Fatty liver is a common disease in people who abuse alcohol, are obese and sedentary. This is one of the main causes of liver failure. However, fatty liver disease can be treated with dietary changes.
1. What is fatty liver disease?
Fatty liver disease (steatosis) is a common condition caused by having too much fat build up in your liver. A healthy liver contains a small amount of fat. It becomes a problem when fat reaches 5% to 10% of your liver’s weight.
2. What are the symptoms of fatty liver disease?
People with fatty liver disease often have no symptoms until the disease progresses to cirrhosis of the liver. If you do have symptoms, they may include:
– Abdominal pain or a feeling of fullness in the upper right side of the abdomen (belly).
– Nausea, loss of appetite or weight loss.
– Yellowish skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice).
– Swollen abdomen and legs (edema).
– Extreme tiredness or mental confusion.
– Weakness.
3. Why is fatty liver disease bad?
In most cases, fatty liver disease doesn’t cause any serious problems or prevent your liver from functioning normally. But for 7% to 30% of people with the condition, fatty liver disease gets worse over time. It progresses through three stages:
– Your liver becomes inflamed (swollen), which damages its tissue. This stage is called steatohepatitis.
– Scar tissue forms where your liver is damaged. This process is called fibrosis.
– Extensive scar tissue replaces healthy tissue. At this point, you have cirrhosis of the liver.
4. Foods to Avoid with Fatty Liver Disease
If you’re struggling with fatty liver, avoiding foods high in fat is essential. This includes fried foods prepared in a way that contains lots of oil or butter.
In addition to avoiding fatty foods, it’s also important to drink plenty of water, exercise regularly, and monitor your blood sugar levels. Here are the most common fatty liver foods and drinks and what you should do to avoid them.
– Alcohol
Alcohol can be a major cause of fatty liver disease as well as other liver diseases.
– Sodas, Cold Drinks, and Sugar
Soda is the main contributor to obesity and other chronic diseases and causes fatty liver. Studies have found that soda drinkers have a 2.5 times higher risk of developing fatty liver compared to those who don’t drink soda.
– Saturated Fats
Saturated fats are the worst for your liver because they cause it to build up in the liver cells. This can lead to fatty liver, a condition in which the liver becomes full of “fatty droplets” and starts to malfunction.
Some of the most common foods that contain high levels of saturated fats are- Butter, Cheese, Red Meat, and Fried Foods.
– Added salt
Consuming too much salt can increase the risk of NAFLD. It’s recommended to limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams per day. People who have high blood pressure should limit salt intake to no more than 1,500 mg per day
– Rice, pasta, and white Bread
Rice, pasta, and white bread are all high in carbohydrates and contain a lot of sugar. They can also be very harmful to your liver if you eat them regularly.
– Fried foods
Fried foods contain a high amount of refined carbohydrates and unhealthy fats and oils, which can lead to the development of a fatty liver.
References: healthline.com, my.clevelandclinic.org, righthomeremedies.com
