Fatty Liver: Foods To Avoid
Fatty liver is one of the main problems today, in fact, according to MedlinePlus data, it affects about 25 percent of the world’s population.
One of its main causes would be the modern lifestyle, based on a sedentary life, lack of physical exercise and the consumption of junk food that would add excess fat to our body and little nutritional value.
This disease would also be associated with obesity and insulin resistance. Its severity would be related to variables such as body mass index, superhinsulinemia and insulin resistance, among others.
A study published in the World Journal of Gastroentorology indicates that fatty liver syndrome is a major chronic disease that could lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, even leading to death. Of course, many people are diagnosed with simple fatty liver and do not develop serious cases.
Once fatty liver has been diagnosed, a change in habits would be essential to counteract its symptoms. Therefore, the diet to be followed should be balanced and accompanied by physical exercise as part of the daily routine. In this way, it would seek to stabilize the weight and facilitate the recovery of liver functions.
Next we will tell you what foods should be avoided in a diet for people with fatty liver. However, you should consult with your doctor to create a diet tailored to your caloric and nutritional needs.
High fat foods
According to research by BMJ, a high calorie diet would increase the fat content in the liver. In contrast, a low-calorie diet would help decrease liver fat content.
This is because the fatty liver would have trouble digesting high-fat foods. Therefore, its consumption should be avoided or reduced to a minimum. In addition, foods high in fat would facilitate weight gain and the general recommendation is usually to lose weight when suffering from this disease.
The foods to avoid would be:
- Fried foods.
- Fatty foods.
- Dairy products.
It would be important that foods high in saturated fat were completely eliminated from the diet of those with fatty liver.
High glycemic index foods
Foods rich in natural sugars or those with a high glycemic index raise blood glucose levels. Based on the data from the study mentioned above, this would severely affect the liver. Thus, even fruits with a high sugar content should be consumed in moderation (melon, grapes, banana, among others).
On the other hand, processed foods such as fried foods, pastries, soft drinks, white bread, ice creams, etc. should be avoided. This is so because they contain high amounts of simple carbohydrates.
Processed grains
Several studies indicate that the consumption of refined grains would increase the risk of suffering from fatty liver, while the consumption of whole grains would be associated with an improvement on the part of those who suffer from this disease.
For this reason, people with fatty liver should avoid processed grains and eat whole grains instead. In this way, a greater supply of fiber would be obtained that would help control cholesterol and blood glucose levels.
Alcohol
The consumption of alcohol, even in moderate amounts, would facilitate the accumulation of fat in the liver cells. When this accumulation exceeds normal limits, cells begin to swell.
Thus, normal blood flow is hampered. Also, if it is not stopped and the situation is not reversed, the liver could be damaged beyond repair.
Therefore, abstinence from alcohol or minimal consumption is recommended . A 2019 study concludes that, if fatty liver has already been diagnosed, the ideal is to abstain from its consumption.
Consult your doctor, he will know better than anyone else what you can or cannot consume, and answer all your questions.