Our liver is an essential organ that performs a wide range of tasks, ranging from detoxifying our body to regulating blood sugar levels. It is important to keep our liver healthy and good nutrition plays a crucial role in this. Find out in this blog how to best support your liver with the right nutrition.

Duties of the liver

One of the liver's most important tasks is detoxification, but what exactly is detoxification?

Detoxification is about a conversion process of toxins, hormones, medications and nutrition. Nutrients are made usable for our cells in this process, while hormones and medications are inactivated so they can no longer be harmful.

Other important functions of the liver are:

1. Production of energy
2. Production of bile
3. Ensuring stable blood sugar levels
4. Production of cholesterol
5. Storage of a number of important vitamins and minerals: A, B vitamins, D, K and iron.

Supporting the liver

So the liver has important functions, but these days it is working overtime so it does not get around to all its tasks. All kinds of toxins pass through the liver to make them harmless to the body, but these toxins are increasing. Examples include processed foods, alcohol, air pollution, heavy metals, hormone-disrupting substances in paint, furniture, clothing, makeup and skin care.

Proper liver detoxification is important, among other things, for healthy bile production. This is because without bile we cannot digest fatty meals. This can cause problems in bowel movements, slower digestion and, for example, bloating.

You can think of your liver as a physical border guard. The liver is busy day and night "recognizing" (what kind of substance is this?), "weighing up" (what use is this substance to the body?) and "deciding" (what are we going to use this substance for?).

Nutrition for your liver

So we can be a little kinder to our liver in these times. But how do you do this?

First of all, it is important to avoid processed foods, alcohol, caffeine and hormone disruptors as much as possible. Want to know which ingredients from cosmetics are best to avoid? Then download our free e-book 'Zin & onzin over beauty and supplements' here.

Support your liver with the following foods 

1. Your liver loves foods with a bitter taste. This is because bitter substances stimulate the release of bile in the intestines and thus support healthy bowel movements. Examples include: chicory, artichoke, endive, Brussels sprouts, onion, radish, garlic, arugula, thyme, nettle and ginger. Tip: Try to include some of these foods on the menu at least once a week.
2. Curcumin is the active ingredient in turmeric and improves digestion in your gastrointestinal system. It also ensures proper gallbladder function. Tip: Use turmeric spices more often in your dishes or make a delicious cup of turmeric milk.
3. Choose organic food whenever possible. Food from the supermarket is highly sprayed. These toxins have to go back past the liver to be rendered harmless, leaving less time for other important tasks.
4. Drink plenty of water. Your liver eliminates waste products and toxins, among other things, by making them water-soluble so that the kidneys can drain them. In this way, you urinate out the waste products again.
5. Add more green vegetables to your menu. Green vegetables contain a lot of chorophyll (leafy greens) which in turn stimulates detoxification. But drinking a nettle tea is also nice for detoxification.