TOP foods that are good for the liver
The liver is the heaviest and largest internal organ in the human body after the intestine. It acts directly on each of the nutrients from our food. We could compare its action to that of a real factory: manufacturing, storage, sorting of waste are all tasks that it performs.
Indeed, its main functions are as follows: it metabolizes sugars, the fuel for the brain. It also metabolizes fat, for our energy needs. It stores vitamins and minerals. Finally, its most famous action: it filters waste. Whether they are endogenous (such as residues from intestinal fermentation in the event of poor digestion), or exogenous (heavy metals, alcohol, pesticides from our food).
There are many foods that can help support liver function: here are our top 20s. And to understand all about the liver and its functions, go after the list!
Milk thistle
Milk Thistle, commonly known as the wild artichoke, is a pretty plant that grows in southern Europe. It is particularly known for its hepatoprotective properties provided by silymarin, its active element. Its ripe dried fruits are used.
Recipe ideas : it can be consumed as a decoction by bringing 200 ml of water and 3 grams of Milk Thistle to the boil and allowing the mixture to boil for 10 minutes. It is filtered and preferably consumed before meals. Milk thistle can also be eaten in the form of oil. We prefer that obtained by first cold pressing, and we mix it with marinades or carpaccios. Roasted and powdered, the seeds can also be incorporated into bread doughs .
Black radish
The black radish is an herbaceous plant that is believed to be native to Asia Minor. It has choleretic virtues by promoting the secretion of bile and cholagogues by promoting its evacuation to the duodenum.
Recipe ideas : Add a pronounced spicy touch to your salads by adding black radish. With a cottage cheese sauce for sweetness or sesame seeds and a rice vinegar vinaigrette for an Asian version. In pure or diluted juice .
Artichoke
A vegetable plant, the artichoke belongs to the thistle family. Cynarin, the biochemical compound it contains, gives it a choleretic function, ie it acts on biliary secretion and promotes digestion.
Recipe ideas : the leaves of the stem have the most active substances, they can be consumed as an infusion, for example, before meals by infusing a teaspoon of dried leaves in a cup of water and then filtering, l bitterness will be there!
Garlic
At the heart of the Mediterranean diet, this bulb is used to heal many words. It presents the active ingredients, allicin and quercitin as well as selenium which would stimulate the liver in its work of cleaning the blood.
Recipe ideas : eaten raw as a condiment, it can be added to salads . To make it more digestible, we remove its germ and squeeze it. It can also be left to soak for about an hour in cold water to reduce its pungent taste. The aioli will go well with your steamed fish, seafood and vegetables. To give our sandwiches some pep, we can rub them with raw garlic before garnishing them with avocado for example and a yogurt sauce. Finally, if you prefer cooked garlic, you can decorate your roasts with cloves of garlic in shirts.
Turmeric
This orange spice is a detoxifying and protective food for the liver . The turmeric is in fact rich in curcumin, antioxidant pigment which gives it its yellow color. The latter stimulates biliary functions and helps the liver to get rid of its toxins.
Recipe ideas : preferably consumed fresh , it can be eaten in a dish (with pan-fried vegetables, pasta, in soup and in salad for example) like drunk in infusion with lemon. Mix it with sweet chili to get a colorful and delicious chili paste!
Avocado
Avocado, an excellent source of antioxidants and good natural fatty acids, helps relieve liver function.
Recipe ideas : it can be eaten in the form of guacamole , in salad with shrimps or salmon, in avocado toast.
Nettle
If you go looking for trouble you'll find it ! Nettle despite its stinging properties is full of nutritional qualities . It contains many active ingredients, trace elements and minerals such as potassium , calcium, iron and a high concentration of vitamins (group B, vitamin C and E in particular). It would stimulate the secretions of bile .
Recipe ideas : in decoction , nettle can also be eaten cooked like spinach. If you pick it up yourself, don't forget the gloves! To cook it, it is recommended to rinse it thoroughly. You can prepare it as a quiche , garnish it with potatoes and spices such as coriander to accompany meat and why not try it as a pesto ?
Matcha
A green tea powder originating in Japan, matcha is rich in catechin, a flavonoid with an antioxidant role that contributes to the proper functioning of the liver , protects it and helps it eliminate toxins.
Recipe ideas : Pure powder diluted in hot water or vegetable milk for a delicious matcha latte. Matcha also goes very well in desserts and pastries !
Beet
Beets are a vegetable that contains many antioxidants. It contains betanin, a pigment which gives it its characteristic color and is said to have hepato-protective and choleretic properties .
Recipe ideas : raw it is eaten in a salad with granny apple for example, in gazpacho , as a dip with fresh cheese or mixed with chickpea hummus for example. Cooked, you can make a soup .
Astragalus
Plant native to China, it plays a protective role and improves liver functions. Its flavonoid content allows astragalus to protect the liver and kidneys by limiting damage from alcohol, tobacco, drugs, and chemicals. Better yet: it regenerates damaged tissue.
Recipe ideas : in powder, it can be used diluted in a glass of water, a fruit juice or a smoothie. In cooking, it can be added to a broth or soup made with chicken, ginseng and astragalus roots, for example.
Goji berries
Goji berries are a detox food par excellence because they allow toxins to be eliminated more easily, which lightens the work of the liver and helps to spare it.
Recipe ideas : in dried fruits , it is the most practical way to consume them, either plain, as one would taste dried fruits, or in salty or sweet recipe. They are also consumed in the form of juice .
Carrots
The carrot comes from a European wild species cultivated in ancient times. It contains many vitamins including provitamin A, vitamin C and group B vitamins as well as minerals such as potassium and iron . These elements contribute to the proper functioning of the liver.
Recipe ideas : eaten preferably raw, it can be grated and garnished with parsley, chopped garlic and a lemon vinaigrette. It can also be consumed in the form of juice in combination with lemon and orange, the famous ACE cocktail. When the carrots are cooked, we can prepare them Vichy style ! For this we will need eight carrots, 50 g of butter, 1 teaspoon of sugar, salt, pepper and flat-leaf parsley.
Spinach
Plant native vegetable of Southwest Asia, its leaves are a concentrate of minerals and trace elements such as potassium , calcium, sodium , magnesium and vitamins including vitamins A , C , E , K . They also contain antioxidants such as lutein or zeaxanthin. The consumption of spinach would stimulate the action of hepatocytes .
Recipe ideas : to preserve the nutritional richness of this plant as well as possible, a gentle steam cooking is preferred . They can also be prepared in soup with an onion and a touch of yogurt, delicious for the winter. As a quiche , salad or smoothie with spinach, almond milk and honey, the possibilities are numerous!
Blackcurrant
Its berries are rich in antioxidants and vitamin C . It contains in particular anthocyanins (pigments present on the skin) which are said to have protective and stimulating properties of the functioning of the liver.
Recipe ideas : You can sprinkle raw berries on your smoothie bowls , for example adding oilseeds such as almonds or walnuts. In juice, jams, jelly or coulis to combine with cottage cheese or vegetable yogurt for example.
Spirulina
This cyanobacterium, not to be confused with algae, is a powerful detoxifier, in particular thanks to the chlorophyll which composes it and which contributes to the support of the hepatic function.
Recipe ideas: in powder, you can mix it with a drink, green tea or apple juice, which soften its taste. It is also integrated into smoothies and sweet or savory recipes. In flakes, just sprinkle your salads, eggs, mashed potatoes, to benefit from its little iodine taste, its beautiful color and its crunchiness.
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