Welcome to 2022! I hope you’ve all had a wonderful festive period and spent time eating great food with your favourite people. The time we spent relaxing and indulging in our favourite foods was time well spent but unfortunately a deluge of ‘diet’ and ‘detox’ adverts are about to try and make you feel guilty about it. DON’T LET THEM. Life is all about balance and after two years of navigating a global pandemic, our mental health needs us to embrace any opportunity to relax and feel happy.
In recent years the trend of detoxing your body in January has given people the impression that your body doesn’t detox itself when in fact, IT DOES. The liver is unbeatable at filtering out harmful toxins and metabolic by-products so the best thing you can do is eat things that are great for your liver so that it can work its detox magic to restore your body’s equilibrium. Here are some Liver-Boosting Superfoods that support your incredible detox machine and chances are you’ve had one or two already today.
Coffee and Green Tea
- Coffee prevents the build up of fat in your liver which helps protect the liver from damage. Green tea has the same benefits. 4 cups a day has been shown to be the most beneficial amount.
Cranberries, Blueberries and Grapes
- Just a handful of blueberries or red or black grapes increases antioxidant levels in the liver and help it fight inflammation. Cranberries are too tart to eat raw but in low sugar cranberry juice the vitamin C helps break down bile juices so that the liver can metabolize fats more efficiently.
Cabbage
- Cabbage contains vitamin K, vitamin C, vitamin B6 and folic acid but it also contains choline which the liver needs to repair its cells. Cabbage keeps its amazing nutritional benefits whether you eat it raw like in this Purple Slaw, or hot like the delicious Sauteed Cabbage and Pecans.
Brussel Sprouts
- Another liver-boosting hero of the cruciferous family is Brussel Sprouts because it increases the production of a detoxifying enzyme in the liver. Roasted or raw they help to boost your liver’s toxin-removing efficiency. I love Brussels with seafood like Scallops or shredded raw in a Brussel Sprouts Salad.
Beetroots
- The vitamin A and B-6 in beetroot juice help the liver to remove toxins and reduce inflammation. Simple Roasted Beetroot is a beautiful side dish for roasted meats and fish. My amazing Muffin Tin Beetroot Burgers are a great way to get the benefits of beetroot into your kids.
Salmon
- Salmon is another superstar for reducing inflammation in the liver by fighting fatty build-ups. Raw or cooked, I have lots of salmon recipes to help you get this fantastic nutrition into your diet.
Walnuts
- Of all nuts walnuts are the most beneficial for the liver. They contain more antioxidants and fatty acid than other nuts which improve liver function. Walnuts add a wonderful texture in this Goat’s Cheese, Apple and Walnut Tart and in this classic Waldorf-ish Salad.
onetoughcooker.com 