Is Your Diet Helping or Hurting Your Liver? Best Foods and Habits for Liver Health  

When we think about our health, we often jump to our heart or brain but what about the liver? Tucked away quietly under your ribs on the right side of your body this football-sized, reddish-brown organ is a powerhouse of activity and arguably one of the most underrated organs in your body.

So, What Is the Liver, Exactly?

Your liver is both an organ and a gland, one of the few body parts that can wear both hats! It’s spongy, wedge-shaped, and weighs around three pounds in an average adult. But don’t let its soft appearance fool you it performs hundreds of critical functions that literally keep you alive.

What Makes the Liver So Vital?

Here are just a few of the life-sustaining jobs your liver is doing right now:

• Filtering toxins: From alcohol to medications to environmental pollutants, your liver works 24/7 to cleanse your blood.
  
• Breaking down old red blood cells: The liver handles cellular recycling like a pro.
  
• Producing bile: This greenish fluid is essential for breaking down fats during digestion.
  
• Metabolising nutrients: Proteins, carbs, and fats all go through the liver to be transformed into energy or stored fuel.
  
• Supporting clotting: It produces proteins that help your blood clot, preventing excessive bleeding.
  
• Regulating blood volume: It helps manage how much blood is circulating in your system at any given time.
  
• Storing nutrients: Think of it as your body’s pantry — storing glycogen, vitamins, and even iron for when your body needs them later.

The Rising Tide of Liver Disease

Liver diseases aren’t just about alcohol anymore. In fact, Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Fatty Liver Disease (MAFLD) is now one of the most common liver conditions globally, especially in countries like Australia and India. MAFLD is closely tied to obesity, insulin resistance, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol—a condition often driven by lifestyle. 

Other liver conditions include:

• Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) – due to chronic heavy drinking
  
• Hepatitis (A, B, C) – viral infections damaging liver cells
  
• Cirrhosis – late-stage liver scarring from years of damage
  
• Liver cancer – often stemming from unresolved liver inflammation or infections

Poor lifestyle triggers liver trouble

When we eat a lot of junk food that’s high in sugar and unhealthy fats, the liver gets overloaded with fat. Since it can’t process everything at once, it starts storing the extra – which isn’t good for long-term health.

On top of that, if we don’t move enough, sleep poorly, stay stressed, or drink too much alcohol, the liver has to work even harder. Over time, this extra pressure can cause inflammation, scarring, and serious liver problems.

And it doesn’t stop there – the liver also has to filter medications, supplements, and even toxins from the environment every single day. Without the right support from a balanced diet, good sleep, and healthy habits, it’s like asking one person to do the work of ten – eventually, they burn out.

Eating right for a healthy liver 

The good news? The liver is one of the few organs that can regenerate itself when given the right conditions.

Here’s what that looks like:

Eat the Right Foods

• High-fibre plant foods: oats, legumes, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains help reduce fat build-up.
  
• Healthy fats: walnuts, flaxseeds, olive oil, and fatty fish provide anti-inflammatory omega-3s.
  
• Coffee (yes, really!): moderate coffee intake has been linked to reduced risk of fibrosis and cirrhosis 
• Green veggies: spinach, kale, broccoli support detox enzymes.
  
• Limit: added sugars (fructose in soft drinks is especially harmful), refined carbs, and processed meats 

Hydration & Liver Health 

• Water helps the liver detoxify and metabolise fat
  
  • Adequate hydration reduces the burden on the liver, helping it filter toxins, process nutrients, and regulate fat metabolism.
    
• Water reduces mortality risk in people with fatty liver
  
  • In U.S. NHANES data, higher plain water intake was linked to lower all-cause mortality, especially from cancer and stroke, among people with MAFLD.
    
• Mineral water may improve liver function in disease states
  
  • In people with hepatitis C and MAFLD, mineral water improved inflammation, lipid metabolism, and overall liver function compared to controls.

Move More, Sit Less

• Exercise helps your body use insulin better, burn fat, and reduce liver inflammation. Aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate movement, plus some resistance training. 

Prioritise Sleep

• Sleep is liver repair time. Poor sleep increases fat build-up in the liver, while consistent quality sleep supports hormonal and metabolic balance.

Manage Stress

• Chronic stress can worsen insulin resistance and inflammation. Mindfulness, breathing exercises, or a daily walk in nature can do wonders for your liver too.

Limit Alcohol & Self-Medication

• Your liver processes every drop of alcohol and every supplement you pop. Keep alcohol within safe limits and avoid overusing painkillers, over-the-counter supplements or herbal remedies without guidance. 

Final Thought

Your liver doesn’t ask for much, but it gives you everything. By making small, consistent changes in how you eat, move, rest, and manage stress, you can protect it from the silent damage of modern life.

You don’t need a detox diet—you need a lifestyle that supports detox every day.

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is sourced from research articles and reputable websites. However, as each individual’s body and health needs are unique, it is essential to consult with your doctor, dietitian, or healthcare provider for personalised advice and plans tailored specifically to your condition.

Acknowledgement: I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our CEO, Purva Gulyani – Accredited Practising Dietitian, for providing me with the opportunity to contribute to this blog. Your valuable feedback, along with your time spent proofreading and editing, has greatly enhanced the quality of this work. Your guidance and support are truly appreciated.

References

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/21481-liver 
2. Chalasani, N., Younossi, Z., Lavine, J. E., Charlton, M., Cusi, K., Rinella, M., Harrison, S. A., Brunt, E. M., & Sanyal, A. J. (2018). The diagnosis and management of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Practice guidance from the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. Hepatology (Baltimore, Md.), 67(1), 328–357. https://doi.org/10.1002/hep.29367 
3. European Association for the Study of the Liver (EASL), European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), & European Association for the Study of Obesity (EASO) (2016). EASL-EASD-EASO Clinical Practice Guidelines for the management of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Journal of hepatology, 64(6), 1388–1402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2015.11.004
4. Wang, X., Lin, S., Gan, S., Gu, Y., Yang, Y., Zhang, Q., Liu, L., Meng, G., Yao, Z., Zheng, D., Wu, H., Zhang, S., Wang, Y., Zhang, T., Sun, S., Jia, Q., Song, K., Wu, X. H., Wu, Y., & Niu, K. (2021). Higher plain water intake is related to lower newly diagnosed nonalcoholic fatty liver disease risk: a population-based study. European journal of clinical nutrition, 75(12), 1801–1808. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41430-021-00891-9 
5. Healthline. Liver-Friendly Foods. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/liver-health
6. Heart Foundation Australia. Diet and Liver Health. https://www.heartfoundation.org.au