How to Cleanse the Liver

Co-authored by Raj Vuppalanchi, MD

Last Updated: May 11, 2023 Approved

The liver is the second largest organ in the human body and one of the most important, because it's responsible for filtering harmful toxins out of the bloodstream. There are medical programs to detoxify the liver, but there are also several natural, simple lifestyle changes you can make that will result in a clean, healthy liver. However, the idea of detox, or cleanse, diets is not supported by scientific studies. Use caution when going on these diets, and always remain in communication with your doctor.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Drinking the Right Liquids

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Every time your drink alcohol, your liver filters it out of your blood, and some of the cells in your liver die. While the liver can regenerate, chronic alcohol abuse can prevent it from repairing itself. If you want a healthy liver, cut out the alcohol.^{[1]
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Regular water and lemon water will both work for a liver cleanse.^{[2]
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Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition Consultant

Expert Interview. 2 April 2020.} Drinking lots of water will keep you hydrated, which naturally encourages cell regeneration. It will also allow the liver to filter out more toxins and residue, letting it work faster and increasing your energy level.

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3
Enjoy some coffee. Research shows that coffee can protect your liver and reduce your risk of chronic liver disease.^{[3]
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Go to source} Just limit your caffeine intake to fewer than 400 mg per day (there are about 95 mg of caffeine in one cup of coffee) so you don't experience negative side effects like increased blood pressure and heart rate.^{[4]
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Drink lemon juice in water or tea once a day. Lemon juice stimulates the liver's bile production to help push toxins out. It also prevents the buildup of gallstones and promotes digestion and liver function in the movement of gastric juices.
Green tea is rich in catechins, a type of plant antioxidant that boosts liver function and helps reduce fat storage in the liver.
Fruits like strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and raspberries all enhance the health of the liver. These fruits have organic acids that lower sugar blood levels, and will help you to burn fat, decreasing your chances of fatty liver diseases.^{[5]
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Make your own juice fast. Fasting is a sure-fire ways to cleanse the liver. Most fasts involve eating only fruits and vegetables, or drinking only fruit and veggie juices, for a certain period of time. There are many different cleanses out there--you have to pick one that is right for your body.
- You should consider consulting a nutritionist or doctor before you embark upon a fast.

Part 2

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Eating Healthy Foods

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1
Avoid foods that will do damage to your liver. Foods that are processed and contain lots of preservatives, fats and cholesterol can cause the liver to become congested and clogged with fat residue. Clean out your liver by avoiding processed or fatty foods to allow the liver to unblock itself and regenerate cells.
- Avoid fast food. In particular, try to avoid deep fried food or preserved meat (such as sausage, bacon, corned beef, etc.)
- Avoid bad fats. Fatty red meat, deep fried food, and processed fats should all be avoided, as they can clog up your liver. Processed fats include margarine, shortening, and hydrogenated oils.
- Avoid artificial sweeteners, colorings, and preservatives. It is best to go the natural route when cleansing your liver.
- Avoid refined carbohydrates as well.^{[6]
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  Raj Vuppalanchi, MD
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  Expert Interview. 28 October 2020.}
2
Eat your vegetables. Certain vegetables contain nutrients like beta carotene that stimulate liver cells and protect the liver from toxins. Dark, leafy greens like spinach encourage cell growth and stimulate the liver, while beets protect bile ducts in the liver from toxin damage. Aim for 5 servings of vegetables daily and include those that contain liver-aiding nutrients.
- Greens that promote liver health include dandelion greens, bitter gourd, arugula, mustard greens, chicory and spinach.
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Up your garlic intake. Garlic has sulfur-containing compounds that activate liver enzymes that work to flush out any toxins that might be in your system. Garlic also contains allicin and selenium, two nutrients that protect the liver from damages caused by toxins. These two nutrients also aid in the detoxification process.
- If you can’t stand the taste of garlic because you simply don’t like it (or you’re a vampire) you can purchase garlic supplements at your local health store.
Grapefruit is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, both of which promote a healthy liver cleanse. Grapefruit boosts detoxification enzymes in the liver and has a flavonoid compound known as naringenin which causes the liver to burn fat rather than store it. Be careful however, because large amounts of grapefruit can inhibit a liver enzyme called cytochrome P450, which can affect the way certain foods and drugs are broken down in the body.
Avocados are delicious and have glutathione-producing compounds. These compounds help to prevent the liver from toxic overload.
Walnuts have high levels of l-arginine (an amino acid) glutathione, and omega-3 fatty acids which help to cleanse the liver of disease-causing ammonia. Extracts of their shells are used in many liver-cleansing formulas.

