A diet for liver disease is an eating plan designed to help the liver work more effectively and with less effort. Everything a person eats is processed through the liver, so a proper diet is an important consideration for people with liver disease. The best foods to eat are foods that are rich in vitamin B, C, and E, and are high in antioxidants. The other important nutrients are complex carbohydrates and omega 3s.
Liver disease is a broad term that encompasses many diseases affecting the liver. In addition to processing food, the liver is responsible for storing vitamins and minerals, and with liver disease, this becomes more difficult to do. The best plan for adopting a diet for liver disease is to make it easier on the liver so the organ can do its job more efficiently.
Eating foods that get the liver working toward it optimal potential is important for people with liver disease since the disease makes it harder for the liver to function. The first step is to detoxify the body, eliminating alcohol, tobacco, white sugar, and carbohydrates that turn into sugar, along with bad fats. After detoxification, the liver will be ready to process the foods and nutrients that will help it to function better.
A diet for liver disease starts with foods that are rich in vitamin B, C, and E. Some examples include leafy green vegetables such as spinach, mustard greens, kale, and Swiss chard. Other vegetables, including Brussels sprouts, asparagus, artichokes, and tomatoes are also high in these vitamins. Non-vegetable sources include eggs, milk, and fish.
This diet should also be rich in antioxidants. Foods in this group include blueberries, agave berries, and red and yellow peppers. Carrots and pumpkins are also high in antioxidants.
People on a diet for liver disease should also avoid simple carbohydrates, which break down quickly in the body. Instead, the focus should be on complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole oats, and whole wheat. Foods made with whole grains fit in this category.
In addition, foods that contain omega 3 fatty acids should be part of the diet. These include fish, such as sardines, salmon, tuna, and mackerel. Walnuts and flax seed also provide this important nutrient, as does olive oil.
When all of these foods are properly combined together, they can help the liver to function better. The other important component to optimal liver function is to eat these food in the most natural way possible. This includes buying organic foods that are free from pesticides, antibiotics, and steroids. When the liver comes into contact with foods that have additives and chemicals, it is the function of the liver to eliminate these harmful substances; with a diseased liver it is much harder to do.
Another element of a diet for liver disease is how the food is prepared. Most vegetables need to be eaten in the rawest form possible to have the maximum nutrient absorbency. Grilling and broiling are better options than frying or sauteing. Using olive oil and lemon with fresh herbs is a better option than dressings and condiments.