9 Ways to Love your Liver

The liver is the largest internal organ in the human body and one of the most hard-working. Dietitian Karen Inge explains how to keep it in tip-top shape.

1. WATCH YOUR WEIGHT - Being overweight is associated with insulin resistance and diabetes, risk factors in developing fatty liver, a build-up of excess fat in the liver cells, which can become inflamed and may cause symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal discomfort, jaundice and fever.

2. DECIDE TO DETOX - The liver acts as a filter and can be badly damaged by excessive alcohol intake. So, if you love your liver, give it a rest with regular alcohol-free days.

3. HAVE A COFFEE FIX - Drinking black coffee to help sober up may have more merit than we first thought. Coffee may counteract the damaging effects of alcohol on the liver and help prevent cirrhosis. Once study of more than 125,000 people showed that one cup of coffee a day reduced the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis by 20 per cent; four cups lowered it by 80 per cent.

4. GO FOR ANTI-OXIDANTS - Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet filled with anti-oxidant-rich colourful fruit and vegetables may help damaged liver cells regenerate to form new healthy liver cells. Keeping the saturated fat content of your diet down, by choosing lean meat, fish and low-fat dairy means less work for your liver.

5. GET STUCK INTO VEGIES - Cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts and cabbage are fabulous for your liver's health. These vegies contain phytochemicals called glucosinolates, which help the liver produce the healthy enzymes needed for cleaning the blood of harmful toxins. The protective components of these vegetables also stimulate the liver to transform the tumour-promoting forms of oestrogen to weaker and safe types, reducing the risk of both breast and cervical cancer.

6. VITAMIN A ALERT - The essential fat-soluble vitamin A, is stored in the liver after absorption. Excessive amounts of this vitamin are toxic to the liver, so it is important we don't have to much.

7. CHOOSE WATER - Your liver needs plenty of water to do its job. Alcohol acts as a diuretic, which means it dehydrates you and forces the liver to divert water from elsewhere.

8. A TWIST OF CITRUS - Powerful compounds found in the peel, membranes, seeds, flesh and juice of citrus fruits can turn on the liver's detoxification processes to rid the body of cancer-causing agents.

9. THINK ZINC - Zinc is vital for the liver function, is involved in every energy reaction in the body and plays a key role in alcohol detoxification. Our richest food source of zinc is oysters, legumes and whole grains are good, but for better zinc absorption, add animal protein, such as yogurt or eggs, at the same meal.