By Cat, Feb 26, 2023

Insulin resistance (IR) is a disease I’ve had for more than 50 years. It halts the body’s cells ability to take-up the sugar they need. So the blood takes the unused sugar to the liver, where it is converted to fats. Some of the fats are stored in abdominal fat-storage tissue, and the remainder are stored in the liver. The build-up of sugar in the liver results in two serious problems:

• excess toxins that the liver cannot deal with, leave the body through the skin (as described below), and
• a serious condition called NAFLD (non-alcoholic fatty liver disease).

For the last 4 years or so, I’ve been having itchiness all over my skin; mostly on my scalp, back and front torsos, upper arms and legs. This is primarily because my liver is in trouble. It can’t detox every toxin, so it sends many toxins into my blood stream, to leave my body through the skin, causing the itch. I’ve been taking a liver-support tincture comprised of Milk thistle seed and Dandelion root, which I take 3-times daily: before breakfast, in afternoon, and before bed. But the itch remains (tho it hasn’t gotten worse).

One treatment that helps with liver detox is a coffee enema, but I haven’t done one for several years because the last time I did one, my colon would not take-up the coffee.

So I will try some of the recipes on this page, that help with liver detox, minimizing the problems described above. These recipes are inspired by Jonathan Landsman’s eBook: “Best Liver Cleansing Drinks” that I’ve saved as a pdf: Health-Nutrition / Podcasts- Articles / eBooks / Liver > FattyLiver-BestLiverCleansingDrinks.pdf … I plan to give a few of them a try.

To those who are reading this article, you can get a copy of that eBook at stopfattyliver.com/drinks/ (9).

1. Includes the following liver-detox recipes
   • Fruits, Veggies, Nuts and Supplements;
   • Beverages and Soups: 1. Fruit Smoothie; 2. Green Smoothie. 3. Lemon Ginger Green Juice; 4. Detoxifying Beet Juice; 5. Carrot & Beet Soup; 6. Green Detox Soup; 7. Chamomile, Lemon and Honey Tea; 8. Dandelion Root Detox Recipe; 9. Dandelion Root Tea; 10. Lemon, Ginger and Turmeric Tea; 11. Peppermint, Ginger, Milk Thistle, Hibiscus and Lemon Tea
2. See also:  1. Beverages Menu; 2. Liver Detox Smoothies/Beverages (this article); 3. Curing, Culturing, Fermentation and Tonics Menu

Fruits, Veggies, Nuts, and Supplements to Help with Liver Detox

And the following which are great for liver health, that you can use in beverages, eat or take as a supplement:

1. Grapefruit
2. Blueberries, raspberries and cranberries are “berry good” for your liver
3. Walnuts
4. Cruciferous veggies (cabbage family)
5. Milk Thistle (I take this as tincture)
6. NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine) supplement
7. SAM-e, short for S-adenosylmethionin

Liver Detox Smoothies

Liver Detox Fruit Smoothie

The following is from “Best Liver Cleansing Drinks” from Fatty Liver Docu-Class, by Jonathan Landsman. [I’ve saved a copy of his ebook: Health-Nutrition / Podcasts-Articles / Ebooks > FattyLiver-BestLiverCleansingDrinks.pdf]

“This deluxe smoothie recipe combines specially selected ingredients to lavish your liver with love.“(1) It makes 1 beverage serving.

Ingredients:

• • Apples are high in pectin – a beneficial fiber which helps the liver detoxify the body – while spinach contains liver-cleansing chlorophyll.
  • Bananas contribute potassium – essential for liver health – and are also prebiotic, supplying fuel to beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.
  • Carrots are rich in beta-carotene, a disease-fighting plant pigment, while parsley contains the antioxidants luteolin and apigenin.
  • Walnuts contain glutathione, and also contribute anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Turmeric provides curcumin, one of the most powerful (and well-studied) antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents on the planet,
  • Lemon juice is high in antioxidant vitamin C.
  • Hemp seeds
• Optional Ingredients:
  • Cinnamon
  • Fresh, local honey
  • ¾ of a cup of almond milk (especially if you make it yourself)
• Equipment
  • bowl(s) for washing the fruits and veggies
  • blender

Method:

1. Prep:
   • Peel the banana,
   • Wash and peel half of a green apple (cored and chopped)
   • Wash and peel and chop a carrot
   • Wash a handful of baby spinach
   • Peel turmeric root, then cut a ¼″ slice
   • Wash and chop fresh parsley
   • Shell 3 walnuts (if needed), then cut each in half
   • Squeeze juice of half a lemon
2. Place banana, apple, carrot and spinach in blender.
3. Add the turmeric root slice, parsley, walnut halves, 2 Tbsp hemp seeds, and lemon juice.
4. Blend all ingredients together until smooth, then season with cinnamon and honey (if desired)

