How does drinking water support your liver health?

Why is drinking enough water so important for liver health?

Water is essential for our bodies to function and takes up around 60% of an adult's body. Water helps the liver filter and remove all the toxins that it has absorbed from what we ate, drank, inhaled, or put on our skin. Not drinking enough water can cause these toxins to build up in the liver which can as a result affect the rest of your body and put you at risk of illnesses. Dehydration can also cause contraction of bile ducts on the liver and even lead to the development of gallstones.

Hydrate before you caffeinate

Right upon waking up, drink a glass of warm water before you consume any other food or drink. Hydrating in the morning can help your body flush out toxins and get digestion started — a problem many liver patients deal with. Usually, it is not recommended to drink coffee on an empty stomach. The best time to caffeinate — after breakfast or in the afternoon. Drinking coffee on an empty stomach can increase the acidity in the stomach which can cause heartburn and even develop gastric ulcers. Also, do not forget to drink a glass of water before going to bed – it will support the recovery and detoxification processes in your body whilst you sleep.

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Not all drinks are made liver-healthy

Water is a key nutrient for your body. But hydrating your body does not mean just drinking anything. The quality of water you consume directly impacts your liver health. When grabbing a drink, swap out sodas and soft drinks for a liver-healthy alternative. Soft drinks are the main source of added sugars and are directly linked to the development of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and eventually non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Soda can contain 35g of sugar which equals around 7 teaspoons of sugar.

And of course, try to avoid drinking alcohol altogether. Alcohol destroys your liver´s healthy cells and over time can lead to alcoholic fatty liver disease, fibrosis, and later – cirrhosis.

If you find water too boring, jazz it up a bit with some extra vitamins and minerals for an additional burst of flavor. Try adding some ginger, cucumber, lemon and orange slices, blueberries, strawberries, or any other flavorful vitamins and minerals. Sugar-free tea is also another way of giving your water some flavor. Add a tea bag into your water end enjoy your tea warm or add in some ice cubes for an iced tea.