Foods That Promote Liver Health

It is not something that people think much about, but the liver is one of the key players in the body’s digestive system. The food and drink that we take, including medicine, passes through the liver. Therefore, we need to treat it right so it can do its job and stay healthy. Part of treating the liver right is by eating foods that promote liver health. Here at Italian Home Kitchen Blog, we love to write, read, eat, and to read about eating. We also love to write about foods that are good for the body.

Everyone needs a liver to live. In fact, it is the body’s largest gland and it had a number of functions, including:
• Destroying old red blood cells
• Detoxifying the blood by ridding it of harmful chemicals
• It produces bile, which is needed to digest fast
• It stores iron and vitamins
• It breaks down insulin, hemoglobin, and other substances
• It stores sugar as glucose, which is needed for a quick energy boost

Every day, the liver works extremely hard to protect the body from adverse effects from disease, toxins, and pollution, and it is easy for it to become overworked, which can compromise one’s health significantly. Fortunately, there are foods that promote liver health. Some of the best foods to detox the liver include:

• Carrots and Beets: High in Glutathione, plant–flavonoids, and beta–carotene
• Tomatoes: Rich in Glutathione protein that helps detoxify the liver
• Spinach: Super rich in Glutathione when raw
• Grapefruit: High in Glutathione, vitamin C and antioxidants
• Citrus fruit: High in vitamin C, which helps stimulate the liver
• Walnuts: Good source of Glutathione, omega–3, and amino acid arginine, which is also good for the liver
• Turmeric: The liver’s favorite spice and helps improve detoxification
• Cabbage: Contains isothiocyanates, which provide detoxifying enzymes
• Avocados: Helps the body to ptoduce Glutathione
• Garlic: High in sulfur that activates liver enzymes that get rid of toxins
• Brussels sprouts: High in antioxidant glucosinolate and sulfur
• Apples: High in chemicals that cleanse the digestive system
• Dandelion: Assists the liver to break down fats
• Leafy green vegetables: High in plant chlorophyll’s that increase bile production, absorb chemicals, neutralize chemicals, pesticides, and heavy metals, and lowers the burden on the liver
• Cruciferous vegetables: Increase production of glucosinolate that helps flush out toxins
• Alternative grains: Increase the load on the liver’s detoxification function
• Asparagus: Helps in the cleansing process
• Green tea: rich in plant antioxidants known to assist liver function
• Olive oil: Suck up harmful toxins in the body

If the liver is prevented from producing even one of the many enzymes the body requires, there will be impairment in overall body function, which will result in greater metabolic stress. It is, therefore important to eat foods that promote liver health. Follow us for the most delicious articles on the web.

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How To Roast Garlic: An Easy Guide

As an Italian cooking enthusiast, you already know that garlic is a staple of this cuisine. Closely related to onions, garlic is a pungent bulb that adds a distinctive flavor to a variety of dishes. More and more recipes these days call for roasted garlic as an ingredient. Instead of purchasing roasted garlic, try roasting your own and keep it on hand for use in a variety of dishes. Here are some easy tips on how to roast garlic.

Begin by selecting large, firm heads of garlic and cutting off the tops just enough to expose the tops of the cloves inside. Take an old ceramic pan and drizzle one to two tablespoons of olive oil on the bottom and tilt it to thoroughly cover the surface. Place the heads in the pan with cut sides up. The exposed heads need moisture, so drizzle them with olive oil. Sprinkle the heads with salt, preferable a type like Kosher salt or sea salt that has larger flakes as these will adhere better to the cloves. Sprinkle the cloves with pepper and cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil.

Roast the garlic heads in a 375 degree over for 35 to 45 minutes until tender and fragrant. Let the heads cool and take each head and gently squeeze each clove at the bottom to release the garlic. The garlic will be quite mushy. Place the roasted garlic  with a bit of olive oil in a jar and cap tightly.

Roasted garlic has many different uses. At its simplest, you can pop it in your mouth and eat it. You can also mash it and spread it on bread for a tasty treat. Other uses include mixing it into mashed potatoes or into mustard or mayonnaise to make a delicious sandwich topping. Mix into hamburger meat before putting them on the grill or place in soups for great flavor, mix it in butter and gravies, mix it into hummus, sour cream or yogurt to make a more tasty dip. The possibilities are endless.

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