Diet For FLD - 3 Fatty Liver Food Tips You Need To Know

A diet for FLD (fatty liver disease) should take into account not only liver problems, but also other closely related ailments. For example, fatty liver is often closely tied to obesity, diabetes mellitus and hyperinsulinemia, metabolic disorders, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, alcoholism, and genetic disorders. Because of the wide variation in contributing factors, it can be difficult to lay out a single diet plan for fatty liver that works for all FLD patients.

With that being said, there are a few similarities among virtually all diets for reducing fat in the liver. Let's take a closer look at some of these.

STEATOSIS

Reducing Fat Intake

The major commonality among all fatty liver diets is reducing the consumption of fatty foods. This makes sense of course given the fact FLD is caused by an excessive accumulation of triglyceride fats in the liver. Typically, when fat makes up more than 5-10% of the liver by weight, a patient is considered to have a fatty liver.

Veteran liver nurse and author of the "Fatty Liver Diet Guide", Dorothy Spencer, states, "Having a right diet can help stop the progression of fatty liver from simple steatosis to NASH (non alcoholic steatohepatitis) and in some cases even reverse the disease." The central idea being that high fat foods must be removed from the diet completely or consumed in very small quantities.

Oils should be used sparingly and processed meats should be avoided. Skin should be removed from meats and any extra fat should be cut off before cooking or eating. Foods with high saturated fat content can be especially harmful to fatty liver patients and should be avoided as much as possible.

Amping Up Vitamins And Minerals

A wide variety of vitamins and minerals can have positive effects on liver health. Among these are folate, vitamin B complexes, vitamin K, manganese, selenium, and sulfur. Therefore, eating generous portions of fruits and vegetables is recommended for anyone trying to reduce liver fat.

When it comes to vegetables, greens, leaves, and legumes are particularly good. Broccoli is highly recommended. If consuming vegetables in a salad, be sure to avoid using a large amount of salad dressing. Citrus fruits are also liver friendly as they contain high amounts of vitamin C and folate.

What You Drink Matters Too

Beverages should not be overlooked when following a diet for reducing a fatty liver. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided because ethanol limits the release of low-density lipoproteins (LDL) into the bloodstream.

These proteins are responsible for moving fatty acids out of the liver. Therefore, when their numbers drop, more fat moves into the liver than out of it and fat accumulation and congestion occurs. Sugary drinks such as soda, processed fruit juices, and energy drinks should also be consumed sparingly.

Diet For FLD - 3 Fatty Liver Food Tips You Need To Know

STEATOSIS