The liver has many functions.
You may have heard that the liver helps remove substances, such as alcohol, from the body, but your liver — the largest solid organ in the body — performs more than 500 functions.
Some of the liver’s functions include:
— Filtering your blood. During this filtering, the liver removes toxins, such as alcohol, chemicals and drugs.
— Processing blood sugar, known as glucose. The liver removes excess blood sugar and can turn it into glycogen, which is the stored form of glucose. If your body needs it, it can convert that glycogen back into glucose.
— Producing bile, which helps with digestion.
— Storing vitamins and minerals, including vitamins A, D and E, as well as iron and copper.
The liver does practically everything but breathe for the body, jokes registered dietitian and nutritionist Jana Mowrer, owner of HealthWins Coaching and Consulting in Fresno, California. Still, it’s not far from the truth. A diet filled with foods that are good for your liver can help it to function better.
Keeping the liver healthy
With the liver being such an important organ, it makes sense to eat foods that will keep the liver healthy to avoid foods and drinks that impede its ability to work properly.
This is true both if you’re generally healthy and if you have some forms of liver disease, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is when fat builds up in your liver.
A healthy, liver-friendly diet can help control or reduce the rate of NAFLD or other disease, says gastroenterologist Dr. Vishal Gupta of Gastroenterology of Greater Orlando. The number of people with NAFLD is growing rapidly across the U.S., and the condition is often associated with being overweight or obese. In fact, an estimated 25% of adults in the U.S. have NAFLD, according to the American Liver Foundation. It’s possible with NAFLD to develop nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which is a more aggressive form of liver disease that can advance to cirrhosis and liver failure.
“If you already have liver problems, your diet is one of the first things you’ll have to change,” says certified trainer and registered dietitian Jamie Hickey, founder of Truism Fitness in Philadelphia. “As your liver disease progresses, it won’t be able to filter out waste and any toxins in your diet.”
Here are 11 foods and drinks for better liver health:
Coffee
Need an excuse to drink that cup of Joe? Here you go. Coffee may lower the risk for chronic liver disease, cirrhosis and even liver cancer, according to Hickey.
Coffee helps the liver by blocking the production of fat and collagen, which are two common indications of chronic liver disease, Hickey explains. Plus, coffee has an age-fighting antioxidant called glutathione.
“Free radicals, which cause cell damage, are killed by antioxidants,” Hickey says.
The benefits of coffee appear strongest when consuming three to four cups a day. Try to drink it without cream and sugar, which can add extra calories and fat. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about the amount of caffeine in coffee. You can also sip decaf for liver benefits.
Berries
Whether you eat blueberries, blackberries, strawberries or raspberries, all berries can improve your liver health, Mowrer says. That’s because they are full of water, antioxidants and vitamins, including vitamin C. Berries also have polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can fight against NAFLD. All of those qualities can contribute to a strong liver.
Next time you’re looking for a sweet treat, reach for a cup of berries instead of a sugar-laden dessert.
Fatty fish
As you plan your dinners, keep fatty fish — like salmon or albacore tuna — in mind. That’s because fatty fish can help protect your liver, says Kyle Harris, a physician assistant with Gastro MD in Tampa, Florida.
Fatty fish are usually high in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of “good” fat. This is better for the liver over other types of fats, such as saturated fats, Harris says.
In those with NAFLD, omega-3 fatty acids can help to lower triglycerides, a type of fat in the body that can increase your risk for heart disease.
Other examples of fatty fish include:
— Anchovies.
— Cobia.
— Herring.
— Mackerel.
— Sardines.
— Striped bass.
— Trout.
Two 3-ounce servings a week of fatty fish can provide you with overall health benefits, according to the American Heart Association.
Oatmeal
There’s nothing like a bowl of warm oatmeal for breakfast when it’s cold outside. Regularly eating those oats can help lower your cholesterol. In turn, that has a healthy impact on your liver function, says Kendra Haire, a registered dietitian and a coach with Noom in New York City.
“The liver is where cholesterol is processed, and lower cholesterol is one way to protect the liver,” says registered dietitian Amanda Lane, founder of Healthful Lane Nutrition in Minneapolis.
Oatmeal may also contribute to overall weight loss because its soluble fiber contents helps keep you fuller for longer. Maintaining a healthy weight is useful if you want to avoid NAFLD or stem the progression of it.
Some healthier toppings for oatmeal include:
— Almonds.
— Bananas.
— Peanut butter.
— Pumpkin.
Water
Drinking water is good for so many organs in the body, including the liver. That’s because if you’re not drinking enough water, you could become dehydrated. Dehydration impairs the liver’s functions, Mowrer says. Water also helps the body digest your food easier, and that helps the liver do its work, Haire says.
A population-based study with more than 16,400 participants published in the April 2021 issue of the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that drinking more water was associated with a lower rate of newly diagnosed NAFLD among males. The same effect was not found in females.
Most adult females should get 91 ounces or 11.5 cups of fluids a day, while men should drink 125 ounces or 15.5 cups daily, according to the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine. However, there are other ways to stay hydrated besides water.
