On a weight loss plan? Your liver can help you out

It’s not something we commonly talk about. But if I were to ask you what organ you thought was the most important in your body, what would you say? Your heart or maybe even your brain. But if you want to lose weight, you should probably rethink those favourites. In actuality, your liver is one organ that makes that process faster and more efficient. Here’s how.

It is your fat processing plant: Your liver is the organ that helps break down fat and other compounds. It also produces bile that helps in absorption of fat and fat-soluble vitamins. This bile is then stored in your gall bladder so that it can be sent to your intestines as and when the need arises. As for excess fat, your liver ships that off in little packages (made by the combination of fatty acids and glycerol) to be stored by the body for the future. This fat is stored under your skin tissue (cellulite anyone?). When you are low on energy, this stored fat is converted back to glycerol and  the fatty acids are used for energy. You may also like to read why alcohol is bad for your liver.

It gives you that instant rush of energy: Carbohydrates help give you instant energy, but it is your liver that breaks down these carbohydrates and gives you the requisite amount of energy you need. When you eat carbohydrate rich food, it is broken down in your stomach to form glucose. This glucose is then taken to the liver where it is either provided to the body or stored for later use when you need an energy boost. You may also like to read about these foods that can help keep your liver healthy.

It helps regulate your proteins: Proteins are extremely important when it comes to building muscles, and since the more muscle you have the faster you burn fat, your liver is essential to the process. The organ is also in charge of processing proteins. Once you eat proteins, it is broken down into amino acids and sent into your blood stream where it is taken up by your liver. Your liver then gets to work, getting rid of the nitrogen from proteins (to help prevent the formation of a highly toxic substance known as ammonia) and helps in the a number of bodily processes including muscle building. The nitrogen that is extracted from the protein is further processed by your liver to form urea which is thrown out as urine. You may also like to read — High protein diets — good or bad?

It is your personal detox machine: Your liver is your clean-up organ. Whatever you eat or drink, that has toxins, be it alcohol, by-products of metabolism, drugs or toxins you inhale, your liver handles it like a pro. After separating it from your blood (by filtration), your liver breaks down and sends these toxins to your kidneys or intestines for excretion. This is why when you eat clean and healthy, your liver stays clean and can work better — helping you lose weight. You may also like to read about these everyday things that are harming your liver.

It is your store of vitamins:  A number of vitamins and minerals are stored in your liver, which then sends them out to various organs in your body as and when required. You liver helps store vitamin A, B12, D,E and K as well as minerals like iron and copper. All of which is required for you to lose weight effectively (although not through a direct process) and stay healthy.

Finally, just like your digestion and metabolism are essential to weight loss, your liver plays a vital role too.

With inputs from Shut Up and Train by Deanne Panday

Disclaimer text TheHealthSite.com does not guarantee any weight loss through this method as the results may vary from person to person. We recommend you consult your nutritionist and physician before following any of the tips suggested here.

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