Five Foods Toxic to the Liver

Five Foods Toxic to the Liver

1. Fast Food: No surprise here, right? A study from Europe showed that eating too much fast food—a diet high in fat and sugar (including high fructose corn syrup)—could cause serious damage to the liver. Follow-up studies also showed, however, that that damage could be reversed by giving up the unhealthy diet.
2. Alcohol: Another no-brainer. Too much alcohol can lead to liver disease.
3. Salt: You know that too much salt can increase blood pressure, but did you know that it can also lead to fatty liver disease? Look out for high-salt processed foods like bacon and sausages.
4. Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, Splenda, NutraSweet, and Equal can all create toxic reactions in the body. The government advises pregnant woman and children to avoid them.
5. Monosodium Glutamate (MSG): A form of concentrated salt, MSG was found in a 1994 study to cause headaches, irritable bowel syndrome, and asthma attacks, and in animal studies, to be toxic to the liver. Researchers commented, “There is considerable evidence to suggest that consumption of MSG is a serious public health problem….”

Raw Foods to Clean Up the Damage
Fortunately, even if you fall off the wagon now and then, raw foods can bring you back.

1. Garlic and onions: they help rid the body of toxins, assisting the liver in its cleansing duties.
2. Freshly squeezed lemon in hot water: drink it first thing in the morning to encourage detoxification.
3. Beetroot: it’s got the antioxidant anthocyanidin, which has shown some anti-tumor effects in studies. Healing phytonutrients help counteract the bad effects of fatty foods.
4. Apples: they contain pectin, which helps escort heavy metals like mercury out of the body.
5. Artichoke: it actually increases bile production, revving up the toxin-cleansing engine.
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