What foods should you avoid or minimize if you’ve been diagnosed with fatty liver disease?
This is the question I will explore in today’s post.
But before I get there, let me start by saying that anyone who knows me knows for a fact that I am not a dietitian who spends a lot of time telling you what NOT to eat.
The foods I list below are things you should consider swapping out if you have them in large amounts, but they are not things you need to cut out 100% to successfully reverse fatty liver.
Alcohol – High Priority
The reality is that regardless of fatty liver disease, more and more evidence suggests that there is no level of alcohol intake that improves human health.
THE the newest instructions on this area suggests drinking no more than 2 drinks per week to minimize any risks associated with alcohol consumption, while drinking 3 or more drinks is associated with increased risks of certain types of cancer and cardiovascular disease.
You already know on some level that alcohol is not good for your liver, so my best advice for you is to drink less alcohol per week than before and if you can drink no alcohol at all, even better.
The urgency to reduce or completely eliminate alcohol should be even greater in those with liver fibrosis, noting also that Alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of progression from simple fatty liver to advanced fatty liver (MASH) with fibrosis.
Sugary drinks [Fructose] – Moderate priority
There will be many people on the internet who will try to make you believe that avoiding fructose at all costs is the most important aspect of any fatty liver reversal strategy.
In fact, this statement is only conditionally true.
Fruits have fructose.
Fruit does not cause or worsen fatty liver disease, in fact fruits high in flavonoids such as berries and citrus can play a BIG role in reversing fatty liver through anti-inflammatory and other positive effects.
That being said, the the totality of human elements shows us that fructose consumed in very large amounts (100+ grams per day, equivalent to 4-5 sodas) that represent an excess of calories in one’s diet can contribute to the accumulation of fat in the liver and elevated liver enzyme levels.
Should you avoid fructose at all costs? NO.
If you drink 500+ calories of soda a day, could you benefit from switching them to diet drinks, kombucha, green tea, coffee, or something else? YES.
Saturated fat [Ie; Red Meat, Butter] – Moderate priority
we have good human evidence to suggest that your liver responds much better to the monounsaturated fats and polyphenols in nuts and olive oil than it does to the saturated fats in butter and cheese.
This doesn’t mean you have to avoid butter and cheese as sources of fat/cooking, but it does mean you’ll have more success in reversing fatty liver by relying more on nuts, avocados, and olive oil.
We also have human evidence showing that people who consume more Fish rather than red meat on a weekly basis has an easier time reducing liver fat levelsprobably because our liver responds better to the omega-3 fatty acids in fish than to the saturated fat in beef and pork.
High glycemic/refined carbs – low to moderate priority
High-glycemic carbohydrates such as white bread and white rice or white flour snack products such as cookies and certain types of crackers can be problematic for people with fatty liver disease because these foods contribute to insulin resistance, but context matters.
Mixing white rice 50/50 with beans and combining these foods with plenty of protein and vegetables in one meal significantly changes the way they affect blood sugar and insulin response, meaning you can still successfully reverse fatty liver disease and consume white rice daily.
Snacking on higher glycemic index foods made from white flour may be less advisable, where instead I would recommend combining fruit and nuts for a very strong, balanced snack that is enjoyable, more nutrient dense, and has a much more moderate impact on blood sugar levels.
Final Thoughts
If you want more of your most pressing questions about fatty liver disease answered, I have a post where I cover some of the hottest topics – check it out here.
While today’s post focused on what to avoid or minimize, when you work with me one-on-one, we’ll focus entirely on what to include and emphasize.
I am a positive-oriented professional, and if you are ready to learn more about working together, please contact us.
Until then,
Andy De Santis RD MPH