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Using Herbal Remedies

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Natural herbs like burdock and dandelion root are all said to help rid the body of toxins while protecting liver cells and promoting healthy liver function. All can be found in capsule or tablet form and dandelion root also comes in some herbal teas. Adding these supplements to your daily diet may help cleanse your liver and regulate its function.
Soya Lecithin granules contain phospholipids which help protect the liver^{[7]
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Research source}. Soya Lecithin granules are available in most health food stores.
Magnesium promotes bile production, which in turn promotes the cleansing of the liver. You can take magnesium supplements to increase your liver health.^{[8]
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Turmeric is believed to boost the liver’s ability to produce bile, a key part of the liver-cleansing process. It has may help regenerate damaged liver cells.
Milk thistle may promote the growth and health of liver cells. Milk thistle contains silymarins, which are antioxidants that fight oxidation, a process that damages liver cells. It also enhances protein synthesis in the liver.

Part 4

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Detoxifying Your Life

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1
De-stress your life. Stressful situations release hormones and endorphins in the bloodstream, which, in turn, deposit toxins in the liver and slow it down. Eliminate stress in any areas of your life that you can.
- Consider anti-stress activities like yoga and meditation.
When you expose yourself to chemicals, your liver has to work overtime to keep you healthy. Reduce the number of chemicals you are exposed to by using cleaning products made from natural ingredients. Also helps to use organic and natural products for you own personal hygiene.
The more toxins in the air, the more toxins your liver has to remove from your body. Air purifiers are particularly good investments if you live in the city or near a highway, as cars deposit many toxins into the air.
Exercise helps you maintain a healthy body weight, which in turn lowers your risk of fatty liver disease. Exercise also improves the function of liver enzymes. However, excessive weight training is connected with elevated liver enzymes, which is why you should stop exercising 48 hours prior to a liver function test.^{[9]
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Expert Q&A

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Question

What foods cleanse your liver?

Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Lyssandra Guerra is a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and the Founder of Native Palms Nutrition based in Oakland, California. She has over five years of nutrition coaching experience and specializes in providing support to overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings, and other related dilemmas. She received her holistic nutrition certification from the Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.

Lyssandra Guerra

Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Answer

Eat cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, and cabbage. Steer clear of processed oils, like margarine, canola, soybean, rapeseed, and peanut oil.

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Question

How can I cleanse my liver?

Lyssandra Guerra
Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant
Lyssandra Guerra is a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant and the Founder of Native Palms Nutrition based in Oakland, California. She has over five years of nutrition coaching experience and specializes in providing support to overcome digestive issues, food sensitivities, sugar cravings, and other related dilemmas. She received her holistic nutrition certification from the Bauman College: Holistic Nutrition and Culinary Arts in 2014.

Lyssandra Guerra

Certified Nutrition & Wellness Consultant

Expert Answer

To support a liver cleanse, eliminate refined carbohydrates, sugars, alcohol, fried foods, and processed oils. Drink lemon water and eat alliums, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. You can also include beneficial herbs like dandelion. If you want a warm beverage, try artichoke leaf tea.

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Question

What foods are bad for your liver?

Raj Vuppalanchi, MD
Academic Hepatologist
Dr. Raj Vuppalanchi is an Academic Hepatologist, a Professor of Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, and the Director of Clinical Hepatology at IU Health. With over ten years of experience, Dr. Vuppalanchi runs a clinical practice and provides care to patients with various liver disorders at the University Hospital in Indianapolis. He completed dual fellowships in Clinical Pharmacology and Gastroenterology-Hepatology at Indiana University School of Medicine. Dr. Raj Vuppalanchi is board certified in Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology by the American Board of Internal Medicine and is a member of the American Association for Study of Liver Diseases and the American College of Gastroenterology. His patient-oriented research is dedicated to finding new treatments for various liver disorders as well as the use of diagnostic tests for non-invasive estimation of liver fibrosis (transient elastography) and portal hypertension (spleen stiffness).

Raj Vuppalanchi, MD

Academic Hepatologist

Expert Answer

Foods that would hurt your liver include foods that are rich in carbohydrates and foods that contain high fructose corn syrup.

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Warnings

Gallstones are more likely to develop in obese women and people with high triglyceride levels. Avoiding fatty foods and eating a healthy diet can lower your risk.^{[10]
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