Liver Detox Green Smoothie

“This dairy-free smoothie features tropical accents (courtesy of banana and pineapple), while fresh avocado lends a creamy, satisfying consistency.” (2)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1 cup almond milk
  • 2 Tbsp hemp seeds
  • half of a frozen, peeled banana
  • 1/3 cup of frozen pineapple.
  • ¼ of a ripe peeled avocado
    
  • 2 hand-fulls of baby spinach
  • 10 sprigs of fresh cilantro (stems removed)
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• Optional Ingredients:
  • ½ cup filtered water, if needed to make mixture more of a liquid
  • 1 – 2 scoops protein powder (if you want to make it a nourishing meal)
• Equipment
  • Blender

Method

1. Prep:
   1. Peel and freeze banana
   2. Freeze pineapple
   3. Peel avocado
   4. Remove stems from cilantro
2. Combine almond milk, hemp seeds; prepped: banana, pineapple, avocado, baby spinach,
   cilantro, and add ground cinnamon.
3. Blend on “high” for 30 seconds and serve immediately.
4. Or, if you want the mixture to be:
   1. more of a liquid, add filtered water.
   2. a nourishing, liquid meal, add protein powder. 
      
5. Serve.

Liver Detox Juices

Lemon-Ginger Green Juice

This is a “classic, liver-nourishing juice. The rich jewel-green color of this
healthy concoction is visually pleasing, especially when it’s garnished with
slices of bright yellow lemon.“ (3)

• Lemon provides antioxidant vitamin C;
• Ginger is both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory;
• Celery contains apigenin and luteolin (the same potent antioxidants found in parsley)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1 large cucumber
  • 8 stalks of celery
  • ½-inch nub of peeled fresh ginger
  • 1 green apple
  • 2 lemons, peeled
• Equipment
  • Knife to chop the veggies
  • a juicer
  • spoon or other tool to blend the mix

Method

1. Wash all ingredients, then chop cucumber, celery, ginger, apple and lemons into small pieces.
2. Feed the pieces through the tube of your juicer.
3. Blend with filtered water until smooth.
4. Strain and enjoy.

Detoxifying Beet Juice

“This refreshing drink contains almost twice the RDI of vitamin A, along with
a third of the RDI of vitamin C. It features a beautiful crimson color, highlighted with accents of lavender and pink.“ (4)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1 lb of beets
  • 1 large cucumber
  • 1 green apple
  • bunch of flat-leaf parsley
  • 1 lemon or lime (or both, f you prefer a tangier drink);
  • 1-inch chunk of ginger-root
  • 1/3 cup of pure (clean) water
• Equipment:
  • blender
  • strainer

Method

1. Wash all fruits/veggies, then prep as follows:
   • Beets: Snip off the greens, clip the ends and chop the beets into small cubes or chunks.
   • Chop the cucumber and apple;
   • Chop a bunch of flat-leaf parsley;
   • Remove the rind from lemon and/or lime;
   • Peel the chunk of ginger.
   • Combine all with the water and feed into blender.
2. Blend on high until smooth.
3. Strain and serve.

“Grape and Lemon Juice Blend”

“This sweet and spicy grape juice recipe is designed to provide maximum liver-supporting effects. Remember, grape juice contains high levels of liver-protective resveratrol.”(5)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1 cup unsweetened pure grape juice
  • 1 cup of clean water
  • 2 lemons (for the juice)
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 2-inch length of ginger root
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• Equipment:
  • juicer (for the lemons)
  • grater (for the ginger root)
  • blender

Method

1. Wash all fruits/veggies, then prep as follows:
   • Squeeze juice from lemons.
   • Blend with grape juice and clean water using the blender.
     
   • Chop garlic cloves and grate ginger-root.
2. Add to blender, with the cayenne pepper
3. Blend until smooth and enjoy

Liver Detox Soups

“Carrot and Beet Soup”

If you’d like to support and nourish your liver with something warm, hearty and soothing – rather than cold and refreshing – then this recipe is for you. Liver-cleansing beets and carotenoid-rich carrots are the stars, but onions and garlic contribute antioxidant effects while pumpkin seeds provide additional support with high levels of immune system-boosting zinc.(6)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 3 unpeeled medium beets
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 leek, diced
  • 2 carrots, diced
  • clove of garlic, crushed
  • coconut oil
  • 2 cups warm vegetable broth
  • ½ tsp unrefined sea salt”
  • 1 Tbsp roasted pumpkin seeds
• Equipment:
  • saucepan
  • blender

Method

1. Wash all fruits/veggies, then prep as follows:
   • Wash but don’t prep beets;
   • Dice onion and leek
   • dice carrots
   • crush garlic clove
2. Place beets in saucepan, cover with water, and boil for 30 minutes. Drain, and allow to cool.
3. Pour some coconut oil into saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, leek, carrots and garlic to saucepan, and saute for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, peel beets and chop them, then and add to the saucepan.
5. Warm the vegetable broth, them pour into blender. Add just-cooked veggies and sea salt. Blend until mixture is smooth.
6. Serve with a Tbsp of roasted pumpkin seeds on top.

