The liver is the largest organ in your body and plays several essential roles in your overall health. Your liver supports digestive function by breaking down food into substances your body can use, converting stored energy into usable energy, and is responsible for the body’s detoxification processes.
Your liver requires support from you to perform these essential tasks efficiently. Weight management and diet are important lifestyle-related contributors to liver health, and both of these are well within your control.
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Top 5 Favorite Foods for Liver Health
Along with regular exercise to support a healthy weight, a balanced diet that provides essential nutrients to your liver is how you can take the best care of your liver. In particular, there are a few top foods you should include in your diet to support liver function and overall health.
1. Tree Nuts
When consumed in reasonable amounts, nuts are nutrient-dense snacks that are also high in omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats help support liver lipid metabolism and are a healthier alternative to processed snack foods. Walnuts, in particular, contain a higher fatty acid content, making them especially beneficial for reducing occasional oxidative stress in and around the liver.
Tree nuts are also a great source of vitamin E and tocotrienols, which are powerful cleansing, and highly protective compounds to help support healthy liver cell function and regeneration while supporting healthy cholesterol levels.
2. Avocado
Avocados are an excellent source of monounsaturated fats, which help maintain healthy cholesterol levels for overall healthy liver function. Additionally, avocados offer more than 20 minerals, vitamins, and plant nutrients to support overall liver health and a healthy serving of fiber which helps support the liver’s detoxification processes. Avocados are also great alternatives for cheese or mayonnaise on sandwiches and can be easily added to salads or smoothies.
3. Soluble fiber
Soluble fiber dissolves in water and can be found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, and barley. This type of fiber can promote proper digestion and support healthy cholesterol and blood glucose levels. Keeping these within healthy ranges helps reduce occasional oxidative stress to the liver. Regular fiber intake also promotes healthy liver enzyme functioning to support the proper breakdown of food into nutrients.
4. Seeds
Seeds contain unsaturated fatty acids and other essential nutrients and are healthier snack alternatives to chips and pretzels.
Chia seeds are especially beneficial for your liver as they contain ALA (alpha-lipoic acid), which the body cannot make, so we must get through our diet. ALA increases glutathione production, protecting against occasional oxidative stress. ALA also recycles vitamins C and E, which are also potent antioxidants.
Flaxseeds also contain high amounts of ALA along with plenty of fiber to support healthy cholesterol levels. The fiber in flaxseeds binds to bile salts before being excreted, so your body pulls cholesterol from your blood to replenish these bile salts, which aids in the maintenance of proper liver health.
5. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Extra virgin olive oil contains polyphenols and a potent antioxidant called hydroxytyrosol, both of which support healthy cholesterol levels. Additionally, polyphenols help support proper liver lipid metabolism, and hydroxytyrosol promotes the antioxidant capacity of liver enzymes to reduce occasional oxidative stress and protect the liver from environmental threats.
Support Liver Health From Within
With the right supplements, you can nourish your liver with naturally-sourced ingredients that provide comprehensive support. The carefully-selected ingredients in 1MD Nutrition’s LiverMD® are a perfect place to start for those who want to support healthy liver enzyme function, detoxification, and overall liver health.
♦ EVNolMax® is a patented supercharged vitamin E extract that can help cleanse your liver and promotes proper cell division in the liver.
♦ Siliphos® combines silybin from milk thistle with phospholipids for enhanced bioavailability and superior absorption for optimal liver health support.
♦ Alpha-lipoic acid helps reduce occasional oxidative stress and supports healthy liver enzyme activity to promote energy and focus.
♦ Selenium is another antioxidant aid that plays a key role in the liver’s detoxification processes.
♦ L-cysteine is an important amino acid that promotes glutathione production, an antioxidant that helps reduce occasional oxidative stress to lover cells.
♦ Zinc, an essential mineral, helps with your body's detoxification process to support the digestive tract and your liver.
Final Thoughts
Your liver has a lot of work to do, so it is important to make sure it has support in the form of proper nutrition. There is a significant benefit to having a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a nutrient-rich diet, regular exercise, and everyday stress management.
Taking an integrative approach that incorporates standard medical care, proper nutrition that includes my top 5 favorite foods for liver health, and the targeted support of 1MD Nutrition’s LiverMD® can give you control of your health and well-being by giving your liver everything it needs.
Dr. David Kahana
Dr. David Kahana is board certified in Pediatrics and Gastroenterology through the American Board of Pediatrics (ABP), as well as Medical Nutrition through the National Board of Physician Nutrition Specialists.
