The Liver Cleanse Diet

There are several diets that claim to help you lose weight or just make you healthier by cleansing the liver. Perhaps the most famous of these is The Liver Cleansing Diet, made popular in a book of the same name by Sandra Cabot, M.D. Another is the Fat Flush Diet by Louise Gittleman. The Hallelujah Diet is yet another. All liver cleansing diets are aimed at eliminating toxins in the liver by eating nutritious foods.

A Model of Healthy Eating

These diets tend to provide a regimen for healthy, balanced eating. They may vary in terms of their severity, beginning with a fast or not, and perhaps continuing onto a low-calorie, weight loss phase. All severely restrict or ban the consumption of red meat, fried foods, processed foods, trans fats, salt, sugar, alcohol and caffeine.

Food and Drink

Liver cleansing diets focus on whole foods and liquids to carry away accumulated toxins. All encourage drinking lots of water, others recommend a complementary array of juices or concentrate on the addition of a single juice, like unsweetened cranberry. Foods allowed are high in fiber, or additional sources of fiber are employed. Meals are low in saturated fat, although sometimes special fats are recommended (like flaxseed). Liver cleansing diets encourage eating a sufficient amount of protein.

Detoxification

Our food, medicine and environment all contribute to an overload of toxins that may build up in the liver. Some of these toxins include antibiotics and other medication, hormones, pesticides, food preservatives and additives, stimulants, sugar and artificial sweeteners, alcohol and heavy metals. Liver cleansing diets aim to flush out toxins from the liver so that it can do its job better. As the liver is cleansed, it is better able to eliminate waste and digest food.

Liver Detoxifying Foods

Some liver cleansing diets recommend a variety of foods specifically to heal the liver and help it do its job. These include cruciferous vegetables (like watercress, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli and brussels sprouts) which contain nutrients to induce phase 2 liver detox enzymes. Green Tea assists the function of liver detox pathways. Sesame seeds and tahini have been shown to protect liver cells from alcohol. Turmeric, alone or in curry powder, increases the production of glutathione, a powerful liver anti-oxidant. Citrus fruits and caraway oil both contain limonene, which aids in the breakdown and expulsion of carcinogenic metabolites through the liver. Milk thistle is an herbal aid whose bioflavanoid properties can help repair liver damage.

How it Works

The proper consumption of protein opens detox pathways in the liver. When these are clogged, the body is unable to make use of the proper types and amount of amino acids. The liver cleansing diet lets the body access methionine, cysteine, glutamine, taurine and other important amino acids. Antioxidants, found in raw fruits and vegetables, also help the liver function effectively. Purple foods, green foods, and yellow and orange foods all provide special antioxidants that the body uses to stay healthy. Weight loss is often a side benefit of liver cleansing diets, which are often chosen by people to prevent or cure liver disease.