This emerald-colored soup is loaded with kale and broccoli, which are high in
cysteine to help the body produce liver-supporting glutathione. This creamy
soup not only helps detoxify the liver but also supports healthy weight and
stable blood sugar. Plus, it has immune-boosting and cancer-preventive properties.(7)

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1 tsp coconut oil
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped
  • 2 cups of broccoli
  • 2 cups clean water
  • cup of kale, chopped or torn into pieces
  • 1 Tbsp chia seeds
  • juice of half a lemon
  • tsp of coconut milk
  • tsp of chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
• Equipment:
  • deep pot
  • blender

Method

1. Wash all fruits/veggies, then prep as follows:
   • Don’t peel nor chop the beets;
   • Dice onion and leek;
   • Crush garlic cloves;
   • Peel and finely chop a carrot and a parsnip;
   • Dice celery stalks; and
   • Chop the broccoli.
2. Heat a tsp of coconut oil in a deep pot. Add prepped veggies and braise on low to medium heat for 3 – 4 minutes.
3. Add 2 cups clean water, and allow mixture to simmer, stirring occasionally.
4. Meanwhile, place a cup of kale into a blender, along with the chia seeds, juice of half a lemon, and coconut milk.
5. Blend until smooth.
6. Combine this with the simmering soup mixture, and stir.
7. If desired, garnish with fresh parsley and a tsp of chopped walnuts or almonds.

Liver Detox Teas

These recipes include steeping the herbs in fresh hot water. If you are not familiar with “steeping,” the following is from Healthline (9): “To steep tea, pour hot water over your ingredients and let them rest for a few minutes. It isn’t an exact science, and you should experiment to find what tastes right to you.

The Healthline article (9) provides lots of good information, including recommended temperatures of the water for steeping different types of teas.

Use good quality, filtered water, such as from a reverse osmosis filter.

Chamomile, Lemon and Honey Tea

Dandelion Root Detox Recipe

This recipe, which features dandelion root, really shows your liver a “lot of
love.” Dandelion root is a traditional herbal remedy for liver problems. Not
only is it high in vitamin A, but it has a beneficial diuretic effect as well.

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1-inch fresh ginger root
  • 2 Tbsp dried dandelion root
  • 2 dried cloves (whole)
  • fresh, hot filtered water
  • lemon juice (freshly squeezed from an Organic lemon), optional, to-taste
  • raw local honey to sweeten (or can use stevia)
• Equipment:
  • bowl, for steeping

Method

1. Cut off 1-inch of the ginger root (preferably organic), peel and slice thinly.
2. Combine sliced ginger root with dried dandelion and cloves, in a bowl.
3. Add water to cover, and steep for 10 minutes (see Healthline (9) for how to steep)
4. .
5. Strain and cool.
6. If desired, add lemon juice and sweetener, to taste

Lemon, Ginger and Turmeric Tea

This drink utilizes two of the most liver-nourishing roots known to herbal medicine: ginger and turmeric. Both are strongly antioxidant and anti- inflammatory. The original article notes that “these two therapeutic roots – both revered in Ayurvedic and Traditional Chinese medicine – are related.”

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1-inch fresh turmeric root (preferably organic)
  • 1-inch fresh ginger root (preferably organic)
  • fresh, hot filtered water
  • lemon juice (freshly squeezed from an Organic lemon)
• Equipment:
  • bowl, for steeping

Method

1. Peel and thinly-slice the pieces of turmeric and ginger roots, then place in a bowl.
2. Add water to cover, and steep for 10 minutes (see Healthline (9) for how to steep).
3. Strain and cool.
4. Serve with a splash of the fresh lemon juice.

Peppermint, Ginger, Milk Thistle, Hibiscus and Lemon

From the original article: “This mixture breaks out some of the really “big guns” in liver health. Peppermint promotes digestion and healthy liver function, while milk thistle contains silymarin, the premier herbal remedy for liver ailments.  And hibiscus – which is having a well-deserved “moment” of publicity and praise – has been shown in some studies to benefit the liver and kidneys.”

Ingredients & Equipment:

• • 1-inch fresh ginger root (preferably organic), freshly sliced
  • 1 tsp dried milk thistle
  • 1 tsp dried hibiscus flowers
  • 1 teabag of peppermint tea.
  • fresh, hot filtered water
• Equipment:
  • bowl, for steeping

Method

1. Slice the piece of ginger toot.
2. Add dried milk thistle and hibiscus flowers, and peppermint tea (from teabag)
3. Add filtered water to cover, and steep for 10 minutes (see Healthline (9) for how to steep),
4. Strain and cool.