The liver performs over 500 essential functions to keep the body healthy, including removing harmful toxins and absorbing nutrients from the foods we eat. This homemade liver detox tea recipe is a herbal blend made with herbs that cleanse the liver and help provide the nutrients needed for the liver to perform its essential functions.
Disclaimer: This post is intended for informational purposes only. I’m not a qualified practitioner and I’m not encouraging anyone else to implement this. This is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for medical advice. Please consult a qualified medical practitioner if you have any health or medical concerns and before starting to drink this tea. This post contains affiliate links, meaning at no additional cost to you I will earn commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See my full disclaimer here. First published: 21 May 2021. Last updated: 12 May 2022.
Jump To Section:-
- Importance of supporting the liver
- Ingredients and benefits
- Equipment needed
- Step by step instructions
- Variations and optional ingredients
- Storage
- Frequently asked questions
- Dietary requirements
- Other liver detox recipes
- Other herbal tea recipes
- Recipe card
Importance Of Supporting The Liver
We’re exposed to over 700,000 chemicals everyday, more than ever before (1). The liver performs over 500 essential functions to keep our body healthy. It’s one of our 6 drainage pathways, constantly cleansing and filtering our blood, removing harmful chemicals, hormones, toxins and heavy metals. It also produces bile to help digest and absorb nutrients from our food and allow these toxins to be removed from the body (2).
We need to get the nutrients needed for these processes to take place from the foods we eat and drinks we consume (2). Not providing our bodies with the nutrients it needs can impair the liver and other detox pathways (colon, kidneys, lymphatic system & skin) ability to remove toxins. If the amount of toxins we’re exposed to exceeds the amount being eliminated, then toxins begin to accumulate and be stored in the body, which increases inflammation, impairs normal function and can cause numerous symptoms, including fatigue, dizziness and pain (2).
One way of consuming the nutrients needed to support the liver is drinking this liver cleanse herbal tea.
Related Post: How To Open The 6 Detox Pathways In The Body For Health & Chronic Illness Management
Ingredients and Benefits
- Milk thistle, dandelion root and burdock root. These bitter herbs improve liver function by stimulating the production of bile to help remove toxins (3).
- Hibiscus and rosehips. Both are high in antioxidants and vitamin C, which supports the immune system and protects the liver and body from free radical damage (4, 5).
- Ceylon cinnamon sticks (UK Link/US Link). This balances blood sugar levels and has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which protects the liver from damage (6). Regular cassia cinnamon contains a high amount of coumarin which can damage the liver in high amounts (7). Ceylon cinnamon is higher quality than Cassia cinnamon, contains only a trace amount of coumarin and has a more delicate and sweeter flavour (8).
- Filtered water. Filtering tap water, using for example a Brita water filter, removes harmful heavy metals, toxins and other contaminants, which helps reduce the burden on the liver (9).
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the post for the full ingredients list.
Equipment Needed
I ensure the equipment used is 100% ceramic, glass or stainless steel, rather than plastic, aluminium, copper or teflon. Aluminium, copper, plastic and teflon leach toxins and heavy metals into the tea when heated, which increases the stress on the liver and is harmful to our health. 100% ceramic and glass are free from toxins, while stainless steel is safer than aluminium, copper and teflon (13).
My other posts – 10 tips for a non toxic kitchen, 15 ways to create a non toxic home and 6 free ways to start non toxic living – have further ways of reducing your toxin and chemical exposure to help reduce the stress on the liver.
Step By Step Instructions
- Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan,
- Turn the heat down to low, add all the herbs and let simmer for 10 minutes,
- Strain into a mug with a tea strainer and enjoy!
Variations & Optional Ingredients
The following ingredients also help support the liver and can be added to the tea, if desired, for variation:-
- 1/2 inch fresh turmeric. This contains curcurmin which helps reduce inflammation and is a powerful antioxidant, which helps support the liver and protect it from damage (10).
- Ground black pepper. Just a pinch increases the absorption of curcurmin in turmeric by 2,000%! (11).
- 1/2 inch fresh ginger. Ginger contains a high level of antioxidants to help protect the liver from damage (12).
Storage
This tea is best drunk straight away as the flavour can reduce the longer it’s left after being strained. However, it can be left covered at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Alternatively, after being left to cool completely, it can be stored in a glass airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. It can be drunk cold or reheated in a small saucepan on a low heat until warmed through and the desired temperature is reached.
Frequently Asked Questions
The European Medicines Agency recommends to limit consumption to 2-3 cups per day maximum (14, 15, 16, 17). However, it is important to consult a medical practitioner before consuming herbs and drinking this tea, especially if you have any health concerns, medical problems or are taking any supplements or medications.
Yes you can. I find the Ceylon cinnamon adds a delicate sweet flavour which eliminates the need for any additional sweetness. However, if you wish to make the tea sweeter, there are 3 different options you could use which are refined sugar free:-
– Raw manuka honey (UK Link/US Link), which has antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties.
