Liver and Healthy Nutrition

Importance of a Healthy Liver

The liver is the most generous organ of our organism, a tireless and versatile worker essential for good health and indispensable to life.
The liver performs the following tasks:

storekeeper (acts as a store of nutrients, such as glycogen, some minerals, see iron, and various vitamins, especially B12 and fat-soluble ones),
scavenger with a marked propensity to respect the environment (it is the most active organ in detoxification processes and also plays an immune role),
producer and distributor of energy (processes food substances and produces new ones to meet specific needs of the organism),
autotransporter (synthesizes many plasma proteins such as albumins and some globulins, as well as specific carriers of hormones and nutrients, see lipoproteins)
traffic controller (regulates the various metabolic pathways also thanks to the production of hormones).

If all of this were not enough, the liver also has numerous health skills; for example, it is able to repair itself when injured and synthesizes proteins necessary for the blood clotting process.

Diet and Liver Disorders

Of course, however effective it is, the liver certainly cannot work miracles. If the quantity of toxins to be treated is excessive, its purifying capacity becomes saturated and these substances return to the bloodstream with all their dangerous load.
Overeating is one of the reasons for its malfunction because it prevents the liver from engaging in detoxification of the organism, as well as in the synthesis and processing of nutrients.

On the other hand, a healthy and balanced diet, rich in antioxidants, helps him get rid of toxic substances, such as drugs, alcohol, pathogens, metabolic residues, dead cells, dioxins, caffeine and pesticides, without the hepatocytes being damaged important.
Liver-friendly nutrients, such as vitamins A, C and E, in addition to selenium and glutathione, are found mainly in fruit, fish, vegetables and whole grains.
An important phase in the detoxification process is the conjugation of the toxic agent with substances that increase its solubility in water; in this way the waste products can be easily expelled in the urine or feces (in this case only after being been poured into the intestine with bile). For this phase to be efficient, liver cells require sulfur-containing amino acids such as taurine and cysteine. Eggs and vegetables, such as cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, pumpkin, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, etc ...), but also garlic, onion and leek, are all excellent natural sources of sulfur.
If the detoxification process is ineffective, for example due to a diet rich in fried foods, saturated fats and grilled foods, but at the same time low in fiber, fruit and vegetables, toxins tend to accumulate in the body. Many of these, being fat-soluble, accumulate in the tissues rich in lipids, such as adipose, and are able to cross the blood brain barrier that protects the brain.

According to some authors, the "accumulation of fat by the body" can be interpreted, at least in part, as an attempt to protect itself from an excess of toxic substances resulting from an "unregulated diet. On the other hand, the" excess of toxins and in particular ammonia would have negative repercussions on the whole organism (attention deficit, increase in food allergies and intolerances, increased sensitivity to infections).

Food Friends and Enemies

Liver friendly foods

Enemy foods

Consume fresh fruit and vegetables in large quantities; eat yellow, orange, purple, white and red vegetables: liver friendly substances are associated with each color, such as fiber, antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals (see: color diet).

The fibers limit the absorption of toxic substances, facilitating their evacuation with the faeces.

The fibers (prebiotics), together with yogurt and in particular with probiotics, improve the efficacy of the intestinal mucosa, which represents an effective filter which, when it works well, is permeable to nutrients but does not allow the passage of toxins.

Eat foods rich in glutathione or that promote glutathione production: asparagus, watermelon and broccoli are good sources of glutathione, as well as papaya, sulfur amino acids and avocado promote its production.

Bitter foods such as dandelion, artichoke, milk thistle, mustard, romaine lettuce and broccoli help cleanse the liver.

Drink plenty of water (2 to 3 liters per day) as it helps the kidneys to expel treated toxins from the liver.

Fish is a good source of Omega-3, which have a powerful anti-inflammatory activity, and of selenium, an excellent antioxidant that helps the liver in detoxification processes.

When cooking, cook little or just enough, never exaggerate.

Foods rich in saturated fats, such as sausages, meats, bacon, butter, cheeses, whole milk and eggs (the yolk).

Other foods to avoid are fried foods, as toxic substances such as acrylamide are produced during the cooking process at high temperatures. Dangerous foods for the liver are therefore fried potatoes in a pan and greasy and salty snacks.

Limit refined foods such as sweets, sugar, white rice, cakes, sweets and candies of all kinds. The liver is in fact heavily involved in metabolizing the excess of simple sugars.

Large meals overload the liver.

Reduce alcohol consumption as much as possible (no more than a glass of wine or a can of beer per day for women, up to double for men), smoking, both active and passive, and avoid foods rich in preservatives dangerous, such as nitrites present in cured meats and preserved meats.

Moderate the consumption of coffee and chocolate.

Limit the consumption of high-calorie and high-fat foods; all this facilitates the maintenance of an optimal weight and removes the risk of steatosis, ie the excessive accumulation of triglycerides in the liver, a condition typically associated with obesity.