Green tea to lemon water: Harvard expert rates popular beverages for liver health; (the best is the cheapest!)

Time of India

3 days ago

Gastroenterologist Dr. Saurabh Sethi reveals the best and worst beverages for liver health, highlighting the surprising downsides of sugary drinks and the benefits of simple choices. While trendy smoothies and juices may seem healthy, they can strain the liver. Water and black coffee emerge as top choices, promoting detoxification and reducing inflammation, respectively.
Liver diseases are on the rise lately, and lifestyle factors have a huge role in it. What you eat and drink has a profound effect on liver health. Dr. Saurabh Sethi, a California-based gastroenterologist trained at Harvard and Stanford, has ranked some of the common beverages based on their effect on liver health.
Take a look
Smoothies and juices are not really winners
While health influencers and wellness gurus are now pushing smoothies and juices, they surprisingly have fewer benefits than you assume. Dr. Sethi ranked green smoothies 5, and stressed that their impact depends heavily on the ingredients. 'It can either support or strain the liver,' the doctor said.
Unsweetened vegetable juice is at 4, which is undoubtedly less than what most people assume. 'It's nutrient-dense but lacks fiber,' the gut doctor said.
Dr. Sethi placed fresh fruit juice in the third position. 'Though natural, its sugars can still tax the liver, especially if consumed in excess,' he said.
The worst beverages for liver health
Surprisingly, sweetened tea is at the bottom of the list, getting a 2nd score in the list. 'Added sugars and additives can burden liver function,' Dr. Sethi said. The worst drink for the liver is fruit juices that are store-bought. Store-bought fruit juice earned the lowest score, 1.
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'It is high in sugar and no fiber, which means it is the worst option for liver health,' he said.
Beverages that are good for the liver
Unsweetened green tea ranked third on the list with a score of 8. Rich in antioxidants, green tea can improve liver function. In the 7th position is beetroot juice, one of the most hyped drinks for liver health. Guess what? The hype is real. Beetroot contains beta-lanes, which enhance the liver detox pathways.
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Another drink that has mild benefits is lemon water.
Most people start their day by drinking warm lemon water. Dr. Sethi notes that the benefits are attributed mostly to hydration rather than any unique liver-healing properties. Drinking lemon is also linked with improved digestion. However, its hydration benefits stand tall compared to any other potential advantage.
The
best drinks for liver
health
The toppers on Dr. Sethi's list is, surprisingly, beverages that do not break your bank account.
These drinks are very common, and many are unaware of it. Black coffee scored 9, as it is linked to lowering inflammation and fibrosis risk. Studies have shown that drinking 2-3 cups of coffee per day can reverse the effects of fatty liver disease.
And the winner? Water! Yes. Dr. Sethi ranked water a 10. It is the best drink you can consume for your liver health. Many expensive drinks claim to detox the liver. But guess what? None of them works. The only drink you need to add to help in liver detox is plain water. Dr. Sethi emphasizes that drinking water is essential for liver detox and function.