6 best habits for a healthy liver

Your liver works around the clock to help your body process nutrients, make bile for digestion and handle substances that enter your bloodstream. Yet your liver health often gets overlooked until a problem shows up.

The healthy habits that support your liver are not complicated. What you eat and drink, how often you move, how much alcohol you consume, how you use medications and how you protect your liver from certain conditions can all make a difference.

You don't need a special liver detox or a shelf full of supplements to support your liver and keep it healthy. Start with these easy-to-incorporate habits that are also great for your overall health. Your liver (and the rest of your body) will thank you.

What does your liver do?

Your liver is one of your body's busiest organs, handling more than 500 functions that help keep you healthy, such as:

• Filters and processes substances in your blood, including foods you eat, medications and other compounds your body needs to break down.
• Makes bile, which helps your body digest and absorb fats.
• Helps regulate blood sugar by storing glucose as glycogen and releasing it when your body needs energy.
• Produces important proteins, including proteins found in your blood plasma.
• Stores iron and other nutrients your body needs.
• Helps manage blood clotting by producing proteins involved in the process.
• Breaks down old or damaged red blood cells and helps process the substances left behind.
• Supports your immune system and helps your body defend itself against certain infections.

With so many important jobs, the everyday choices you make can have a real impact on your liver health.
 

Related: 14 signs of liver damage you should know

6 best habits for liver health

Some of the best habits for your liver also happen to support your heart, blood sugar, weight and overall health. A few habits that you may (or may not) be incorporating into your daily routine deserve special attention when liver health is the goal.

1. Eat more whole foods and less added sugar

Your overall eating pattern matters more than any single food. When looking for the best foods for liver health, focus on whole foods, which support a healthy weight and may help lower the amount of fat stored in the liver.
 

The best foods for liver health:

• Fruits and non-starchy vegetables
• Whole grains, like oats, brown rice, whole-wheat bread
• Beans and lentils
• Nuts
• Lean sources of protein, including skinless poultry, tofu and low-fat dairy
• Healthy fats, like olive oil, avocado oil
• Fatty fish such as salmon and sardines are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce inflammation

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases recommends limiting foods and drinks that contain large amounts of simple sugars, such as fructose. Fructose is found in sweetened soft drinks and sodas, sports drinks, sweetened tea and juices, as well as baked goods, packaged candy and many breakfast items.

Limiting these foods and drinks can be part of a healthy eating pattern for preventing or managing metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, or MASLD, formerly known as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

An occasional sweet drink or treat isn't likely to determine your liver health. The concern is the pattern. These items can add a significant amount of sugar and calories without making you feel very full.

Regularly drinking sweetened beverages or eating snacks and desserts loaded with added sugar can make it easier to consume more calories than your body needs and may contribute to metabolic problems associated with fat buildup in the liver.

You don't have to overhaul your diet overnight. That type of drastic change can be hard to implement and you may revert back to your old habits. 

Start with an easy change you can repeat: 

• Try water flavored with a piece of fruit or unsweetened green tea instead of one sugary drink each day
• Add a vegetable to your dinner
• Choose whole-grain toast instead of white bread at breakfast

2. Keep your body moving

Regular physical activity is another healthy habit that positively benefits your liver. Exercise can help reduce fat stored in the liver and improve your metabolic health, even when it doesn't lead to weight loss.

Good options for exercise include: 

• Walking
• Cycling
• Swimming
• Dancing
• Strength training 

Try adding a 20- to 30-minute walk to your day, taking the stairs more often (if you are able) or scheduling a few strength-training sessions each week. Small amounts of movement add up over time.

If your job requires you to sit for a large part of the day, look for easy opportunities to move. Take a short walk after lunch, stand during part of your workday or take a few minutes to stretch between meetings.

3. Maintain a healthy weight without crash or fad diets

Carrying excess weight can increase the chance of fat building up in the liver. This is closely connected to your metabolic health, including conditions such as insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Losing at least 3% to 5% of body weight can reduce liver fat in people with MASLD who are deemed to be overweight or obese.

When weight loss is appropriate, gradual, healthy changes are more useful than extreme diets or fad diets that have little data to back them up.

The Mediterranean diet is a good fit for liver health as it focuses on many of the foods your liver benefits from most. The Mediterranean eating pattern emphasizes vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds, fish and seafood, with olive oil as a primary source of fat. It also emphasizes eating less added sugar, refined carbohydrates, highly processed foods and foods high in saturated fat.

