After turning 40, many people find their bodies weakening, feeling full quickly after eating, easily fatigued, and experiencing poor sleep. These are signs that the liver is being overworked. These foods will help lighten the burden on the liver each day after age 40.
Winter melon soup with shrimp: A dish that's good for the liver after age 40
According to Associate Professor, Doctor Nguyen Thi Lam – former Deputy Director of the National Institute of Nutrition, the important thing is not about eating a lot or a little, but about eating properly to reduce the metabolic burden on the liver at night.
Winter melon is a cooling food that helps with diuresis and supports the body's natural detoxification process. When combined with shrimp – a source of easily digestible protein and low in cholesterol – it makes for a nutritious soup, perfect for dinner.
Winter melon soup with shrimp is good for the health of people over 40.
To cook a delicious and authentic dish, pay attention to the ingredient preparation right from the start. Choose a medium-sized winter melon, neither too young nor too old, to avoid a sour taste. Besides fresh shrimp, you can also use dried shrimp. Soak the dried shrimp in warm water until soft, then lightly crush them to sweeten the broth.
The method is simple: first, boil the shrimp to make broth, then add the squash and cook until just tender. When the water boils, add the squash, cover the pot, wait for it to boil again, then uncover and turn off the heat to preserve the green color and clarity of the soup.
Soft tofu with mushroom sauce
Soft tofu with mushroom sauce is a light yet nutritious dish, suitable for middle-aged people. Tofu provides plant-based protein and calcium, while mushrooms are rich in antioxidants, contributing to liver cell protection and metabolic stability.
The method is simple:
Prepare about 400g of tofu, cut it into pieces, soak it in diluted salt water for 15 minutes, then drain it; soak 50g of shiitake mushrooms until soft, then chop them finely.
Sauté the onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant, then add the mushrooms and stir-fry. Next, add the sauce (1 tablespoon soy sauce, 20ml water, 1 tablespoon vegetarian chili paste, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1 tablespoon salt). Place a pan on the stove, add cooking oil, and sauté the chopped onions, garlic, and ginger until fragrant. Once the sauce starts to simmer, add the tofu and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes before removing from the heat. Pour into a bowl, and your delicious and flavorful vegetarian mushroom tofu dish is ready.
Boiled eggs
Eggs are a high-quality source of protein and contain choline, a substance that helps transport fat out of the liver. Middle-aged people should include eggs in their daily meals.
However, people with high liver enzymes should eat boiled eggs instead of fried eggs. Also, to avoid increasing blood cholesterol, they should only eat 3-4 eggs per week.
Boiled eggs are a simple, easy-to-make dish, but they are very good for middle-aged people.
Salmon with creamy mustard sauce
Salmon is rich in omega-3s, which help reduce inflammation and support fat metabolism in the liver. It's a suitable food for middle-aged people, especially as part of a balanced diet.
Everyone can refer to this recipe for a unique salmon with mustard cream sauce. The ingredients are simple: 2 salmon fillets, olive oil, minced garlic, mustard, cornstarch, honey, heavy cream, pepper, fresh dill…
How to make salmon with mustard cream sauce
Salmon dishes are good for the liver of middle-aged people.
Wash the salmon, season with salt and pepper, then pan-fry in olive oil. The sauce is made from heavy cream, cornstarch, mustard, and honey, combined in a bowl and stirred until smooth.
Sauté minced garlic until fragrant, then add chicken broth to the pan and simmer for about 4 minutes until the liquid in the pan is reduced to about 2/3. Next, whip the cream mixture again and slowly pour it into the pan, stirring constantly over low heat until the mixture thickens and becomes smooth.
When you turn off the heat, add the dill to enhance the aroma. Arrange the salmon on a plate with the steamed asparagus and enjoy it while hot; it's incredibly delicious with rice.