The Best Diet for Fatty Liver Disease and 3 Diseases It Could Save You From

One of the main treatments for fatty liver disease is lower blood lipids and loosing weight, all of which can be achieved with the best diet for fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), or for our friends: fatty liver, is an excessive accumulation of fat in the liver. For this disease to exist, it should not have been caused by excessive alcohol consumption. According to official data in Mexico, it is the most common liver disease in our country and also ranks high globally.

In this article, we will briefly discuss fatty liver disease, the best diet for fatty liver disease, and provide some general tips on how to prevent it. For this specific article, we will refer to fatty liver disease when there is no significant inflammation and it can be reversible, as there are variations of the disease that will not be addressed here.

What is Fatty Liver Disease?

Fatty liver disease is a condition in which an excessive and abnormal amount of fat accumulates in the liver. It can be caused by factors such as unhealthy eating, obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, issues with cholesterol and triglycerides, among many others. It is a relatively easy disease to prevent with a healthy diet and a healthy lifestyle.

How is Fatty Liver Disease Treated?

Fatty liver has two main treatments:

General Measures:

1. Avoid alcohol consumption, as we have discussed in another article; no amount of alcohol consumption is considered safe at present. PubMed
2. Vaccines: Hepatitis A and B vaccines, with the aim of limiting the damage these diseases could cause if contracted. PubMed
3. Modify cardiovascular risk factors: You may wonder what that means. In summary, it refers to everything that increases the risk of major events such as heart attacks or strokes, including conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol and triglycerides, obesity, and diabetes. We have posts on monitoring both diabetes and high blood pressure. PubMed, PubMed2, PubMed3, PubMed4

Weight loss

This is especially important if you are overweight or obese. We have a post that discuss how to lose weight without dieting. But here we discuss which is the best diet for fatty liver disease

What Happens If Fatty Liver Disease Is Not Controlled?

If not controlled, fatty liver can progress to a more severe stage where inflammation exists, which can cause significant damage and increase the risk of serious diseases such as cirrhosis and liver cancer, which are not reversible, unlike fatty liver disease.

The Best Diet for Fatty Liver Disease

To combat and prevent fatty liver disease and maintain overall liver health, it is essential to adopt a balanced diet. As we discussed in the previous article, it doesn’t require much effort to achieve this. To be unique, we won’t say there is no definitive diet for fatty liver, because there probably is one. Without further ado, here’s what it is:

The Mediterranean Diet is the Best Diet for Fatty Liver Disease

Why is the Mediterranean Diet the best diet for Fatty Liver Disease?

Typically, it is a diet high in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds. Notice how the word “MEAT” is missing here. I’m not against meat, I’m not a vegan, and there’s nothing wrong with being vegan, but speaking from a scientific perspective, reducing red meat consumption has many beneficial effects on the body.

The Mediterranean diet encompasses many ways to follow it. Some argue that if it’s Mediterranean, it should come from Greece or somewhere around there. Obviously, we won’t go out and buy 100% Greek ingredients. Remember that it’s a guideline, and being too strict can limit us more than help us.

It roughly means double the amount of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts compared to meat. For a person weighing 70 kg with a daily calorie requirement of 2100 calories, this would translate to about 2.5 cups of vegetables, 2.5 cups of fruits, 6 cups of grains, 2 cups of dairy, and 6.5 cups of protein (including meat, seafood, and nuts). The recommended oil intake is 27 grams. These measures should be distributed throughout the day, for example, you could split the fruit into one cup at breakfast and one cup at lunch.

How much is a Cup?

A cup is generally equivalent to approximately 250 milliliters (ml) or 8 fluid ounces, according to the intensive but not very extensive express research I conducted on the measurement of a cup. I have a set of measuring cups in my kitchen that help me make approximations for food preparation (I still use them for many other things besides measuring food, like measuring the amount of coffee to put in the coffee maker).

What happens if I don’t strictly follow Mediterranean Diet?

Regarding not strictly following the Mediterranean Diet, personally, I don’t like having to choose between one “diet” or another, referring to a diet as a specific and strict way of eating. However, we can’t deny that there are various studies on the topic, and many of them agree that the Mediterranean Diet is one of the best diets for treating and preventing many diseases.

It’s very likely that few people on Earth strictly adhere to any particular diet, and nothing significant will happen if you don’t follow it strictly. What can happen, though, is that if you use it as a model for your diet, your liver health and overall physical well-being may improve. In the following section, we will discuss how it’s easier to follow this and other diets, remembering that the most important thing is to improve our relationship with food and not turn it into a hardship.

Tips for Staying Consistent with the Mediterranean Diet

At the beginning, it’s a bit impractical to measure and weigh all foods. However, as you continue with the diet over time, you will start to get an idea of how much a blender, a plate, or a glass holds, meaning it’s no longer necessary to meticulously measure and weigh all foods but rather make approximations.

This approach starts with the idea that if we wait for everything to be perfect, we’ll probably be waiting forever, and in the end, we won’t make a significant change in our eating habits. I think it’s better to start with something and gradually improve our actions, then our habits, and finally our lifestyle.

Why is the Mediterranean Diet the best diet for fatty liver disease? 3 surprising findings

In medical studies, there are certain types that allow us to determine if something is related to an event, and there are other types that enable us to say if something is the cause of an event. Generally, we talk about both types of studies when we’re not specialists in the field. Several studies have been conducted on the Mediterranean Diet, and the following findings have been made:

1. The Mediterranean Diet reduces the risk of having a stroke when compared to a low-fat diet. PubMed
2. It resulted in fewer major cardiovascular events (heart attacks, death from heart attacks, etc.). PubMed. It reduces the risk of mortality, cardiovascular mortality, and heart attacks. PubMed
3. Less occurrence of Alzheimer’s disease, cancer (colorectal, prostate, oropharyngeal, and breast cancer). PubMed, PubMed2, PubMed3, PubMed4

If you don’t want to follow a specific diet, here are some other things you can do to make your diet the best for fatty liver disease:

1. Reduce Sugars and Saturated Fats: Limit the consumption of added sugars and saturated fats found in processed foods, fried foods, and desserts. Avoid sugary beverages and opt for sugar-free alternatives. Examples of processed sugars include powdered sugar, all commercially sold chocolates, honey, jams, white flour, and white bread.
2. Fiber and Whole Foods: Increase your fiber intake through whole grains, legumes, vegetables, and fruits. These foods help control blood sugar and reduce fat buildup in the liver.
3. Lean Proteins: Choose sources of lean protein such as chicken, turkey, fish, and legumes. Limit the consumption of red and processed meats.
4. Avocado and Olive Oil: These foods are rich in healthy fats that can help reduce liver inflammation. Incorporate avocado into your salads and cook with olive oil instead of refined oils.
5. Antioxidant-Rich Foods: Consuming foods rich in antioxidants, such as berries, nuts, and green tea, can help protect the liver.
6. Portion Control: Make sure to control your portions to avoid excess calories and weight gain, which can worsen fatty liver disease.
7. Medical Supervision: Consult a healthcare professional or nutritionist to develop a personalized diet plan that suits your needs and medical conditions.

Conclusion on the Best Diet for Fatty Liver Disease

The best diet for fatty liver disease, according to the literature, is the Mediterranean Diet, which is based on a high consumption of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and limited meat intake. As always, remember that the treatment of fatty liver should be supervised by a healthcare professional. However, by following these recommendations, you can take care of your liver and your overall well-being.