Arguably one of the most important organs of the body – also the largest internal organ, weighing in at around 3.5 pounds — the liver plays a role in digestion, immunity, metabolism and storage of essential nutrients.
Digestion: Bile, a digestive juice produced by the liver, helps the body absorb fat into the bloodstream.
Immunity: According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, the liver is a part of the immune system that functions through the Kupffer cells that line the sinusoids. Kupffer cells play an important role by capturing and digesting bacteria, fungi, parasites, worn-out blood cells and cellular debris.
Metabolism: The liver is responsible for metabolizing carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins into biologically useful materials, like energy, glucose and amino acids.
Essential nutrients: Provides storage for essential nutrients, such as vitamins A, D, E, K, and B12, and the minerals iron and copper, in turn providing a constant supply of essential substances to the body’s tissues.
To give your liver a healthy boost, try one of these fresh juices…
LIVER DETOX JUICE
Ingredients:
1 beet (medium size)
6 celery stalks
1 cup fresh cilantro
½ lemon
1 knob ginger
Instructions:
Add all ingredients to juicer. Gently stir and consume immediately.
LIVER BOOSTING BEET JUICE
Ingredients
1 beet
1 carrot
1 lemon, peeled
1 handful parsley
Instructions:
Run all ingredients through a juicer and enjoy.