Therefore, it has to perform optimally if you want to maintain your health. Believe it or not, an unhealthy liver can have a far-reaching impact on overall health and even affect your concentration levels. So it is extremely important for students.
Keeping your liver healthy is easy, provided that you are ready to invest in the right diet and lifestyle. But this is something that busy students often overlook. However, you can simply rely on certain foods that strengthen the organ naturally and enhance its functioning as well. Just incorporating them in your daily diet is a great way to keep liver ailments at bay.
Here is a list of the liver-protecting foods and drinks that students should consume every day.
Garlic
The liver plays a key role in the breakdown of toxins, which means that you should have more detox foods. Garlic comes ahead as one of the best natural detox agents, which makes it an excellent choice for your daily diet.
It is loaded with allicin, a potent antioxidant that provides protection from oxidative damage. Further, it stimulates the liver to activate the production of toxin-removing enzymes.
You can simply pop a few pods of garlic every morning or add this pungent herb to dishes for adding extra flavor.
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is a high-fiber food that promotes digestion and improves the elimination of waste through the bowel. It is high in a specific type of fiber that is beneficial for liver health. Additionally, it contains powerful anti-inflammatory compounds called beta-glucans.
Animal studies have shown that beta-glucans can actually decrease the fat amount in the liver. The best way to have oatmeal is to opt for whole oats or steel cut oats rather than prepackaged variants. Just having a bowl full in breakfast before leaving for school or college is the best way to start your day.
Beetroot
Another food that is acclaimed for protecting the liver is beetroot. This vegetable is a rich source of betalains, an antioxidant that reduces inflammation and oxidative damage. Moreover, it is a natural detoxifying agent as well as it stimulates the production of detox enzymes in the liver. You can easily add beets to your daily diet by consuming them as a salad, cooking as a soup or stew or drinking beetroot juice.
Cruciferous vegetables
Cruciferous veggies such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts and mustard greens make a great addition to a liver-protective diet. They have high fiber content and are loaded with beneficial plant compounds, not to mention their distinctive taste and crunch.
The compounds in these veggies are capable of stimulating the production of detox enzymes in the liver and reducing oxidative stress as well. Adding these vegetables to your diet is a great idea so that your liver ends up doing more work with less effort!
Fatty fish
Loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, fatty fish such as salmon, sardines and mackerel serve as great foods for your liver. Omega 3 acids are the healthy fat variants that cut down the inflammation and even prevent fat buildup in the liver. Further, they keep the enzyme levels normal and improve insulin resistance as well.
Moreover, these healthy fats boost the brain function which makes them a great addition to a students’ diet. And the most amazing part is that fatty fish is not only good for your liver, it makes your heart healthier as well.
Herbal tea
Besides a range of foods that do wonders for your liver health, you can try drinking herbal tea for extra support. Black tea and green tea are the best ones to cleanse the liver and make it healthier.
The conventional black tea is great for reversing the negative impact of high-fat diet on the liver. Green tea is high in antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress and reduce the fat deposits in the liver.
Stinging nettle, hydrangea and sambong are some other herbs that can be used for making liver-friendly concoctions.
Coffee
Besides herbal tea, coffee is another amazing beverage that you can rely on for enhancing your liver health manifold. Studies have shown that drinking coffee regularly protects the liver from inflammation and even reduces the risk of cirrhosis. Further, it increases the levels of glutathione, an antioxidant that neutralizes the harmful free radicals and protects the liver from damage. If you are a coffee lover, do keep drinking and if you aren’t, start taking a cup or two a day!
Grapefruit
Next on the list of best liver-protective foods is grapefruit, which is high in antioxidants naringenin and naringin. Both these antioxidants protect the liver from inflammation and also cut down the risk of hepatic fibrosis.
Naringenin decreases the amount of liver fat and increases the synthesis of enzymes needed for burning fat. Naringin has been proven beneficial for improving the ability to metabolize alcohol and counter its negative effects as well. Grapefruit can be consumed as a fruit or taken as a juice.
Turmeric
Turmeric offers excellent support for liver health. It is high in curcumin, a bioactive compound that has extraordinary medicinal properties. It is an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antifungal and antibacterial in nature and protects liver from a variety of diseases.
Further,curcumin minimizes oxidative stress, improves lipid metabolism and enhances insulin sensitivity too. You can consume turmeric powder, prepare tea with turmeric root or add it generously in your everyday cooking.
Blueberries and cranberries
If you are looking for delicious foods that protect your liver as well, blueberries and cranberries make a great addition to your diet. These berries are loaded with anthocyanins, the antioxidants which give them their distinctive colors.
According to some animal studies, these antioxidants retard the development of lesions and fibrosis in the liver. You can have these berries raw or juice them up to add them to your daily diet.
other valuable tips:
These foods and drinks are readily available and easy to add in your diet in one form or the other. Even if you live in a hostel, you can easily eat them every day. The best thing about relying on them is that they heal and strengthen your liver naturally.
You need not rely on medicines because they just pile on the toxin levels that your liver had to clear. Rather, natural is the best way to make your liver healthier and stronger.
Consuming the right diet is the key to enhancing your liver’s function and keeping it performing optimally. At the same time, healthy foods are often good for the brain as well, which is something vital for students.
Image Credit: liver protecting foods by Pixabay
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