Omega-3 supplements: an aid to cleanse the liver

A diet rich in Omega 3, fruits and vegetables is ideal for purifying the liver and help it stay healthy. Foods rich in Omega-3s, along with fruits and vegetables, are the basis of thebest diet for cleansing the liver. Benefiting from a diet rich in these foods is not only this organ, but the whole body, and as if that were not enough, a purifying diet can also help you lose a few extra pounds.

Omega-3, essential fats for health

Omega-3s are considered essential fatty acids. This definition comes from the fact that the body is unable to synthesize them even though it absolutely needs them for its survival. Specifically, our body cells need one particular Omega-3, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), in order to synthesize another, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Both EPA and DHA are essential for staying healthy. They are, in fact, molecules with strong anti-inflammatory action and capable of reducing the amounts of triglycerides and LDL (the "bad") cholesterol in the blood. Their properties help reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease andarthritis. In particular, both the anti-inflammatory action and the ability to reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol protect liver cellsfrom cancers that might affect the liver .

Dietary sources of Omega-3

EPA and DHA are the two Omega-3s that are most efficiently utilized by the body, and to increase their intake you can enrich your diet with fatty fish, such as mackerel, sardines, herring and tuna, which is the main dietary source of these nutrients. There is, however, also another Omega-3 from which EPA and, from this, DHA can be obtained. This isalpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a molecule most abundant in plant-based foods, first and foremost nuts. Several studies have shown that dietary sources of ALA also help protect health. Unfortunately, however, the human body's ability to convert this Omega-3 to EPA is limited. The best sources of Omega-3 appear, therefore, to be foods that are themselves rich in EPA and DHA.

The diet to cleanse the liver

Precisely because they are anything but detrimental to health, Omega-3s are ideal for a cleansing diet that, in addition to causing weight loss, helps to eliminate heaviness and waste. From the latter point of view, one of the key steps is to act on the liver, an organ that performs several functions. These include activities that are critical for fat and carbohydrate metabolism, the production of bile needed for digestion, the storage function for various substances, and detoxification of toxins, waste, and other molecules harmful to the body. Helping the liver detoxify is, therefore, critical to maintaining good health. Make way, then, for foods rich in Omega-3, which should be preferred over butter, meat and other foods of animal origin that contain large amounts of saturated fats that, instead, fatigue the liver. In addition to having a direct protective action on this organ, these nutrients promote the absorption of vitamins A and E, which are essential to prevent liver fatigue. Combining omega-3 consumption with that of fruits and vegetables, which are essential for cleansing action, can help keep the liver in shape. Make way, then, for oily fish, nuts, draining celery and fennel, and seasonal fruits and vegetables.