The liver helps in processing food, storing energy, and flushing out toxins. The condition known as fatty liver disease is marked by an accumulation of extra fat in the liver.
A common liver ailment around the world is fatty liver disease. One in ten people is affected, on average. If the weight of the liver is significantly higher than normal, you may have a fatty liver.
Alcoholic steatohepatitis, also known as alcoholic fatty liver disease, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease are the two main varieties of fatty liver.
The liver is harmed by fatty liver disease, which makes it incapable of cleansing the blood of toxins and producing bile for the digestive system.
The first line of treatment for this condition is dietary modification. One of the most effective ways to treat and reduce overall symptoms is a fatty liver diet.
Diet and exercise are important lifestyle factors in treating fatty liver disease. A fatty liver diet’s main goal is to slow the accumulation of fat in the liver.
Additionally, a fatty liver diet helps get rid of belly fat that has accumulated there. It is an extra precaution to make sure the liver condition does not get worse.
In this article, we will be discussing all the fatty liver diets.
What Is A Fatty Liver Diet?
A diet that is richer in fat and lowers in carbohydrates is beneficial for persons with fatty liver disease.
Fatty liver disease may be improved[1] by eating fewer carbohydrates and carbohydrates with a lower glycemic index.
Fruits, non-starchy vegetables, and whole grains should make up 27% of your daily caloric intake. The ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids should be the same (8% each).
Foods To Eat On A Fatty Liver Diet
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Soy Diet
The soy diet may help nonalcoholic fatty liver disease sufferers[2] with their insulin resistance.
Isoflavones, an antioxidant found in soy, assist in increasing insulin sensitivity and decreasing liver fat.
The protein -conglycinin is also well known for its capacity to lower triglyceride levels and shield you from the accumulation of visceral fat. There is a lot of conglycinin in soy.
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Chia Seeds
Including chia seeds in your diet may promote improved insulin sensitivity and prevents[3] fatty liver.
Chia seeds include ALA, which is fantastic for lowering inflammation and assisting the liver’s normal detoxifying activities.
They are high in omega-3 fats, one of the best foods to eat to treat fatty liver. Additionally, the fiber in chia seeds supports healthy digestion and lessens the strain on the liver.
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Dark Leafy Green Vegetables
Leafy green vegetables include naturally occurring inorganic nitrates that could help maintain liver health by preventing[4] the accumulation of fat in the liver.
Foods like spinach, chicory, endive, kale, and dandelion could be a healthy addition to any diet. Additionally, having foods with dark leafy greens stimulates the liver’s bile flow, which is what drives detox.
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Grapefruit
Grapefruit supports healthy liver function. Antioxidants found in it naturally safeguard the liver and may lessen inflammation.
Hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis risk may be decreased by grapefruit consumption. Naringin, an antioxidant[5] that protects the liver by lowering inflammation and preventing oxidative damage, is abundant in grapefruit.
Additionally, naringin guards against some of alcohol’s harmful effects and support the liver’s capacity to metabolize alcohol.
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Coffee
Numerous benefits of coffee drinking include the prevention of liver cancer. Regular coffee consumption reduces the risk of developing[6] cirrhosis in patients who already have fatty liver disease.
It significantly inhibits the spread of fibrosis and hepatitis C’s capacity for replication. Those with cirrhosis who drink more coffee have a lower risk of passing away from the condition.
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Nuts
Vitamin E, a substance that may help prevent fatty liver disease, may be found in nuts in good amounts.
Unsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants included[7] in nuts also aid in the prevention of NAFLD, as well as the reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress.
Foods To Avoid In Fatty Liver Disease
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Alcohol
Most of the alcohol you consume is broken down by the liver so that it could be eliminated from the body. As a result, substances are produced that are even more dangerous than alcohol.
These substances have the potential[8] to harm liver cells and lead to severe liver disease. Alcohol also causes the liver to accumulate fat, which prevents the liver from functioning properly.
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Fried Foods
A buildup of fat in the liver may result from eating too many fried foods. Therefore, if you have a fatty liver, try to limit your intake of fried and salty foods.
Fried foods have a high fat content, which when digested[9] produces free radicals that may harm the liver.
Olive oil plays a role in improving liver enzymes and preserving a low level of fat in the liver.
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High Processed Foods
Carbohydrates in highly processed diets could exacerbate fatty liver. High-processed foods are prepared by eliminating their fiber.
If you have fatty liver disease, you should avoid processed grains[10] such as those used to make pasta, white bread, white rice, etc.
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Refined Sugar
Refined sugar-containing products should be avoided. Sugary foods have the potential to raise blood sugar levels and add fat to the liver.
When you eat too much sugar, a process known[11] as lipogenesis occurs in your liver where the extra sugar is converted to fat. Fatty liver disease is brought on by the fat globules that build up in the liver cells.
Supplements Along With Fatty Liver Diet
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Omega 3S
The best omega-3 fish oil for the fatty liver may aid in the treatment of fatty liver disease. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake[12] for fatty liver is 2.5 grams per day on average.
