The liver is a top organ that helps metabolize, detoxify and maintain energy balance for the body. However, many people are unintentionally damaging the liver through seemingly harmless drinking options.
According to Dr. Rohit Loomba - Director of the Center for liver Research at the University of California San Diego (USA): "Not only alcohol causes liver damage. Some popular drinks, from bottled fruit juice to herbal tea, can increase the risk of fatty liver, hepatitis or impaired liver function if used incorrectly."
Here are 5 drinks you should consider carefully before drinking them every day.
Bottled fruit juice
Bottled orange, apple or pomegranate juice is often advertised as a vitamin C juice, good for the immune system. But in fact, they often contain very high fructose levels. Fructose is not metabolized like glucose, but is mainly processed in the liver, causing fat accumulation and the formation of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
We often think fruit juices are good, but if they contain too much sugar and are free of fiber, they can silently destroy the liver, warns Dr. Loomba.
Water increases energy
Although it helps keep you alert and is rich in B vitamins, energy drinks contain a lot of caffeine, sugar and overly active liver-stimulating substances. Regular consumption can cause acute hepatitis due to toxicity, even leading to acute liver failure.
A report by the American Journal of Case Reports has recorded many cases of hepatitis related to prolonged drinking of energy drinks.
"detox" smoothie mixed incorrectly
Smoothies or detox juices are considered liver-clearing drinks, but there is no clear scientific basis for their detoxification ability. Conversely, consuming too much oxalate-containing vegetables such as spinach, amaranth, or combined with sweet fruits can increase the metabolic burden on the liver and kidneys.
"The plant does not need to be detoxified with smoothies, it is a ready-made detoxification machine. Mixing detox drinks yourself incorrectly only harms the liver," warned British nutritionist Priya Tew (of the British Dietetic Association).
Herbal tea of unknown origin
Some types of weight loss tea, detox tea may contain medicinal herbs that affect the liver such as cascara, senna, or wild plant extracts. Many cases of herbal toxic hepatitis have been recorded, especially in long-term users without expert guidance.
"Don't let herbal words deceive you. Arbitrarily using unverified herbs can cause serious liver poisoning," says Dr. Victor Navarro, liver expert at Einstein Healthcare Network, Philadelphia, USA.
Bottled plant drinks
Plant milk is popular in the trend of healthy eating, but many bottled products contain preservatives, supplements or thickeners such as carrageenan, which can cause hepatitis and metabolic disorders when consumed for a long time.
