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Need A Liver Detox? Here Are 3 Cleansing Recipes To Help You Reset
Our liver is critical for healthy functioning as it moves toxins through our body and purifies our blood but may not be as effective if it's consistently overwhelmed by things like pollution and chemicals. With the amount of foreign and sometimes toxic substances we come in contact with, it can be helpful to eat and drink things that help flush the liver. Certain foods like cruciferous and fermented veggies help reduce inflammation and support the liver's detoxifying benefits.
Linda Lancaster, board-certified naturopathic physician and author of the new book Harmonic Healing, shares three liver-cleansing drinks to try whether you're on her six-week liver program or hoping to get a detoxifying boost. It's the perfect time to give your liver a little TLC, and it doesn't hurt that these drinks are delicious any time of year.
The Liver-Cleansing Drink
Used daily for the first three weeks of cleansing, this drink should be consumed as your first food of the day and taken with no other food. Let it digest for two hours before eating.
Makes one drink
Ingredients
- 1 grapefruit or orange, peeled and chopped (use orange instead of grapefruit if taking prescribed medications for which grapefruit is contraindicated)
- 1 lemon, peeled and chopped
- 1 to 2 tbsp. cold-pressed olive oil (start with a little less, and add more as your taste buds acclimate and become able to tolerate it)
- Small pinch of cayenne pepper
- 1 to 2 garlic cloves (if you must avoid garlic breath, use 2 to 4 garlic capsules, available at health food stores, and swallow with your drink)
- 1 to 2 tsp. ground flaxseed
- ½- to 1-inch slice fresh ginger
Method
- Place all ingredients in a blender and add about ½ cup of water—or enough to blend into a thick drink. (Do not cover with water, or it will be too thin.) Add more water as needed.
- Blend on high until garlic, ginger, and ground flaxseed are thoroughly blended.
- Drink slowly, mixing the drink with your saliva before swallowing. Drink should be thick enough to chew. It is recommended that you make the drink fresh each morning. It does not store well for the next day due to oxidation.
Green Liver-Cleansing Drink
This recipe should be used as an alternative to the standard Liver-Cleansing Drink if acidity is an issue—for example, if you are prone to acid reflux, GERD, gastric ulcers, or sensitive to sour and citrus.
Makes one drink
Ingredients
- ½ cucumber
- 2 to 3 celery stalks
- 1 green apple
- ½ cup parsley
Method
- Place all ingredients in a blender with enough water to blend into a thick drink. (Do not cover with water, or it will be too thin.)
- Blend on high until ingredients are thoroughly blended. Drink slowly, mixing the drink with your saliva before swallowing. Drink should be thick enough to chew. It is recommended that you make the drink fresh each morning. It does not store well for the next day due to oxidation. You may follow this drink with a breakfast if desired from the allowed foods on the Strict Liver-Cleansing Diet list if you desire.
Liver-Cleansing Tea
Use this tea as a warming "chaser" to the Liver-Cleansing Drink and, if you choose, continue to sip throughout the day, warm or at room temperature.
Makes one drink
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 slices ginger
- 1 tsp. fenugreek
- 1 tsp. peppermint leaf
- 1 tsp. fennel
- 1 tsp. flaxseeds
- 1-inch piece of licorice root (optional)
Method
- Boil ginger root in 1 quart of water for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Add remaining ingredients. Turn off heat and cover.
- Steep for 10 to 15 minutes, filter through a tea strainer, then drink.
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