Did you now that the Liver is the largest organ in the body?
So, being the largest, it has a lot of responsibilities
from helping the body digest food, store energy
to even removing poisons from it.
Now, your body would be in a lot of trouble
if such an important organ has problems functioning.
This could happen due to drinking too much alcohol, bad diet,obesity, lack of exercise
or high blood sugar causing fat buildup in the liver leading to a condition called Fatty
Liver.
It is a fairly common disease which affects about 25%-35% of the general population.
So don’t be surprised if you are one of those affected.
But don’t panic yet, because in today’s video we’ll talk about what foods to eat
and what foods to avoid if you have a fatty liver.
Before you rush off to throw away those alcohol bottles, don’t forget to subscribe to Bestie
and ring the notification bell.
The good news is, changing your diet can help prevent or reverse liver damage considerably.
Here are the foods that will help a lot with the Fatty liver repair.
Fish: Fish such as Salmon, Sardine, Tuna and Trout are lean and protein rich in Omega 3s.
This helps break down the accumulated fat in the liver cells and reduces inflammation.
So, for your protein intake needs, switch from meat to fish and avoid the fats and skins
of meat and poultry.
Garlic: According to a study having garlic helps the body produce and release enzymes
that flush out toxins from the liver.
Garlic is a sulfur and antioxidant rich food which helps cleanse and heal the liver.
Although it may not sound too appealing, you can eat garlic raw or for the full effect
or just add more of it into your food.
Coffee: Yes, you heard that right!
We said coffee.
Coffee has properties which help remove the enzymes that cause harm to the liver cells.
It’s also been known to lower the amount of abnormal liver enzymes in people at risk
for liver diseases.
A result of a study analyzing 2,500 people found that drinking at least three cups of
coffee daily was “significantly associated” with less scarring of the liver.
So go ahead and grab your cup of coffee, just try to avoid adding any sugar to it.
Green Vegetables: Green vegetables such as beans, broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts
might not be the tastiest things in the world to eat, but they sure are some of the healthiest.
Studies show that, long term consumption of these types of green vegetables helped prevent
fat build-up in the liver of mice.
So the same could be applied to humans as well.
These vegetables also contain inorganic nitrate which reduces accumulation of fat in the liver.
Next time, don’t forget to add lots of greens to your diet.
Green Tea: Green tea has become really popular these days since it contains rich amounts
of antioxidants.
This property of green tea helps the body absorb fat which then reduces the fat storage
in the liver.
The antioxidants also help with liver function.
What is your favourite green tea flavour?
Let us know in the comments section below.
Walnuts: Walnuts might not be something you eat often, but they are very good for your
liver.
They contain high amounts of amino acid arginine, glutathione and omega-3 fatty acids which
help the liver in detoxifying ammonia and support natural liver cleansing.
You can eat walnuts either raw, straight out of shell (opening the shell is a fun task
in itself) or mix it with salad, cereal or yogurt in your breakfast.
Avocado: Avocado is a superfood with numerous health benefits.
They’re rich in healthy fats and phytochemicals which help to get rid of the build up of unhealthy
fats on the liver surface which helps slow down the damage of the liver.
It’s also rich in glutathione which stimulates the production of liver and digestive enzymes
as well as liver activity.
Avocado tastes good with everything.
So, Spread a small amount over toast with lemon juice and black pepper, add it to a
sandwich or wrap, or get really adventurous some avocado recipes you find online.
Tofu: Tofu is packed with protein.
The soy protein found in Tofu helps in reducing the overall fat buildup in the body.
To put it simply, it carves out a path for the fat to be eliminated rather than storing
it.
This relieves the liver from the pressure and helps reduce the damage of the liver cells.
Tofu can be cooked so many ways, like steamed, grilled, baked, pan-cooked or fried, of course
in an air fryer!
If you’ve never tried Tofu before, there’s so many ways to enjoy it!
What about if you want to cure a fatty liver.
Avoiding and staying off certain types of foods is a very important part of the process.
Here are the foods you should avoid if you want to get rid of a Fatty Liver:
Alcohol: This is the biggest culprit and your greatest enemy when it comes to causing fatty
liver.
You should reduce or completely eliminate alcohol intake from your diet.
Drinking alcohol continuously even for a few days, can lead to a build-up of fats in the
liver ultimately resulting in irreversible damage to the liver.
Be good and stay away from it.
Meat: Who doesn't love a good steak or a nicely grilled sausage.
But red meats such as beef, pork, lamb and processed meats like salami and sausages are
high in saturated fats which leads to fatty Liver.
Time to find an alternative for your 4th of July Grilled sausage hotdogs!
Sugar: We know, sugar is everywhere, but you should try to avoid it as much as possible.
To help you with that check out our video called “8 Ways to Spot Added Sugar”.
Sugary and Added Sugar foods such as candy, ice cream, sweetened beverages like soda,
cookies, muffins and chocolate all contribute to high blood sugar levels causing increased
fat in the liver.
Eggs: Eggs are known to contain high amounts
of dietary cholesterol which can lead to cholesterol
overload and cause a fatty liver.
They also upregulate something called the SREBP in the liver which increases the levels
of fat.
Fried and Greasy Foods:
The greasier the tastier...goes the saying, but tastier is rarely healthier.
I am sure your mouth will water when I name greasy foods like french fries, pizzas and
burgers but these are the unhealthiest of all containing high amounts of saturated fats
which is the leading cause of a fatty liver.
A small study revealed that high levels of saturated fat immediately changes the liver
function.
White Processed Flour and Starch: Whole grain flours can be harmful for the liver.
This includes bread, white rice, pasta or baked goods.
They increase blood sugar levels which leads to stressing of the liver resulting in high
triglycerides and that promotes a fatty liver.
You can try and substitute Refined grains with whole wheat and whole-grain alternatives
like potatoes or legumes.
Excess Fruits: Yes, you heard that right!
This may be hard to believe, but consuming large amounts of fructose-rich fruits like
raisins and dry fruits can result in inflammation and fatty liver.
This is because the sugar present in these fruits, known as fructose, can cause abnormal
amounts of fat in the blood when consumed in large amounts, leading to a fatty liver.
And you thought fruits were healthy for you all the time!
With our lifestyles becoming stationery and unhealthy, are you switching to a healthier
lifestyle and diet?
How did that work for you?
Let us know in the comments section below.