Fatty liver usually occurs as a result of unhealthy diet, excess body weight, belly fat and a sedentary lifestyle. Researches show that visceral fat decreases in many people who change their lifestyle, diet and lose weight.
- Nutritional recommendations for fatty liver are compatible with the Mediterranean diet. Mediterranean diet is a eating style rich in plant based protein sources (beans, tofu, soy), whole grains, healthy fats, fruits, vegetables and fish and low in red meat, chicken, sugar and animal fat.
- Changing the diet should be the first target in the treatment of fatty liver disease. Losing at least 5-10% of their body weight in individuals with overweight problems has positive effects on fatty liver.
- Alcohol consumption should be kept to a minimum.
- Natural homemade foods should be preferred and additives should be avoided.
- Consumption of fibrous foods such as vegetables, fruits should be increased, especially artichoke and celery should be preferred. (The most important feature of artichoke is that it cleans the liver and provides easy flow of bile.)
- Delicatessen products (such as sausage, salami, sausage) and offal should be avoided.
- Roasted nuts and fried products should be avoided.
- Intensive refined carbohydrate and simple sugar consumption should be reduced and whole grain, rye and wholegrain products should be preferred. Carbohydrate nutrition max. It should be 40-50%.
- Exercising regularly should become a part of life.
- Saturated fats (butter, palm oil, offal, poultry skin, full-fat dairy products), trans fats (a type of fat found naturally in some foods and also formed during food production, in fried foods) should be reduced from the diet. Unsaturated fatty acids (avocado, raw hazelnuts, peanuts, nuts such as walnuts, natural olive oil) should be given weight.
- According to researches; Caffeine consumption reduces the risk of fatty liver. Studies have shown that those who drink coffee every day have less fatty liver disease than those who don't. 2 cups of filter coffee or Turkish coffee a day is very useful in this respect. Coffee with sugar, syrup and cream should be avoided.
- Foods rich in omega-3 have many positive effects on liver health. Foods such as flaxseed, chia seeds, walnuts, purslane, especially oily sea fish (salmon, sardines, tuna), are rich sources of omega 3 fatty acids.
- Nutrition should be rich in vitamins A, B3, B6, B12, D, E, C, K. For this reason, diet therapy should be applied with the help of a dietitian.
RESOURCES:
- George ES. Practical Dietary Recommendations for the Prevention and Management of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Adults. Adv Nutr. 2018 Jan 1;9(1):30-40.
- Kargulewicz A. Dietary recommendations for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Prz Gastroenterol. 2014;9(1):18-23. doi: 10.5114/pg.2014.40845. Epub 2014 Mar 1.