The best foods protecting liver health

Your liver is a perfect example of one of the hardest working organs of the digestive system. From helping filter blood, detoxifying chemicals, and metabolizing medications, the liver keeps your body safe from harm. To achieve optimal health, protecting your liver is critical for your overall well-being.

One of the best ways to preserve liver health is to choose foods wisely. There’s a growing public health issue due to the large increase in NAFLD or non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Referred to as ‘silent liver disease,’ NAFLD is when fat deposits accumulate in your liver.  These deposits keep your liver from doing a good job of removing toxins from your blood.  You may have heard of liver disease in people who drink too much alcohol due to cirrhosis brought on by chronic alcoholism or the necessity of requiring a liver transplant.  But that is not the same as NAFLD.

NAFLD is more likely to develop in those who are overweight to obese, have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides.  Individuals who have rapidly lost weight and have poor eating habits are also candidates to develop NAFLD.  NAFLD is the most common chronic liver disease in adults in developed countries.  Approximately 30 percent or one in three adults in the United States have NAFLD.  There has been a steady rise in NAFLD over the years and it is believed to be due to the progression of obesity.  NAFLD is directly associated with and proportional to the degree of obesity, particularly abdominal fat. 

 What foods help preserve liver health?

With some dietary changes for the better, you can improve the health of your liver. Here is a listing of healthy foods that nourish liver health helping it function at its best:

·      Green tea

Tea is second only to water among the most widely consumed beverages in the world, which is a good thing for your liver.  That’s because studies have shown that green tea contains catechins called EGCG with strong antioxidant properties that inhibit the initiation and development of cancer at different body sites, including the liver. These same catechins found in green tea also improve blood markers of the liver, boost liver enzyme levels, and protect against oxidative stress and fat deposits in the liver. It is recommended to only drink green tea in its natural form and not take it as a supplement.

·      Beans

Brimming with fiber, beans are well-known for supporting and feeding your healthy microbiome (bacteria that live in your gut). When you gut bacteria is being fed well by including beans in your diet, this likely is also supporting good liver health. An excellent source of protein, fiber-rich beans help you feel fuller longer thus reducing appetite preventing you from consuming not-so-healthy foods.

·      Coffee

Go ahead, have your morning cup of joe, your liver will love it. While you may consume coffee more for the energized feeling it provides, few of us would guess that your coffee habit can lead to a healthy liver. Coffee appears to reduce inflammation in the liver while increasing antioxidants the body naturally produces. The ideal way to drink coffee is black but if you must have some flavor, add just a splash of cream or a small spoonful of sugar. Avoid the overly sugary coffee concoctions loaded with calories.

·      Garlic

Detoxification is important to keep your liver healthy. Go with garlic as a food for good liver health. Garlic is rich in allicin, an antioxidant that protects the body from oxidative damage. Allicin is the main bioactive compound that stimulates the liver to activate the enzymes that can flush out harmful substances.

·      Broccoli

This powerhouse veggie is an excellent source of isothiocyanates, sulfur-containing compounds, the most notable being sulforaphane. The isothiocyanates regulate the expression of genes that are involved in flushing out carcinogens and improving metabolism. Broccoli also has anti-inflammatory properties.

·      Beetroot

Beetroots contain antioxidants known as betalains. Researchers have confirmed that long-term feeding of beetroot juice can help reduce DNA damage and liver injury induced by carcinogens.

·      Leafy greens

Make leafy greens a regular on your dinner plate - spinach, kale, mustard greens, collard greens, radish greens, Swiss chard, bok choy, all good for liver health. Leafy green veggies protect your liver from oxidative damage and other diseases. These nutrient-rich veggies contain a good amount of vitamins A, C, and K, calcium, and antioxidants and have anti-inflammatory properties.

·      Turmeric

Turmeric is a yellow pigmented root used in cooking. Curcumin is the bioactive compound responsible for its varied medicinal properties. It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifungal, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. Curcumin helps to protect the liver from liver disease and injury by reducing inflammation.

·      Lemons and Oranges

All vitamin C rich citrus fruits such as lemons are loaded with antioxidants. When individuals consume citrus fruit, it helps to reduce the oxidative damage in the liver.

·      Walnuts

Walnuts are rich in healthy fats that have anti-inflammatory properties. Scientists have found that rats fed high-fat diets which resulted in fatty liver, when supplemented with walnuts, helped reduce hepatic triglycerides, lowered the levels of enzymes involved in liver homeostasis, and suppressed the genes involved in hepatic inflammation.

David B. Samadi, MD, Urologic Oncology Expert and Robotic Surgeon located at 485 Madison Avenue on the 21st floor, New York, NY – 212-365-5000.  Follow Dr. Samadi at www.samadimd.com,  www.prostatecancer911.com, and www.roboticoncology.com