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The liver performs many essential tasks such as secreting bile juice to help in digestion and breaking down toxins resulting from alcohol, medications, and metabolism.

A healthy liver is essential for our overall well-being. Let us have a look at what to take and what to avoid to keep our liver in optimal health. The liver is the primary organ of detoxification and performs many other functions including, metabolizing fats, carbohydrates, and proteins, balancing hormones, blood sugar stability, the formation of ketones, and aiding digestion.

Liver detoxification

The liver does filtering and detoxification of natural and environmental toxins and pathogenic organisms in the body. It also recognizes toxic substances and converts the toxic substances into benign substances that can be released and removed by the kidneys or the gallbladder.

Digestion and nutrient regulation

The liver acts as a digestive organ and plays a central role in all metabolic processes in the body, helping metabolize fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. It stores the vitamins and minerals and releases them into the blood when needed and converts nutrients in our food into essential blood components.

It also produces bile which is essential for absorbing fats in our diet. Bile is secreted by the liver and stored in the gallbladder. Bile aids in the elimination of fat-soluble toxins and excess substances such as hormones from our bodies.

The best fruits for the liver are :

• Berries

Fruits that are high in antioxidants have been proven to aid in liver health. A study conducted on animals in 2014 by The National Center for Biotechnology in Maryland found that the types of antioxidants in berries slowed the development of lesions, fibrosis, and the development of scar tissue in the liver.

• Grapefruit

Grapefruit is high in vitamin C and supports liver detoxification. It is also low in calories and carbohydrates. Eating grapefruit before a meal can help to limit your appetite which aids in preventing overeating.

Grapefruit is high in soluble fiber which helps to lower your blood sugar and promotes regular bowel movements. A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition (2011), shows that naringenin extracted from grapefruit can activate the chemicals responsible for breaking down fatty acids.

• Grapes

Grapes contain vitamin C, and manganese and are filled with antioxidants. A study by E. Mitchell Seymour, from the University of Michigan Health System, showed that three months of a grape-enriched diet significantly reduced inflammatory markers in the liver of rats that were susceptible to obesity.

In addition, consuming grapes reduced liver, kidney, and abdominal fat weight and increased signs of antioxidant defense, mainly in the liver and kidneys.

• Apples

Apples are high in pectin, a substance that binds to heavy metals in the body, especially in the colon, which aids in their excretion. Removing heavy metals from the body reduces stress on the liver and reduces the amount of detoxification required.

• Avocado

Avocado is the superfood of this modern world. It contains a good amount of different vitamins and minerals which improve the overall health of the liver. It contains a unique antioxidant known as glutathione which helps to filter harmful toxins from your body.

Avoid Excess fruits

This may be hard to believe, but consuming large amounts of fructose-rich fruits like raisins, and dry fruits can result in inflammation and fatty liver. This is because the sugar present in fruits, known as fructose, can cause abnormal amounts of fat in the blood when consumed in large amounts.

Your liver does a lot for you, like filtering your blood and breaking down food. By monitoring your diet, you can return the favor and live life with a healthy, properly-functioning liver.