Liver Detox Diet: Foods to Eat and Avoid
The best liver detox relies on what you eat. A natural homeopathic cleanse is much safer than relying on supplements filled with chemicals. Find out how to safely detox your liver with this simple diet.
Liver Detox with a Homeopathic Diet
In This Article:
- Liver-Friendly Diet
- Foods and Chemicals to be Avoided
- Foods Great for Your Liver
- Additional Tips for a Liver Detox
Liver-Friendly Diet!
The liver is the body’s processing plant. It needs to be cared for to avoid liver diseases, characterized by thick bile. The best way to keep the liver running well is to provide it with liver-friendly foods while avoiding foods that are hard for the liver to process.
Foods and Chemicals to be Avoided!
Here is a list of everyday foods you should avoid during your liver cleanse:
- Hydrogenated vegetable oils (also known as trans fatty acids or simply trans fats)
- Artificial sweetener, especially aspartame
- Chemical preservatives
- Foods containing high fructose (e.g. corn syrup)
- Dairy products
Foods Great for Your Liver!
Liver-friendly foods are generally foods that are fresh. Herbs and spices are generally liver-friendly. Vegetables of all kinds also tend to keep the liver clean, especially those high in sulfur and goitrogens, i.e. especially the cruciferous vegetables. Examples are:
- Brussel sprouts
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Garlic
- Leaks
- Shallots
- Kale
- Radishes
- Onions
Additional Tips for a Liver Detox!
Tip 1: Use Stevia Sweetener
The safest sweetener for the liver is Stevia, as it has no effect on your blood sugar and is up to 300 times sweeter than sugar. You can find Stevia in the form of powders, crops, and tablets. You can also use sugar alcohols which are most commonly known as xylitol. Sugar alcohols contain very few calories compared to regular table sugar and have less effect on blood sugar.
Tip 2: Avoid Hydrogenated Oil
What’s the big deal about hydrogenated fats? Trans fats do not have flexibility. The cis-fat molecule tends to have lots of bends making it more flexible. Trans fats in your membranes stiffen them. They make them inflexible and impair their function. The advantage of trans fats to the food manufacturing business though is that they’re cheaper and they have a much longer shelf life.
Here are some simple steps on how to avoid hydrogenated oil:
- Read labels and look for any of the following terms: Partially Hydrogenated, Hydrogenated Fats. Sometimes they will try to hide the fact they are using trans fats. Vegetable oil or cholesterol-free does not mean they are trans-fat-free.
- Donuts and other deep-fat fried foods tend to be full of hydrogenated fats, and there are no labels on a donut.
- Microwave popcorn is especially bad. Typically the second ingredient is partially hydrogenated soybean oil. Here is a list of foods highest in trans-fatty acids:
- Deep-Fried Food
- Pie Crust
- Margarine
- Frosting
- Bisquick
- Non-Dairy Creamer
- Baked Goods
- Snacks
- Fried Food
- Refrigerator Dough
Tip 3: Avoid Dairy Products
Dairy products should also be avoided. While they are not high in trans-fats, they are still high in saturated fats which also tend to be inflexible. However, given the choice between a trans-fat and the saturated fats found in dairy products, you are better off with the dairy products.
Tip 4: Eat a lot of Liver-friendly Foods
Now that you know what to avoid, here is a list of the top 10 liver-friendly foods:
- Beets
- Broccoli
- Sweet potatoes
- Lemons
- Lentils
- Apples
- Garlic
- Onions
- Leafy greens
Watch this video from our YouTube channel, Agape Nutrition, for more reasons why you should avoid dairy:
A liver cleanses or detox doesn't have to involve medicine or supplements. You can keep your liver healthy through a diet that avoids trans-fat foods. Try the 7-day liver cleanse diet and see the difference.
What other foods do you avoid or consume to keep your liver healthy? Mention them in the comments section below!
Up Next: How Much Water Should I Be Drinking?
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. None of the nutritional products mentioned is intended to Diagnose, Treat, Cure, or Prevent Any Disease.
Editor's Note: This post was originally published on December 8, 2015, and has been updated for quality and relevancy.
