Have you made hearty meals? Abused with sugars, alcohol and fats? Is your liver engorged, tired? The good news, some foods can detoxify it naturally after the excesses and improve digestion. Which? Listings and advice with Professor Patrick Marcellin, herpetologist.
Diet has a strong impact on 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 to the proper functioning of the body," explains Professor Patrick Marcellin, a hepatologist at Beaujon Hospital and founder and organizer of the Paris Hepatology Conference (International Annual Congress on Liver Diseases). 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 help cleanse it of toxins and protect it from liver disease. Overview of the 7 best 'detox' foods.
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 helps 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, very low in cocoa and too rich in fats and sugars.
Nuts
Oilseeds (nuts, Brazil nuts, pecans, macadamia, hazelnuts, almonds ...) are extremely rich in phosphorus, "a mineral salt very beneficial for the liver", says the herpetologist. 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 fat and we would be more at risk of having a liver disease (steatosis for example).
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. Consequence: people are enormously 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, whether milk, cheese or yoghurt are not bad for your health when consumed in moderation and are even beneficial for the liver. We still prefer dairy products low in lipids (cancoillotte or fresh goat...)'.
Green tea
Tea, and especially green tea, is very rich in antioxidants. These molecules activate and detoxify the liver, and thus reduce the risk of developing the liver disease (fibrosis, steatosis, hepatitis...). In addition, its polyphenol content, known for its 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 herpetologist. 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 statues or even cirrhosis).
• Warning: 'Some herbal teas or decoctions, with artichoke, for example, are sold in the physiotherapy departments as 'hepato-protective'. They stimulate liver cells and help treat liver dysfunctions (liver failure, etc.). It cannot be said that these products are bad for the liver, however, their effectiveness has never been demonstrated by scientific studies," the specialist said.
Offal
The liver needs iron: iron is stored mainly in the liver, thanks to ferritin, a protein that transports iron to haemoglobin when needed. "In case of iron deficiency, the immune system is weakened and the liver cells may malfunction slightly. 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). It is, therefore, necessary to take care to consume enough meat, especially red meat (beef) or offal, which are rich in iron, explains the herpetologist.
Foods rich in phosphorus:
- Brazil nuts: 658 mg/100 g
- Pine nut: 527 mg/100 g
- Almond: 481 mg/100 g
- Cashew nuts: 452 mg/100 g
• Warning: an excess of red meat can be pro-inflammatory. The WHO and the National Cancer Institute advises individuals to limit their consumption of red meat (no more than 500 g per week), to favor the consumption of poultry and to alternate with fish, eggs, shellfish and pulses, also rich in iron and protein.
• Do not hesitate to make an iron, cure twice a year (in spring and autumn), advises Professor Marcellin
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