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Vitamin E
The fatty liver disease’s symptoms may be lessened by vitamin E.
It at a high dose of 800 to 1,000 IU per day is excellent for treating fatty liver. However, make sure to speak[13] with your doctor before taking high doses.
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Vitamin D
In people with morbid obesity, vitamin D deficiency is linked to a higher[14] risk of fatty liver disease. Correcting vitamin D deficiency may help treat NAFLD in people with fatty livers.
Conclusion
A fatty liver diet seeks to lower your calorie consumption each day to promote weight loss.
Since losing weight could reduce the amount of fat in your liver, it is essential for managing fatty liver disease.
To maintain good blood sugar levels and a strong heart, think about developing healthy lifestyle choices in addition to eating a balanced diet.
Another risk factor for fatty liver disease is stress. Try to manage your stress because it causes cortisol levels to rise and increases the amount of fat your body stores.
You must consume 500 fewer calories per day to reduce the amount of fat that builds up in your liver.
The importance of eating fruits, vegetables, beans, nuts, whole grains, olive oil, fish, lean meat, and eggs should be emphasized.
References/Sources
Working4Health prefers using primary and verified references. We have strict sourcing guidelines and our primary references include peer-reviewed research, academic, and medical institution studies.
- Fatty Liver Disease. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/fattyliverdisease.html
- Pian Xiong and Yong-Fen Zhu. Soy diet for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Jun 4; 100(22): e25817. Published online 2021 Jun 4. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000025817
- Chia Supplementation and Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. Date of Published: May 8, 2019. Available from: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03942822
- Huiping Li, Xuena Wang, Mingxu Ye, et. al. Does a high intake of green leafy vegetables protect from NAFLD? Evidence from a large population study. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2021 Jun 7;31(6):1691-1701. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2021.01.009. Epub 2021 Feb 2. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33838994/
- Manouchehr Khoshbaten, Akbar Aliasgarzadeh, Koorosh Masnadi, et. al. Grape Seed Extract to Improve Liver Function in Patients with Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Change. Saudi J Gastroenterol. 2010 Jul; 16(3): 194–197. doi: 10.4103/1319-3767.65197
- Huafeng Shen, Andrea C. Rodriguez, Ashok Shiani, et. al. Association between caffeine consumption and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systemic review and meta-analysis. Therap Adv Gastroenterol. 2016 Jan; 9(1): 113–120. doi: 10.1177/1756283X15593700
- Maria Corina Plaz Torres, Giorgia Bodini, Manuele Furnari, et. al. Nuts and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Are Nuts Safe for Patients with Fatty Liver Disease?. Nutrients. 2020 Nov; 12(11): 3363. Published online 2020 Nov 1. doi: 10.3390/nu12113363
- Suthat Liangpunsakul and Naga Chalasani. What do we recommend our patients with NAFLD about alcohol use?Am J Gastroenterol. 2012 Jul; 107(7): 976–978.
doi: 10.1038/ajg.2012.20. - Rebecca C Mollard, Martin Sénéchal, Andrea C MacIntosh, et. al. Dietary determinants of hepatic steatosis and visceral adiposity in overweight and obese youth at risk of type 2 diabetes. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Apr;99(4):804-12. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.079277. Epub 2014 Feb 12. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24522441/
- Dana Ivancovsky-Wajcman, Naomi Fliss-Isakov, Muriel Webb, et. al. Ultra-processed food is associated with features of metabolic syndrome and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Liver Int. 2021 Nov;41(11):2635-2645. doi: 10.1111/liv.14996. Epub 2021 Jul 14. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34174011/
- Thomas Jensen, Manal F Abdelmalek, Shelby Sullivan, et. al. Fructose and sugar: A major mediator of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. J Hepatol. 2018 May;68(5):1063-1075. doi: 10.1016/j.jhep.2018.01.019. Epub 2018 Feb 2. Available from: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29408694/
- Wenxia Lu, Sainan Li, Jingjing Li, et. al. Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acid in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Gastroenterol Res Pract. 2016; 2016: 1459790. Published online 2016 Aug 29. doi: 10.1155/2016/1459790
- Hamza El Hadi, Roberto Vettor, and Marco Rossato. Vitamin E as a Treatment for Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: Reality or Myth?. Antioxidants (Basel). 2018 Jan; 7(1): 12. Published online 2018 Jan 16. doi: 10.3390/antiox7010012.
- Mitra Hariri and Sara Zohdi. Effect of Vitamin D on Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Clinical Trials. Int J Prev Med. 2019; 10: 14. Published online 2019 Jan 15. doi: 10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_499_17
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Alisha Matthew has been a practicing nutritionist since 2016. She holds a master’s degree in nutrition from the University of IOWA. She is a staunch believer in improving the human health index by educating people about nutrition and the importance of nutrition in leading a healthy and happy life. Her long-term goal is to keep educating people on general health and keep herself updated with the latest trends in the field of health.