Tea
In addition to water, another beverage that can make your liver happy is tea, particularly green tea, Haire says. That’s because tea has health-promoting compounds that can benefit the whole body. One compound that tea has is polyphenols, the antioxidant found in plant foods that can lower inflammation, prevent liver damage and decrease triglycerides in the body.
Green tea also may help prevent NAFLD, according to a 2019 report in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry.
Ginger tea is also associated with decreased inflammation and protection against cell damage, Mowrer says. These benefits can help improve your liver health.
Choose teas that are in their most natural form — such as freshly brewed, unsweetened tea — rather than ones that may be filled with sugar.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, Brussels sprouts and cauliflower. These types of vegetables are good for the liver because they have fiber, which can aid with digestion. A compound called indole, which is found in gut bacteria and in cruciferous vegetables, can help control NAFLD, according to a 2020 report in the journal Hepatology.
Cruciferous vegetables also have compounds that could help slow the development of and prevent liver cancer, according to a 2016 review in the journal Nutrients.
Other types of cruciferous vegetables include:
— Bok choy.
— Cabbage.
— Kale.
— Radishes.
— Turnips.
Try to find creative ways to prepare cruciferous vegetables that don’t rely on high-fat sauces. Instead, get creative with healthy ingredients, such as garlic, herbs, spices and ginger.
Leafy vegetables
Like other types of vegetables, leafy vegetables play a superhero role in your body. They contain antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients are healthy compounds that come from plant-based food. All of these can help fight harmful inflammation in the body, including the liver, Haire says.
If your first thought is that you don’t like leafy vegetables because you had bad lettuce once, then think again. Here are some of the leafy vegetables to explore for better liver and overall health:
— Cabbage.
— Collard greens.
— Kale.
— Microgreens.
— Mustard greens.
— Spinach.
Nuts and legumes
Nuts and legumes (a category that groups together beans, lentils and peanuts, which aren’t actually nuts) are high in healthy plant compounds and the antioxidant vitamin E. This is useful not just for the liver but also the heart, Hickey says.
Walnuts in particular may benefit those with NAFLD, according to a 2020 report in Applied Sciences. Walnuts have substantially more omega-3 fatty acids compared to other tree nuts, the study authors report. They also have the highest level of polyphenols.
Olive oil
Much like fatty fish and walnuts, olive oil joins the list of foods for a healthy liver because it contains unsaturated fatty acids, Harris says. This is much better for the liver and the body in general compared with other types of fats, like saturated fats or trans fats.
A 2019 study in the Journal of Nutrition found that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil was associated with a lower incidence of fatty liver disease in older people who also had a higher risk for heart disease.
You can use olive oil on salads, in stir-fry dishes or as a replacement for butter or margarine when dipping bread.
Foods high in fiber
Fiber helps the liver work efficiently. It also provides other benefits to the body, like helping your digestion and assisting with any weight-loss goals by keeping you full longer.
Most Americans don’t get enough fiber. People should consume 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories of food, according to federal dietary guidelines.
Foods that are high in fiber include:
— Beans.
— Fruit.
— Nuts and seeds.
— Vegetables.
— Whole-grain foods, like whole-wheat bread and brown rice.
Foods that can hurt your liver health
In addition to foods you should incorporate into your diet for better liver health, there also are some foods and drinks to avoid or limit.
These include:
— Alcohol, which can lead to irreversible scarring and fibrosis of the liver and raise the risk of liver cancer, Harris says.
— Fried foods. These typically use oils high in saturated and other types of fat that can cause inflammation and excess fat in the liver, Gupta says.
— Foods that are high in saturated fats, such as bacon, cheese and fatty sauces. These could contribute to obesity and make you more prone to NAFLD.
— Foods that are overly processed.
— Foods that claim to detox your liver. Supplements that claim to detox the liver aren’t regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, which means you may not know if the product actually contains what it claims to have. “Your liver is the organ that does the detoxing,” Lane says.
Other ways to keep your liver healthy
In addition to eating healthy, there are a few other lifestyle strategies you can adopt to keep your liver in top shape:
— Exercise regularly. Physical activity can benefit your liver, Mowrer says.
— Do your best to manage your stress.
— Get enough sleep. Believe it or not, your liver is affected when you don’t get enough sleep.
— Keep a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can raise your risk for NAFLD.
— If you have liver disease, work with your health care provider or a dietitian who can make nutrition recommendations for the type and stage of liver disease that you have. The American Liver Foundation also has information to help guide your food selection when you have liver disease.
Foods that are good for the liver
To recap, the following foods are good for your liver health:
— Coffee.
— Berries.
— Fatty fish.
— Oatmeal.
— Water.
— Tea
— Cruciferous vegetables.
— Leafy vegetables.
— Nuts and legumes.
— Olive oil.
— Foods high in fiber.
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What Foods Are Good for Your Liver? originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 01/30/23: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
