Working hard all day long, Breaking down the fatty deposits along Clearing the mess that you create, Still overwhelmed with drinks that I barely ingest, I suffer the swelling and viral attacks and keep running even when you turn your back, Stretching me more will result in wreck, leading to damage beyond repair...
Functioning of liver is both positively and negatively affected by the food we consume as well as the lifestyle we follow and it is crucial to be aware of the things that are good and bad for our liver's health.
Food in Liver Diseases
Hepatitis It is the inflammation of liver . It can result from alcoholism,autoimmunity or viral infection.
Foods that are known to have positive effect are
- Citrus Fruits - Fruits such as oranges, lemons, and grapes are excellent sources of vitamin
.
- vitamin C acts as an antioxidant and plays a preventive as well as therapeutic role in hepatitis.
Foods that are known to have negative effect are
Raw or Undercooked Food
- Can act as a potential source for oranges, lemons, and grapes are hepatitis viruses, mostly A and E.
Liver Cancer Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a type of liver cancer, which begins in hepatocyte (main type of liver cells).
Foods that are known to have positive effect are
Milk, Yogurt and Egg
- Dairy products and eggs due to their high retinol content (Vitamin A) are known to have a beneficial
effect by reducing the risk of HCC development.
White Meat and Fish
- Both have lesser cholesterol and saturated fats than red meat and are a source of omega 3 fatty
acids that have anticarcinogenic and anti-inflammatory property.
-They are also rich in vitamin D and selenium helps prevent cancer formation.
Vegetables, Fruits and Cereals
- They are a natural source of dietary fiber, flavonoids, vitamins, minerals, and other bioactive compounds.
- High dietary fibers aid in regulation of healthy body weight which contributes in maintaining balanced
glucose and lipid profile.
- Some studies show a positive effect of flavonoids, as antioxidant in combating liver cancer.
Foods & beverages that are known to have negative effect are
Red and Processed Meat
- They have high content of iron, saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. Higher amounts of these
fats are associated with liver cirrhosis and HCC by increasing the chances of obesity and diabetes mellitus,
predisposing to the risk of development of HCC.
- Cooking red meat at high temperatures leads to production of carcinogens that may trigger the formation of HCC.
Alcohol
- Chronic alcohol consumption increases the risk of HCC development. Alcohol is broken down to harmful
by-products like acetaldehyde and free radicals in liver as it is the primary site for alcohol metabolism.
- Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that damage cell membrane leading to cell death.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)
As the name suggests, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is characterized by fat accumulation in liver cells in absence of significant alcohol consumption.
Foods and food components that are known to have positive effect are
vitamin E
Found in almonds, spinach and avocado.
- It acts as an antioxidant and helps relieving oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is the imbalance
between the production of free radicals (harmful for the body) and neutralization of these free
radicals by antioxidants (beneficial to the body).
Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and Olive oil
PUFA being found mostly in sea foods.
- PUFA decreases triglycerides accumulation and LDL levels while olive oil improves glucose
and fats metabolism.
Foods and food components that are known to have negative effect are
Fructose
High fructose containing foods such as sweetened beverages, soft drinks, and corn syrup.
- High fructose containing foods decrease fat breakdown and may also cause metabolic alterations
leading to fat deposition and inflammation.
