Nowadays, the world we live in is full of toxins that overload our body and cause inflammation, diseases, and pain. Therefore, conducting detox treatments can be of great help to our overall health.
As the primary organ responsible for eliminating the toxins from the system, our liver is mostly damaged by these harmful substances, so a liver detox is something we should all do from time to time.
Despite detoxifying the blood, our liver produces bile to digest fat, stores iron and vitamins, converts the stored sugar to usable one when the sugar levels drop and destroy old red blood cells. Moreover, it breaks down insulin, hemoglobin, and other hormones, and performs numerous other vital functions in the body.
To optimize its function, you should consume foods that cleanse it and improve its health, such as the following:
Turmeric: This herb fights inflammation and cleanses the liver.
Garlic: The sulfur in garlic activates liver enzymes that cleanse the body, and selenium and allicin also support the liver detox.
Beets And Carrots: These are rich in plant flavonoids and beta-carotene that improve the function of the liver.
Spinach: Being rich in glutathione, it helps the toxin cleansing enzymes of the liver.
Citrus Fruits: Citrus fruits are high in vitamin C, that accelerates the detox process and stimulates the function of the liver.
Tomatoes: Being abundant in glutathione, that detoxifies the liver, tomatoes are another beneficial liver food.
Grapefruit: Grapefruit is high in glutathione and vitamin C too, so it supports the natural liver cleansing process.
Avocados: Avocados support the production glutathione, and thus stimulate the detoxification of the liver.
Apples: Apples are full of pectin, which is vital for liver detox and general body cleansing.
Walnuts: Walnuts are another rich source of glutathione, omega-3 fatty acids, and amino acid arginine, and are excellent for the health of the liver.
Brussels Sprouts: Brussels sprouts stimulate the detoxification of the liver as they are high in sulfur and the antioxidant glucosinolate.
Cruciferous Vegetables: Cruciferous vegetables boost the production of enzymes and glucosinolate that help liver detox.
Asparagus: This powerful diuretic helps the cleansing of the liver and kidneys.
Green Tea: The plant antioxidants in green tea, known as catechins, improve the function of the liver.
Olive Oil: Cold-pressed organic oils such as olive, hemp and flax-seed help the liver cleansing.
Alternative Grains: They are much better on the liver than their gluten-rich counterparts.
Cabbage: Glucosinolates in cabbage stimulate the production of isothiocyanates (ITCs) that help the detoxifying enzymes to eliminate the toxins from the liver.
Dandelion: Dandelion root tea is an excellent liver cleansing drink.
Leafy Green Vegetables: All these veggies are high in chlorophyll that can absorb toxins in your body and improve the function of the liver.
If you regularly consume these foods, doing a liver detox protocol once or twice annually is enough to ensure its health.
You can try numerous different juice and smoothie recipes that combine these veggies and fruits and cleanse the liver in a delicious way.
Make sure you try the following ones, as they are full of nutrients, contain many of the foods from the list, and despite detoxifying the liver, also improve our overall health:
1.Super Cleanse Smoothie
Ingredients:
- 1 apple sliced and cored
- 1/2 lemon (peeled)
- ¼ inch slice of fresh ginger
- 1 Tablespoon chia seeds
- 1 cup of kale (without stem and ribs)
- 1 small beet
Instructions:
Blend the ingredients and add water to get the desired consistency.
2. Citrus Liver Boost Green smoothie
Ingredients:
- ½ cup dandelion greens
- 1 rib celery
- 2 oranges (peeled)
- 1 lemon (peeled)
- ½ cup parsley
- 1.5-2cups water
Instructions:
Mix the listed ingredients in your blender, and you will get a delicious refreshing smoothie, that will optimize the vitamin C levels in the body and cleanse the liver when you feel sluggish.
3. Super Liver Green Smoothie
Ingredients:
- ½ cup arugula
- 2 stalks celery
- 1/2 cup spinach
- Lemon juice from 1 squeezed lemon
- 1/4 Tablespoon Spirulina
Instructions:
Blend the ingredients, add water if necessary, and enjoy this nutritious, green, liver-cleansing smoothie!