7 foods to naturally support your gut-liver axis!

Did you know your liver is crucial to your health, carrying out over 500 functions? Pretty impressive if you ask me! But with more than 11,000 liver disease-related deaths each year in the UK,¹ knowing how to support your liver has never been more important!

Functions carried out by your liver include storing nutrients, detoxifying, fighting infections, regulating hormones, blood clotting, and producing bile.²³⁴ Keeping your gut and liver functioning optimally is essential for your overall health and wellbeing.

Let’s explore the gut-liver axis in more detail and which foods you can consume for better gut and liver health –

Firstly, what is the gut-liver axis?

Your gut and liver are connected; this two-way connection is called the gut-liver axis. They work together to keep you healthy! The gut and liver are connected via several pathways, including the portal vein and biliary system.

The portal vein connects these two organs, transferring blood from your gut to your liver. This blood includes nutrients from food, toxins, and waste products. A healthy gut microbiome can support the liver by strengthening the intestinal barrier and reducing the amount of harmful substances passed via the blood. The liver can also impact the gut microbiome through the secretion of bile acids.⁵

Liver diseases have been linked to gut microbiome imbalances, which is called gut dysbiosis. This highlights the importance of a balanced gut microbiome!

Eat these 7 foods for better gut and liver health –

1. Fibre rich foods

Fibre is crucial to your health; your gut microbes feed on prebiotics from fibre to support their growth and activity. You should aim for 30g of fibre from a range of plant foods daily. Fibre-rich foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, lentils, and wholegrains. Here at Chuckling Goat, we developed our Complete Prebiotic powder, which contains 18 different prebiotics that feed your beneficial bacteria to support a flourishing microbiome!

2. Fermented foods

Fermented foods are naturally rich in a diverse range of beneficial bacteria, supporting a healthy and balanced microbiome. These foods include kefir, kimchi, sauerkraut, live yoghurt, kombucha, miso, and tempeh. Our kefir contains 27 strains of beneficial bacteria to rebuild and replenish your gut microbiome! Consuming these gut-friendly foods daily benefits your gut and overall health.

3. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts. These vegetables are nutrient-packed, containing the bioactive compound sulforaphane. Research has found that sulforaphane, when given to animals, can modulate the gut microbiome, support the integrity of the gut lining, and reduce inflammation.⁶ Sulforaphane also reduced LPS (lipopolysaccharide) in the liver,⁷ which is responsible for increasing inflammation in the liver. Other compounds found in these vegetables can also be helpful, like indole-3-carbinol, as it can also reduce liver inflammation.⁸

4. Oily fish

Oily fish include salmon, mackerel, anchovy, sardines, and herring. These fish are naturally rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which have potent anti-inflammatory benefits.⁹ They can positively impact gut health by modulating the composition of the gut microbiome.¹⁰ Research shows that omega-3 fats can reduce liver inflammation and liver fat in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.¹¹

5. Berries

Berries are a great addition to the diet! Opt for a bag of mixed frozen berries to get a diverse range of these delicious fruits into your diet. Berries have been found to modulate the gut microbiome and act as a prebiotic.¹² Remember – prebiotics feed probiotics! By consuming a diet rich in prebiotics, you will be supporting a balanced microbiome. Berries also have anti-inflammatory properties, thanks to their high antioxidant content.¹³

6. Extra virgin olive oil

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is delicious and nutritious! Phenolic compounds in EVOO have been found to increase certain beneficial bacteria within the gut, including bifidobacteria, lactobacillus, akkermansia, and faecalibacterium,¹⁴ supporting a balanced and diverse microbiome. Oleocanthal is one of the phenolic compounds found in EVOO, which is beneficial for inflammation and oxidative stress.¹⁵ The science is clear, EVOO should be a staple in everyone’s kitchen!

7. Matcha

Matcha is a nutrient-rich powdered green tea from Japan. It’s grown in popularity for various reasons, including its promising health-promoting effects! It’s bursting with antioxidants, fibre, and other beneficial compounds to support the gut and the liver. Research shows that matcha can modulate the gut microbiome and increase certain bacteria that produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).¹⁶ Gut microbes produce beneficial by-products known as SCFAs or postbiotics. Interestingly, the liver receives SCFAs via the portal vein, butyrate is a type of SCFA that can prevent non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and other liver conditions.¹⁷ Did you know our kefir is a source of butyric acid? This makes it an excellent option for both your gut and liver!

Are you looking for ways to include these foods in your daily diet? Check out these four delicious recipes:

Any questions? Contact one of our Nutritional Therapists via Live Chat, weekdays from 8am to 8pm.