The liver is responsible for more than 500 vital functions in your body. It helps digest food, makes important proteins for the blood, and removes toxins and waste products from the body — among many others. So it’s important to take care of your liver.
Your diet plays an important role in protecting your liver so it can keep running smoothly. This is true whether you have a healthy liver or if you have liver disease. We’ll run through the best foods that can boost liver health or help repair some of the damage.
. Cruciferous vegetables
If you love broccoli, you’re in luck. This cruciferous vegetable — along with cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and mustard greens — are good for your liver. They are a source of fiber, which supports liver health. Plus, they contain antioxidants and phytochemicals that may help prevent liver cancer.
Berries
It’s smart to add blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries to your meals and snacks because they’re rich in fiber. Berries also contain many antioxidants, including ones called anthocyanins. Studies in test tubes and on animals have linked the powerful antioxidants in berries to reduced liver damage. The antioxidants may also help slow the growth of cancerous liver cells. Human studies are still lacking, though, so there’s no definitive proof of these associations just yet.
Grapes
Like berries, grapes contain fiber and antioxidants. More specifically, grapes contain an antioxidant called resveratrol. This may help prevent further liver damage in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) — a common liver condition in the U.S. Studies show that people with NAFLD who take resveratrol supplements made from grape extract may have less liver inflammation. NAFLD can worsen from a process called oxidative stress. But antioxidants like resveratrol may help combat this process.
Nuts
Nuts are full of healthy unsaturated fats, which are a good addition to your diet for multiple reasons. One study found that eating 28 g of walnuts a day (a small handful) — alongside a Mediterranean diet — may reduce your risk of developing NAFLD. Another study showed that diets with a higher intake of nuts are associated with a decreased risk of NAFLD, particularly in men.
Beans
The American Liver Foundation recommends reducing saturated fat and red meat in your diet. One great way to do that is to occasionally replace red meat with beans, lentils, and chickpeas. These legumes are low in saturated fat and are a source of fiber, which is a winning combination that protects liver health.
Fatty fish
Oily or fatty fish — such as salmon and trout — is a good source of omega-3 fat. NAFLD is associated with diets that are too high in omega-6 fats (like from vegetable and seed oils) and too low in omega-3 fats. So, eating more oily fish can help adjust this balance. Omega-3 fats may slow the progression of NAFLD.Coffee
Coffee is good for liver health, but it works best when you don’t add a ton of sugar, because excess sugar is bad for your liver. Coffee has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and both decaf and caffeinated coffee seem to be beneficial. Studies suggest that a substance in coffee called diterpenes may help with detoxifying actions, which can be beneficial for people with liver fibrosis and cirrhosis
Prickly pear
Prickly pear is a cactus that has edible fruit. In several studies in animals, it has been shown to have a beneficial effect on liver health. When rats were fed prickly pear, they were less likely to develop fatty liver after 7 weeks. This protective effect was also seen in rats who were given alcohol to intentionally harm the liver. But there is no good research to say whether or not this helps in humans too.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit contains an antioxidant called naringin. In the lab, scientists have found that treating liver cells with naringin helps protect them from alcohol. Similar findings have been seen in rats that were given grapefruit juice. But again, more research is needed to know if humans get the same benefit.
