While you might not think about your liver often, it plays an essential role in keeping your body healthy. A few of the liver’s functions include removing waste, producing important proteins for blood plasma, and producing proteins that carry fats through the body. That’s why you need to take care of your liver; eating the right foods is a great place to start.
10 Foods To Avoid For A Healthy Liver
1. Red Meat
This type of meat is usually high in saturated fats, which can encourage the accumulation of fat on the liver.
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2. Refined Grains
Foods like white bread, white rice, and pasta tend to be low in fiber and are highly processed. Along with being low in nutrients, these foods may also raise your blood sugar levels more than whole grains. This can have a negative effect on the liver.
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3. Processed Meats
Generally, meats are processed so they can have a longer shelf life. Unfortunately, processing often means adding salt, sugar, fat, or other preservatives. All of these additives can harm your liver. Some processed foods to avoid include pepperoni, bologna, salami, and bacon.
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4. Alcohol
This one might not come as a surprise as it’s well-documented that alcohol can cause liver damage. Experts suggest that you limit alcohol consumption to a drink per day but it’s better to avoid it altogether.
5. Fatty Foods
Though your body needs some fat to function, saturated fats are the worst for your liver. If you’re eating a lot of fast food, you may be eating more of this kind of fat than you realize. Your best bet is to cut down on how often you eat out or go for healthier options.
6. Foods With Added Sugar
Consistently high blood sugar levels can lead to an accumulation of fat in the liver. Additionally, it increases your risk of developing diabetes, which in turn can cause liver disease. Some of the likely culprits include sodas, fruit juices, candy, and pastries. Added sugar can also hide in condiments, fruit cups, and dressings.
7. Salty Foods
When you consume too much salt, you run the risk of raising your blood pressure. This may also affect your liver. A lot of snacks have a higher salt content than you may realize. Added salt may also hide in canned soups, processed meats, and other processed foods.
8. Fried Foods
Fried foods are usually high in fat and salt. Both of these elements can result in liver damage. Your liver will be happier with foods that are prepared in healthier ways like grilling, boiling, or broiling.
9. High-Calorie Foods
Studies suggest that high-calorie foods can damage your liver because of how much energy it takes to process them. These foods usually include snacks, pastries, fast food, and sodas.
10. Full-Fat Dairy Products
The problem with full-fat dairy products is that they tend to contain saturated fats, which are bad for the liver. If you’d like to avoid this, it’s a good idea to cut down on the milk, butter, and ice cream in your diet.
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What You Should Eat Instead
After looking at the list of foods you shouldn’t eat, you might wonder what’s left. However, there are a lot of delicious options that have been shown to promote a healthy liver. Vegetables like broccoli and spinach, as well as fresh fruits like berries, are on the list. Other great foods are fatty fish, nuts, beans, oatmeal, and sunflower seeds. You can even help your liver by choosing the right breakfast beverage. Studies show that drinking coffee and green tea can be great for your health. It’s also good to stay hydrated.
When To See A Doctor
Sometimes eating well isn’t enough. Different factors can increase your likelihood of developing liver disease. Some of these problems include an infection like Hepatitis, abnormalities in your immune system, certain cancers, drinking too much alcohol, having type 2 diabetes, and eating too many fatty foods.
Some of the signs that you need to see a doctor include yellow eyes, dark urine, constant nausea, itchy skin, abdominal pain, and chronic fatigue. Though other conditions can cause similar symptoms, none of them should be ignored.
Your liver does a lot of critical work in your body, so you need to take care of it. Making a few changes to your diet is a small but effective way to do that. If you’re having symptoms of liver disease, then see your doctor immediately.
