload.
#20. Turmeric – This spice is one of the best liver detoxifying herbs in the world! Turmeric assists liver detoxification by working with the enzymes found in your body to carry out toxins.
#21. Cilantro – Cilantro is completely packed with antioxidants. This heavy metal detoxifying herb has been shown to protect the liver against lead exposure, and to increase the release of mercury, lead, and aluminum from the body.
#22. Basil – Basil is packed with antioxidants that work to protect your liver. Basil also protects your kidneys and acts as a powerful diuretic to help your body eliminate toxins.
#23. Dandelion – This common weed is actually a superfood that is full of liver detoxifying nutrients! The roots from dandelion plants work to improve the filtering of toxins and waste from the bloodstream, which aids in liver detoxification.
#24. Garlic – Garlic is packed with sulfur which helps to activate liver enzyme that flush toxins out of your body. Garlic also contains allicin and selenium which also aid in liver detoxification.
#25. Ginger – Ginger is a potent disease fighting spice that works to boost your metabolism, flush out waste and toxins, protect the liver, and boost its function. Ginger is especially helpful to anyone with excess exposure to toxins.
#26. Wheatgrass – Wheatgrass is a very alkaline superfood and thus it reduces over-acidity in the blood which helps protect and detoxify the liver.
#27. Chlorella – Chlorella is a one celled green algae that has a tough outer cell wall containing chlorophyll. Once broken to improve digestibility, the cell wall binds with heavy metals such as cadmium and lead, pesticides, and carcinogens such as PCBs, and carries them safely out of the body. Chlorella enhances the elimination of toxins from the liver.
#28. Lemon Grass – Lemon grass is an herb that can be easily added to many dishes. This beneficial herb not only helps to detoxify the liver but also the kidneys, the bladder, and the entire digestive tract.
Other Foods that Detoxify Your Liver
#29. Walnuts – Walnuts are a good source of liver detoxifying glutathione. Walnuts also contain omega-3 fatty acids, and the amino acid arginine which supports natural liver cleansing.
#30. Green Tea – This superfood beverage is packed with antioxidants known as catechins, which have been known to improve liver function.
All 30 Detoxifying Foods In One Beautiful Infographic
Are you more of a visual learner? We got you covered! Here is an infographic that has all 30 Foods - print it out and take it the store with you. No more excusing for not detoxifying!
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Many of these superfoods are already found in your diet, and the more obscure herbs can easily be purchased as high quality supplements or as dried spices to add to your favorite healthy dishes.
When trying to detoxify your liver, or your entire body, it is important to drink plenty of water and move your body regularly. Sweating is another way the body removes toxins from your blood stream and organs and staying hydrated helps the entire process.
Have a super healthy and detoxifying food we missed? Leave it in the comments below.
Sources:
21 Day Detox Plan, Dr. Erica LePore
The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia by Rebecca Wood.
Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford
Your Guide to Health With Foods & Herbs by Zhang Yifang and Yao Yingzhi
Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen by Yuan Wang
Authority Nutrition, Wealth of Information & Garlic Article of Great Interest
The Green Pharmacy Guide to Healing Foods by James A Duke
The Great American Detox Diet by Alex Jamieson
Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future by David Wolfe
The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth By Johnny Bowden
19 Superfoods That Naturally Cleanse Your Liver
10 Foods To Cleanse and Care For Your Liver, One Green Planet
7 Foods To Naturally Cleanse Your Liver, Food Matters
Whole: Rethinking The Science of Nutrition by T. Colin Campbell
This post has been shared at Thank Goodness It’s Monday at Nourishing Joy.
