Vegetables to Eat for a Healthy Liver

The liver is one of the body's most important detoxifiers, helping us to rid ourselves of many toxins and poisons that we consume each day, such as smoke, fat, and alcohol. The liver performs hundreds of function in the body, many of which are vital to the health of other organs, including the heart. So your liver is not an organ to neglect. By eating leafy greens, richly colored and dark veggies, and veggies rich in sulfur, you can provide your liver with the nutrients it needs to stay healthy and keep your body clean.

Detoxifying the Liver

• The liver's main function in the body is to clear the body of many toxins that we take in from medications, food additives and preservatives, and stimulants like caffeine. To aid the liver in its detoxifications process, you need to eat vegetables heavy in antioxidants and vitamins. These include the most brightly colored veggies, like carrots, and asparagus. These veggies are rich in enzymes, fiber, and vitamins that help the liver to rid itself of toxins that kill its cells. Leafy greens, like spinach, and mustard and collard greens are great for this. You also want to each food rich in sulfur, which helps to soak up toxins from things like smoke and nicotine. These include bushier, sprout-like vegetables, like brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage. These types of veggies also help to flush out toxins through urine and feces, while also creating enzymes that help the liver through its detoxification process.

Protecting the Liver

• You also want to eat vegetables that protect your liver and promote the constant flow of toxins out of it. Beets and other deep reds, like aubergine and eggplant, help to do this while also soaking up unhealthy metals floating in the liver and the body. Bitter greens, like endives, chicory, and rocket, help to increase bile flow through the liver, getting toxins out of your body at a constant rate.

  Artichoke is another important veggie to incorporate into your diet. Artichokes are extremely high in fiber, iron, calcium and potassium. The high fiber content helps to maintain a constant flow of bile through the liver, increasing bowel movements and cleansing the body of toxins.

Cooking Your Vegetables

• The best way to eat these vegetable is raw. Whenever you cook food, you run the risk of losing some amount of the minerals and nutrients found inside them. When you can't consume them raw, steaming is a great way to maintain the most nutrition in the vegetable. When steaming, make sure all the foods steamed maintain their color and firmness. When they become too pale or too dark, and lose crispness, it's a sign that they've lost some of their nutritional value. Good, nutritious broccoli should be crispy and bright green, not mushy and dark.

  When seasoning your vegetables, avoid salt and sugar. They both are hard for the liver to process, especially in large amounts. If you want to season or add flavor to your veggies, use fresh peppers and other herbs that will give added nutrition to your meal. Feel free to add onion, garlic, and turmeric as seasonings, since they help the liver to detoxify your body of mercury and other unwelcome food additives.