7 foods to clean your liver

Diet is essential for the proper functioning of the body. How to eat balanced? What foods are good or bad for your health? What foods are richer in iron, calcium, magnesium, or potassium? Practical tips and tricks with our dieticians and nutritionists.

Have you abused sugars, alcohol, and fats? Your liver is congested, tired? The good news, some foods can detoxify it after excesses. Listings and advice with Professor Patrick Marcellin, herpetologist.

Diet plays a big role in liver health. 'What is bad for the liver seems obvious: we must limit alcohol, foods that are too rich in sugars, fats, and avoid the consumption of industrial or processed products, often too rich in additives. An unbalanced diet tends to tire the liver, which can no longer do its job properly and ensure the biochemical and metabolic functions essential for the proper functioning of the body, explains Professor Patrick Marcellin, a hepatologist at Beaujon Hospital and founder and organizer of the Paris Hepatology Conference (annual international congress on liver diseases), whose 13th edition took place on 13 and 14 January 2020 in Paris. On the other hand, foods rich in antioxidants, minerals (magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, iron), and vitamins (A, B, and C) are beneficial for the liver. They make it possible to cleanse it of toxins and protect it from liver diseases. Overview of the 7 best 'detox' foods.

1. Dark chocolate

'Contrary to what one might think, chocolate, provided it is black and with a cocoa content greater than 70% is good for the liver. The magnesium it contains has a protective effect on this organ. In addition, it is very rich in antioxidants, which makes it possible to delay the aging of liver cells, rid them of certain toxins and limit inflammation. These substances also have antidepressant and energizing properties', says Professor Marcellin. It goes without saying, but we avoid milk or white chocolate, which is very low in cocoa and too rich in fats and sugars.

2. Nuts

Oilseeds (nuts, Brazil nuts, Pecans, Macadamia, hazelnuts, almonds...) are extremely rich in phosphorus, a mineral salt very beneficial for the liver, specifies the hepatologist. Phosphorus makes it possible to metabolize lipids, thus digesting and degrading fats and preventing them from accumulating in the liver. Without phosphorus, our liver would be overloaded with fats and we would be at greater risk of having the liver disease (steatosis for example).

Foods richest in phosphorus (Tableau Ciqual Anses):

Brazil nuts: 658 mg/100 g

Pine nuts: 527 mg/100 g

Almond: 481 mg/100 g

Cashew nuts: 452 mg/100 g

3. Dairy: goat cheese

'Before, milk was a noble food. Today, it has a less good reputation because it is considered too fat and difficult to digest. As a result, people are extremely deficient in calcium, a nutrient that is essential for the formation and strength of bones and teeth, blood clotting, nerve conduction, the release of hormones, lists our interlocutor. Dairy products, be it milk, cheeses or yogurts are not bad for health when consumed in moderation and are even beneficial for the liver. We still prefer dairy products low in lipids (the cancoillotte or the fresh goat ...)'.

4. Green tea

Tea, and especially green tea, is very rich in antioxidants. These molecules make it possible to activate and detoxify the liver, and thus reduce the risk of developing liver disease (fibrosis, steatosis, hepatitis...). In addition, its content of polyphenols, known for their antioxidant properties, helps reduce the level of lipids in the blood and improves cardiovascular health. It is also a good anti-cancer that can particularly decrease the risk of liver cancer. 'We find that in countries where we consume a lot of tea, the number of liver diseases is lower,' says the hepatologist. A 2017 Dutch study published in the Journal of Hepatology showed that frequent consumption of green tea (greater than 3 cups per day) reduced the risk of liver stiffness (the stiffer the liver, the greater the risk of fibrosis and therefore the greater the risk of steatosis or even cirrhosis).

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5. Offal

The liver needs iron: the storage of iron is mainly in the liver, thanks to ferritin, a protein that ensures the transport of iron in hemoglobin when needed. 'In case of iron deficiency, the immune system is weakened and liver cells may slightly malfunction. In addition, the liver is able to take the necessary iron without there being a risk of overload (except in the case of a genetic disease called hemochromatosis). Care must therefore be taken to consume enough meat, especially red meat (beef) or offal, which are rich in iron', explains the hepatologist.

• Warning: an excess of red meat can be pro-inflammatory. The WHO and the National Cancer Institute advise individuals to limit their consumption of red meat (no more than 500 g per week), to give preference to the consumption of poultry, and to alternate with fish, eggs, shells, and pulses, also rich in iron and protein.

• Do not hesitate to do an iron cure twice a year (in spring and autumn), advises Professor Marcellin.

6. Red fruits

Red fruits, such as blackcurrant, blueberry, or strawberry, are particularly rich in vitamin C. 'They would be beneficial in improving liver health and acting against the oxidation of cells, especially those of the liver,' says the Professor. Consuming these fruits daily would reduce the risk of inflammation and damage to liver cells. Vitamin C also promotes the synthesis of glutathione, a powerful antioxidant that strengthens the immune system, detoxifies the liver, and fights free radicals. 'Note that we need one to two grams of vitamin C a day,' he adds.

• Citrus fruits are also very rich in vitamin C: lemon (53 mg of vitamin C per 100 g), grapefruit (42 mg per 100 g), orange (40 mg per 100 g). And also: kiwi (93 mg per 100 g), lychees (71.5 mg per 100 g).

• The vegetables richest in vitamin C: yellow pepper (184 mg per 100 g), broccoli (106 mg per 100 g), and Brussels sprouts (103 mg per 100 g).

7. Coffee

'Coffee often has a bad reputation: many of my patients think that they should no longer drink coffee if they have a liver problem. However, recent studies have shown that caffeine, an antioxidant substance, stimulates the functioning of liver cells and has a protective effect in patients suffering from liver disease, such as NASH, who want to restore the hepatologist. So drinking coffee in reasonable amounts, two to three cups a day (unsweetened), improves liver health'.