The liver is an important organ that serves many crucial functions to maintain your body’s immunity and metabolism. A healthy liver is essential for your overall well being. If you or someone in your family has been diagnosed with fatty liver (medically known as hepatic steatosis), a medical condition caused due to excessive fat storage in the liver, it is essential that you seek medical help and also take sincere steps to reverse fatty liver. If left untreated, fatty liver can lead to liver cirrhosis and other serious complications. In this health article we emphasize on the foods that you must include in your diet to reverse the fatty liver condition.
As a general rule, for any person with fatty liver, the recommended diet is a nutrient dense diet with fiber, whole-foods, proteins, and unsaturated fats. It is important to ensure that your diet is balanced and healthy which includes fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, and whole grains. It is highly recommended that you reduce or avoid intake of unhealthy junk foods, refined carbohydrates, foods with high salt content or added sugars, saturated fats, and stop alcohol consumption.
The other foods to include in your daily diet for reversal of fatty liver include:
Coffee
Studies have shown that coffee helps protect your liver by lowering the abnormal liver enzymes and reducing the risk of developing non alcoholic fatty liver disease. Coffee also reduces inflammation and increases the levels of antioxidant glutathione, thereby decreasing the risk of liver fibrosis or liver cirrhosis. Studies have shown coffee is also associated with a lower risk of death in people with liver diseases.
Fish
Fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon, and trout are excellent sources of heart friendly and healthy omega-3 fatty acids. The omega-3 fatty acids help reduce inflammation, prevent fat build-up in the liver, and lower the bad cholesterol and triglycerides, thereby lowering the risk of heart diseases.
Soy, beans and other legumes
Soy, beans, and other legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, peas are all effective in reducing the risk of fatty liver. These legumes contain resistant starches that provide additional benefits by improving your gut health. Legumes prevent the visceral fat build up, lower the blood glucose levels, bad cholesterol and triglycerides in obese people.
Green leafy vegetables
Green leaves (particularly spinach) are rich sources of nitrates and polyphenols. These elements help reduce fat build up in the liver. Green leaves are more effective when consumed raw or in salads or as juices and smoothies rather than cooked or boiled. Cooking or boiling the green leaves removes their nitrates and polyphenols content.
Oatmeal (rolled oats)
Oatmeal
Oatmeal or rolled oats are rich in fiber, which help in proper digestion, improve gut health, and reduce triglyceride levels.
Nuts
Nuts are plant-based rich sources of omega-3 fats, antioxidants, vitamins, and several other micronutrients. Studies have shown that a diet rich in nuts provides several health benefits, particularly for heart health, insulin resistance, lowering oxidative stress, and reducing the risk of fatty liver disease.
Sunflower seeds
Sunflower seeds are rich sources of antioxidants, particularly vitamin E. Vitamin E is often medically prescribed for reversal of fatty liver.
Turmeric
Turmeric helps prevent liver damage in people with fatty liver disease by decreasing serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST).
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