The goals of a healthy diet for liver health are to support liver function and prevent liver disease. The liver is one of the largest organs in the body and is responsible for converting food into energy and cleansing the blood of toxins and poisons. The healthiest diet for liver health adheres to federal dietary guidelines and balances diet with physical activity.
Risk Factors and Consequences
According to the Mayo Clinic, controllable risk factors of liver disease include obesity, alcoholism and high triglycerides. A healthy diet that prevents unnecessary weight gain and only allows alcohol in moderation can help reduce the risk of liver disease. An unhealthy diet contributes to liver cancer, a fatty liver, cirrhosis, an enlarged liver and liver failure, all of which can be life threatening and increase the risk of death.
Weight Loss
Obesity is one of the most controllable risk factors of liver disease. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says obesity is due to overconsumption of calories and lack of physical activity. Weight loss can reduce the risk of liver disease and is accomplished by reducing calorie intake and exercising for at least 60 to 90 minutes on most days of the week.
Eating smaller portions and consuming foods low in calories reduce total calorie intake. Low-calorie foods include fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins. High-calorie foods that should be avoided on a weight loss plan include foods with a lot of added fat and sugar, such as processed and fast foods, sweets, soda and foods made with a lot of butter, oil or cream. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are particularly healthy because they contain antioxidants that destroy dangerous chemicals that harm cells and cause chronic diseases.
Triglycerides
Triglycerides are a type of fat, and high triglycerides increase the risk of liver disease. According to the Mayo Clinic, eating fewer saturated and trans fats and less cholesterol, sugar and alcohol helps lower and prevent high triglycerides. Saturated and trans-fats are found in butter, lard, partially-hydrogenated oil, margarine, shortening, cream, fat from meat, chicken skin and coconut and palm oil. A diet that includes more plant foods like fruits, vegetables and grains and less processed foods and animal products will be lower in fat, cholesterol and sugar.
Alcohol
The University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) says alcohol abuse is the most common cause of liver disease in the United States. According to the Mayo Clinic, alcohol stresses the liver, and even small amounts contribute to liver disease over time. Individuals with chronic liver problems should avoid all types of alcohol because it can worsen liver disease. Healthy individuals who choose to drink alcohol should do so in moderation, which means less than one drink a day for women and less than two drinks a day for men.
Herbs
Certain herbs may benefit the liver while others are known to damage the liver. According to the Mayo Clinic, herbs known to harm the liver include black cohosh, ma-huang, chaparral, comfrey, germander, greater celandine, kava, mistletoe, pennyroyal, skullcap and valerian. The UMMC says herbs that have been used to treat liver disease include bupleurum, milk thistle, licorice root and cordyceps. Herbs should not be taken without a physician’s approval. Many herbs are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration and are not scientifically proven to be safe or effective.