4. Limit your alcohol consumption

Alcohol is processed by the liver, and drinking too much can cause liver injury such as fat buildup, inflammation, scarring (cirrhosis) and other liver problems. The risk generally increases as your alcohol consumption increases.

The type of alcoholic beverage doesn't change the fact that it contains alcohol. Whether you consume wine, beer and liquor – they all count.

A simple way to make a difference in your liver health with regard to alcohol is to pay attention to:

1) How often you drink

2) How much you have to drink when you do

Consider implementing alcohol-free days during the week, smaller pours or choosing a nonalcoholic beverage.

People with certain liver conditions such as cirrhosis, alcohol-associated liver disease or severe hepatitis may need to avoid alcohol completely. 

Follow your healthcare provider’s advice if you've been told that alcohol could affect your liver.

5. Use caution with medications and supplements

Your liver processes many of the medications and substances that enter your body, so more is not necessarily better when it comes to over-the-counter medications or supplements.

Acetaminophen, an ingredient in many pain relievers and cold medicines, can cause serious liver injury if you take too much. A common way to accidentally exceed the recommended amount is by taking more than one product containing acetaminophen at the same time.

The supplements you take daily also deserve your attention. In the US, supplements are linked to about 20% of liver injuries, known as a drug-induced liver injury or DILI. Just because the package says it’s “natural” does not automatically mean it is safe.

Before adding a new supplement to your routine, check the full list of ingredients and ask your doctor or a pharmacist whether it could interact with your medications. Keep a current list of everything you take, including vitamins and supplements to share with your healthcare provider at your next appointment.

6. Protect yourself from hepatitis

Some liver conditions are caused by viruses, such as hepatitis, which is an inflammation or swelling of the liver that can affect how it functions. The two most common ones are hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

Hepatitis B

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that affects the liver and can cause inflammation and long-term liver problems. It spreads through contact with infected blood or other body fluids, including through sex or sharing needles and personal items such as razors or toothbrushes. A vaccine can prevent hepatitis B and is recommended for adults ages 19 through 59.

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C is a viral infection that spreads primarily through contact with infected blood. Many people have few or no symptoms at first, but the infection can become long-lasting and lead to serious liver problems over time. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C, but testing can detect the infection and treatment can cure it in most cases.

Ask at your next routine visit if you're up to date on the hepatitis B vaccination and whether you've had hepatitis C screening.

Is a liver detox good for your liver health?

A product labeled as a liver detox or cleanse isn't the answer for a healthy liver and can actually hurt your liver rather than help it.

While these products may promise to flush out toxins or give your liver a fresh start, there is a lack of good, scientific evidence that these products can do that. Some ingredients found in popular liver detoxes or cleanses, such as green tea extract, turmeric and curcumin, and Ashwagandha, may cause damage to your liver.

Your liver already processes and removes many substances from your body, and a detox should not be a substitute for the healthy habits that do support your liver health.
 

Related: The truth about popular detoxes

Take steps to improve your liver health today

Use this simple plan to improve your liver health one day at a time. Start with a small step today, build on it throughout the week and bring a few questions to your next checkup to ensure you stay on track and address any concerns you have.

Today:

• Replace one sugary drink with water or an unsweetened option.
• Take a walk after a meal.
• Check the labels of any medications you take to see whether more than one contains acetaminophen or another ingredient that could be harmful to your liver.

This week:

• Add more vegetables, fruit or whole grains to your meals.
• Plan a few opportunities for physical activity.
• Look at how often you drink alcohol and how much you typically have.
• Review your vitamins and supplements and make a list to discuss at your next visit.

At your next checkup:

Ask whether you need a hepatitis B vaccination or hepatitis C screening. You can also ask whether your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure or weight may be affecting your liver health.

The best liver habits are the ones you can keep

Taking care of your liver comes down to many of the same habits that help you feel and function well every day:

• Eat a balanced diet
• Stay active
• Work toward a healthy weight
• Be thoughtful about alcohol
• Use medications and supplements carefully

Start with one habit that feels realistic and build from there. Over time, these everyday choices will come naturally and give your liver the support it needs to keep you healthy.

Have more questions about your liver health? Connect with your doctor or find a hepatologist near you.