Your liver works around the clock to filter toxins, process nutrients, and keep your body in balance. Supporting it with herbs is a natural, time-tested way to help it thrive.
These 15 herbs have been used for generations to nourish, cleanse, and protect this vital organ.
Whether brewed, blended, or sprinkled into meals, each one brings something special to the table.
1. Milk Thistle
With its spiky purple flowers and slightly bitter seeds, milk thistle is often steeped into tea or taken as an extract. Its mild, earthy flavor pairs well with mint or lemon.
The seeds are rich in silymarin, a powerful antioxidant that may help repair liver cells and protect against damage from toxins or alcohol.
2. Dandelion Root
Roasted and brewed like coffee, dandelion root has a deep, toasty flavor with a hint of natural bitterness. It’s also available as a tincture or capsule.
Traditionally used to support digestion, dandelion root may stimulate bile flow and gently flush the liver, aiding in detox and digestion.
3. Turmeric
Golden and bold, turmeric adds warmth and color to everything from curry to tea. The taste is peppery, earthy, and slightly bitter.
Its star compound, curcumin, is known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which may reduce liver inflammation and fight oxidative stress.
4. Schisandra Berry
These tart, ruby-red berries are called the “five flavor fruit” for their complex sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and pungent profile. Often used in teas or tinctures.
Schisandra is a classic in Traditional Chinese Medicine, praised for boosting liver enzyme activity and enhancing detox pathways with daily use.
5. Artichoke Leaf
Though not as famous as the globe itself, artichoke leaves have a bitter, vegetal flavor that shines in herbal teas or extracts.
They contain compounds like cynarin that may encourage bile production and support fat digestion, giving the liver a break from heavy lifting.
6. Burdock Root
Earthy and slightly sweet, burdock root is often simmered into broths or steeped in tea. It has a grounding, comforting quality.
Long used to cleanse the blood, burdock supports liver detoxification and may help eliminate heavy metals and other internal waste.
7. Yellow Dock
With a tangy, slightly metallic flavor, yellow dock root is often dried and brewed into tea. It pairs well with warming spices.
Rich in iron and bitter compounds, it’s thought to stimulate bile flow and encourage gentle liver cleansing over time.
8. Licorice Root
Naturally sweet with a warm, anise-like taste, licorice root makes a soothing tea or herbal blend base. It’s also used in tinctures.
Licorice supports the liver by reducing inflammation and helping regulate cortisol. Its antioxidant activity also offers protection against cell damage.
9. Chicory Root
Roasted chicory root brews into a rich, coffee-like tea with nutty, slightly woody notes. It’s often used as a caffeine-free coffee alternative.
In folk medicine, chicory supports liver function by boosting bile production and easing digestion after heavy or fatty meals.
10. Ginger
Pungent and spicy, ginger adds zing to everything from stir-fries to herbal teas. Fresh, dried, or powdered, it’s a kitchen favorite.
Its anti-inflammatory power and warming nature may help reduce liver inflammation and enhance circulation to support natural detox.
11. Peppermint
Cooling and aromatic, peppermint’s bright flavor is a favorite in teas, oils, and culinary blends. It’s refreshing and sharp on the tongue.
Peppermint supports bile flow and soothes digestive tension, which helps the liver do its job more efficiently after large or rich meals.
12. Oregon Grape Root
This bitter root has a golden hue and a strong, medicinal taste often mellowed by blending with milder herbs. Usually taken as a tincture or tea.
High in berberine, it’s used to stimulate bile production and support the liver’s microbial balance—especially after illness or antibiotic use.
13. Beetroot Powder
Deeply pigmented and naturally sweet, beetroot powder stirs into smoothies or drinks for a vibrant color and earthy flavor.
Beets are rich in betaine, which helps the liver process fats and toxins. They also support blood flow and natural detox.
14. Cilantro
Bright and citrusy, cilantro’s fresh flavor is unmistakable in salsas, salads, and green juices. The leaves are tender and aromatic.
Cilantro may help the body bind and remove heavy metals, offering a gentle way to support liver detox over time.
15. Andrographis
Sharp, bitter, and intensely herbal, andrographis is usually taken in capsules or tincture form rather than for flavor.
Used in Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, it’s praised for liver-protective compounds that may reduce inflammation and support immunity during stress.