The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body. It is also one of the most important, considering its function in digestion and detoxification. The liver has numerous vital functions. It filters blood by removing oestrogen and aldosterone, toxins that have accumulated in our system. Apart from detoxification, it also plays an important role in metabolising fats, carbohydrates and proteins. The bile produced by the liver helps in the breakdown and absorption of fats and certain vitamins. Other vitamins, minerals, and glycogen reserves are stored in the liver. The importance of keeping our liver healthy cannot be stressed enough. So it is imperative that we eat foods good for the liver to keep it healthy.
Liver Damage Understanding
The liver functions as the body’s main detoxifier. All toxins we consume pass through the liver first. It is important to remember that the liver is a self-regenerating organ, which means it heals itself unless severely impaired. While toxins are filtered out, sustained intake of these could cause permanent and irreversible damage to the liver.
The most common cause of liver disease is prolonged and excess alcohol consumption. Occasional to moderate alcohol consumption may not cause lasting damage to the liver, but any excesses certainly will. Similarly, steroid supplements are taken by bodybuilders and trainers also lead to serious liver damage. Protein supplements, on the other hand, promote liver health. Apart from alcohol and steroid intake, excess consumption of sugars can also lead to fatty liver. Obesity is another cause of the occurrence of fatty liver. If not handled timely, the fatty liver could ultimately lead to liver cirrhosis. So you should take good food for liver health.
Diet Liver Health Importance
It’s become established that diet is central to maintaining the human body’s well-being. Foods good for liver include the right proportion of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats (the macronutrients), and vitamins and minerals (the micronutrients). Just as an unhealthy diet can lead to the development of a fatty liver, adopting a liver health diet can help reverse the condition, experts believe.
Closer Look of Diet for a Good Healthy Liver
Let’s now look at each of the major components of a liver health diet and how they help to maintain your liver health. For your body to function optimally, the cells in your body need energy, which is supplied from glucose in the food you eat. The glucose is primarily supplied by carbohydrates in your diet. To function optimally, the cells in our body require energy and this energy is supplied from the glucose in our food. This metabolic fuel, glucose, is primarily supplied by the carbohydrates in our diet. A carbohydrate diet leads to its conversion into glycogen which is eventually deposited as visceral fat. Protein is the building block of our bones and muscles and are included in a liver health diet. But a sedentary lifestyle leads to the conversion of proteins into glucose instead of being utilised in muscle building. This means that even in the absence of carbohydrates in the diet, glucose is formed in the body. Apart from this, when a person’s diet is deficient in carbohydrates, the body starts utilising the stored glycogen deposits, thus naturally reversing obesity and melting away visceral fat. Since the diet cannot be deficient in protein, it is important to cut carbs and consume foods good for the liver, as well as avoid all sugars, to reverse a fatty liver condition according to dieticians and nutritionists.
High protein foods such as meat, eggs, pulses, soybeans and cottage cheese are good for the liver. Vitamins and minerals in the diet come from raw vegetables and fruits. This means lots of salads, fruits and juices make up an essential diet. However, fibre must provide the bulk of the food. Lack of fibre damages the intestinal lining and, in turn, damages the liver.
Ultimately, food for liver health must be low in carbohydrates, moderate in fats, and high in protein with generous portions of fruits and vegetables. This will keep a person in great health.
