If your doctor has diagnosed you with liver disease, you'll need to make some significant changes in your diet. A conventional diet might stress your liver too much, causing reduced function, according to the National Library of Medicine. Because it's possible to suffer from malnutrition as a side effect of liver disease, keep in close contact with your physician as you determine what diet is best for you.
Symptoms/Causes
Liver disease can result from multiple causes, including autoimmune conditions, hepatitis, excess alcohol consumption and viral infections, according to the National Library of Medicine. If you have liver disease, you might appear jaundiced, your liver might be enlarged, and you might have dark urine and bleed easily, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
Diet Foundations
Your doctor likely will develop a customized diet for you based on how well your liver functions. But generally, diets designed to optimize liver function emphasize carbohydrates over protein, because a malfunctioning liver may not be able to help you digest proteins properly, according to the National Library of Medicine. You'll also need to cut way back on the sodium you consume daily.
Foods to Eat
If your physician has told you to emphasize carbohydrates, you'll be able to eat fruits and vegetables along with bread and other grain products, according to Ohio State University. Be careful with vegetables because some of them contain protein and you might need to limit those. You should focus on starchy items such as bread and potatoes to get the majority of your daily calories.
Foods to Limit
You can eat small amounts of meats, fish and poultry, but your physician will tell you how much you should eat of these per day, according to the National Library of Medicine. Avoid processed packaged foods because they likely contain too much salt. Salt can cause your body to retain fluids, which then can build up in your liver.
Considerations
Your physician probably won't ban particular foods on your diet for liver function, but you'll need to stay on top of how much salt and protein you eat each day, according to the National Library of Medicine. If you're having trouble determining how best to implement your diet for liver function, consult with an experienced dietitian to get specific advice.
