Liver Cleanse Diet: 11 Ways to Support the Body’s Fat and Toxin Processing Wonder
The liver is essential for so many things, but most importantly, it is one of the most vital internal organ to support weight loss and help us to detox from the millions of poisons in our air, water, and soil. Without the liver, and bile produced by the organ, we simply couldn’t lose weight, no matter how much we exercised or ate sensibly.
This is because the liver helps to create and process special enzymes called lipase that digest fats – and guess where most of the toxins in our bodies are stored when they aren’t running through our bloodstream – you guessed it – in our fat! It is essential to include detoxifying foods every single day to naturally have a liver cleanse diet.
Because the liver helps to create and process special enzymes called lipase that digest fats – and guess where most of the toxins in our bodies are stored when they aren’t running through our bloodstream – you guessed it – in our fat!
It should come as no surprise that those with clogged and over-taxed livers have a very difficult time losing weight, or feel that they have no energy to carry them through the day. They might also suffer from other ailments like acne, eczema, psoriasis, bloating, headaches, and more, from carrying around an excessive toxic burden. Our poor liver need some help!
Without bile, made by the liver, the body could neither take in nutrients or expel unnecessary matter that our bodies don’t need. Further, without proper bile production and bile acids, we can’t lose weight! We shouldn’t even consider trying to lose weight if our livers are clogged and toxically overloaded!
- The liver’s main job is to aid the lipase enzymes to digest fats; if your liver or gallbladder (where bile acids are stored) are not working properly, fats and toxins will not be broken down correctly and will start building up, thereby causing weight gain.
- The liver is the largest internal detoxification organ, so it should be attended to in any weight loss plan. When we eat poorly, the liver actually makes more fat (to store the toxins) and keeps us overweight. Consuming herbs that support bile production and overall liver cleansing help us to eliminate the toxins instead of hold onto them.
- When the liver is ‘feeling better’ it starts to work more efficiently and frees up energy to motivate us to move more. We then experience boundless energy and actually want to exercise – leading to more weight loss.
The Start to Your Liver Cleanse Diet
The following herbs and liver cleansing foods support liver detoxification:
- Garlic – Due to allicin and selenium, which both help the liver to detox the body.
- Borotutu Bark – Derived from African Borututu tree bark (Cochlospermum angolensis), this herb has been used for centuries to support the liver as well as gastrointestinal problems.
- Organic Virgin Apple Cider Vinegar – With it’s vitamins, minerals and alkalinity-restoring capabilities, ACV is wonderful for supporting the liver.
- Milk Thistle – An herb used for over 2000 years to support the liver, gallbladder, and kidneys.
- Grapefruit – High in vitamin C, enzymes, and antioxidants that support liver functioning.
- Leafy Greens – Due to high antioxidant levels. These can be kale, spinach, collards, etc.
- Green Tea – Due to its catechins which support liver detox.
- Apples – Apples are full of pectin, and pectin supports detoxification through the bowels, it making the liver’s job easier as it lessens it’s toxic burden.
- Beets and Carrots – Due to high levels of carotenoids and plant-flavanoids.
- Avocados – Full of glutathione that helps the liver detox toxic chemicals.
- Chicory Root – This beautiful herb with sky blue flowers has been used for over a thousand years to cure liver disease, including jaundice.
The above foods are great to include in your liver cleanse diet, but don’t stop there! Learn how to clean your liver with these 5 natural liver-cleansing tips while implementing a liver cleanse diet. This vital organ deserves more attention than you might think.
thanks for providing the list of foods that would help cleanse the liver. I would probably need to include these foods in my daily meals.
What do you do when your Gallbladder has been removed. I have had problems with digestion, weight gain etc since this has happened. Is there something I should ingest with my meals? Thank You very Much. Cat
I would try a good Enzyme and Probiotics. Have you been checked for a hernia? I formed one after I was having A-fib attacked and it is the Hiatal kind. Not fun. That also can cause a problem with digestion.
I had my gallbladder removed, sort of on an emergency basis May 2012. Have had belching and Borborygmus, medical word for rumbling and growling sounds in stomach. Also have heartburn big time from many foods. There is something wrong with the way my small intestine now handles food and liquids. I know the choice of foods ingested is important and supporting the liver is now extra important since I no longer have a gallbladder, but I have a feeling I need much more sophisticated advice in managing my digestion of the small intestine. I know I will not get that from gastrointestinal medical doctors, been there done that. So it would be helpful to get some solid advice about all this. I would also mention that I have gained weight and fat inordinately since my operation. Something weird is going on.
Anyone who has had their gall bladder removed will have difficulty with digestion of fats. A good holistic doctor will probably have you take bile salts.
Use a Protein Powder mix for smoothies, one with lots of amino acids. You need to jump start your Pancreas enzyme production with this product, give it a boost until it can make it's own again, or maybe it can't and you will need to always supplement. It starts there. Have some before breakfast to get started off right.
I would suggest a good Naturopath. I was advised, in January of this year, by my MD to have my gallbladder removed. I'd read enough to know that wasn't a 'sure' fix so stalled while I looked for alternatives. After lots of research I started with a Naturopath who suggested digestive enzymes to give the liver a break. I also adjusted my diet big time…aiming for 70% of my meals as fruits and vegs. So far it's working! No gallbladder 'episodes' since April. And of course the bonus is some pounds lost. 🙂 I've finished with the digestive enzymes now and control it strictly by watching what I eat and getting more exercise. I'm sure even with your gallbladder removed some of the things a naturopath suggests would be helpful for you.
All the best!
my liver will thank me for this , and beetroot juice is great for lowering blood pressure as well
excellent info thank you….
For those like me, who have had gallbladder surgery, and still have a lot of pain and spams in their liver area. Some of that pain in the area the gallbladder was removed, could be a body reaction to the metal clamp/clip the Surgeon leaves in all of us after Gall bladder surgery. I have liver spasms so bad, it feels like a cutting knife inside me!
Also, be careful with liver detox products. Using the liver detox products can really cause you to feel very sick and a feeling of ill health during the process. I have never been able to complete a liver detox product, because they made me feel so sick, nauseated, and I couldn’t eat anything.
I forgot to include….it is better if you eat the right kinds of natural foods to naturally and gently detox our liver, because you might be sorry if you use those Liver Detoxification Products on the market, outside of eating natural foods to do it.
I'm really concerned about the GMO breakdown of any and all herbal products .. a lot of Mother Earth healing qualities have been destroyed
Beets? 92% of beet production in the U.S. is GM! If it's not HFCS and not clearly labeled as Cane Sugar(preferably organic) but rather just 'sugar' it's got to be beet sugar.
My apologies. I mistook it beets for sugar beets.
Grapefruit is not recommended during a liver detox as it can interfere with the livers complicated detoxification process. Lemon juice has more benefits that support the liver.
Thanks Ms. Sarich!
Your articles are always fabulously informative.
I have to start coming to this site regularly…. thanks for making available informations about our human body and how to care for it