– Sweet freedom syrup (UK Link/US Link). For a vegan and plant based sweetener, sweet freedom syrup is a great option. It’s a natural sweetener made from fruit extracts, with a low glycemic index.
– Medjool date (UK Link/US Link) for a whole food plant based sweetener. After making the tea, place the strained drink in a blender with the date and blend on high until fully combined.
Yes, this recipe makes 1 cup of tea. However, the ingredients can easily be scaled up to make multiple servings and then stored following the above storage instructions.
Dietary Requirements
This liver detox herbal tea is:-
- Gluten free
- Dairy free
- Wheat free
- Lactose free
- Soy free
- Egg free
- Nut free
- Grain free
- Nightshade free
- Refined sugar free
- Oil free
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- Paleo
- Whole30
Other Liver Detox Recipes
Other Herbal Tea Recipes
Tag Me In Your Tea Creations On Social Media
I really hope you enjoy this herbal tea. If you make it I’d love to see your creations. Tag me on social media – I’m on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest & YouTube and also use the hashtag #lbhealthandlifestyle.
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Recipe Card
Homemade Liver Detox Tea Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon milk thistle seed
- 1 teaspoon dandelion root
- 1 teaspoon burdock root
- 1 tablespoon hibiscus
- 5 whole rosehips
- 2 3-inch Ceylon cinnamon sticks
- 1.5 cups filtered water
Instructions
- In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil,
- Turn the heat down to low, add the milk thistle, dandelion root, burdock root, hibiscus, whole rosehips and ceylon cinnamon sticks and let simmer for 10 minutes,
- Remove from the heat. Strain into a mug with a tea strainer and serve straight away.
Oh my goodness! My daughter and I love a good detox recipe! Such a delicious and great tea recipe to have on hand! I’m so excited to show my daughter this recipe!
Thank you so much Beth, I’m so glad you like it! I hope your daughter enjoys it too!
This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
You’re welcome! Thank you Shadi, I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂
This tea was so warming and cleansing!! It tasted great and I love the added health benefits it had as well!
Thank you so much Anjali, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! The health benefits are definitely a great added bonus!
Not only is this tea healthy and detoxifying, it’s also delicious!
Thank you so much Alison, I really appreciate your feedback. I’m so pleased you enjoyed it!
We loved this! Detoxifying and absolutely delicious! One of my daughter’s favorites. Definitely making this again!
Thank you so much Beth, I’m so glad you and your daughter enjoyed this detox tea!
The flavor in this drink is AMAZING!
Thank you so much Eden, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Oh wow! Such an amazing combination of flavors in this tea. I especially love rosehip and cinnamon.
Thank you so much Tara, I really appreciate your feedback. I agree, rosehip and cinnamon are such lovely flavours. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it!
Thank you for sharing this liver detox herbal tea recipe. I appreciate the way you include links to the supplies as well. Some of the ingredients I had never heard of. I’m a huge fan of herbal tea!
You’re welcome Lisa, thank you for your comment. I love herbal tea too and always love discovering and trying out new flavours and herbal blends!
What a great recipe for a liver detox tea. Taking care of the liver is an important job we need to take seriously.
Thank you so much Gina, I really appreciate your comment. Liver health really is so vital.
I drink a lot of herbal teas as it helps with nausea and digestion, and you are right that certain teas are good for the liver. I shall have to try this herbal blend!
Thank you Ana. I love drinking a range of different herbal teas too, they provide so many health benefits. I really hope you enjoy this tea! Please let me know what you think 🙂
Not only did this tea taste great, I loved that it was doing my body some good, too!
Thank you for letting me know Jennifer. I’m so glad you enjoyed the tea!
I’m all about a good detox tea and appreciate this recipe! I made it for my husband too.
Thank you Emily, I appreciate your comment. I’m pleased to hear the tea is a hit with you and your husband!
What a great recipe with medicinal qualities and a delicious blend of flavors. I thank you, and my liver thanks you!
You’re welcome Eliza. Thank you so much for your comment, I’m so glad you’re enjoying this tea recipe!
Thank you for the recipe! I tried it and was very nice and comforting! Just what I needed after such a busy weekend!
You’re welcome Tavo. Thanks so much for your comment. I’m so glad you enjoyed it! I hope this week is less busy for you.
What a wonderful tea to cozy up with in the cold afternoons right now. Love that it’s not only tasty but doing something good for me too!
Thank you for your comment Gina, I’m so pleased you’re enjoying this tea 🙂
I love tea especially all of the amazing benefits to drinking it. This detox tea is the perfect way to kick off my health goals this new year!
This is an amazing detox tea. I love the combination of ingredients, and the herbs you chose to use. Thanks for such an informative article and recipe.
This was easy to make, tasted great and really helped calm my stomach upset.
I’m so pleased to hear the tea helped you Debra, thanks for letting me know.