CULINARY MEDICINE: WHAT TO EAT IF YOU HAVE A FATTY LIVER

You have the power to change your health by changing what you put in your body.  It does take extra thought and commitment, but the results can be life changing.  I have seen diabetes cured, fatty liver reversed, and cholesterol numbers drastically improve after diet overhauls.  

Fatty liver disease is a very early stage of damage to the liver, most commonly caused by either alcohol or diets high in sugar, simple carbohydrates and saturated fats.  It is entirely reversible with the right diet.  If not reversed, it can progress to fibrosis, cirrhosis and even liver cancer and liver failure.  Fatty liver disease is also associated with increased risks of heart attack and stroke.  It is a rising epidemic and food is one of our best medicines.  

WHAT TO EAT IF YOU HAVE A FATTY LIVER:

The simple answer is a a Mediterranean Diet.  Here are the key points:

1. EAT MORE PLANTS:  Think about fruits and vegetables filling half of every plate of food you make.  Start your day with my breakfast smoothie to get your morning dose of veggies! Berries and broccoli are some of the most powerful antioxidant packed fruits and vegetables so these are a great place to start.  

2. EAT FISH or PLANT BASED PROTEINS:  We rarely see individuals not getting enough protein.  Did you know 100 calories of spinach has more protein than 100 calories of beef?   For protein focus on either fish (fresh, canned or smoked - a great source of omega-3s), or plant based sources of protein such as black beans, pinto beans, garbanzo beans, lentils, split peas, soy, and tofu.  AVOID ANIMAL BASED PROTEINS/FATS:  Dairy, cheese, butter, eggs, beef, and pork all contain high amounts of saturated fat, which is the type of fat that contributes to high cholesterol, heart disease, and fatty liver disease.  Try my Ultimate Veggie Burger!

3. EAT GOOD FATS:  A low fat diet is helpful for temporarily cutting calories and losing weight but is hard to sustain.  Instead I encourage my patients to eat healthy fats in moderation for a delicious and healthy diet. This means cooking with olive oil or canola oil, eating nuts for snack, putting chia or flax seeds in your smoothie, and eating fish twice a week or taking a fish oil supplement daily (with 250-500mg of DHA-EPA per day).  

4. EAT WHOLE GRAINS:  Whole grains include steel cut oats, barley, wheat berries, farro, freekeh, brown rice, black rice, and quinoa.  These grains are high in fiber, high in protein and have a low sugar load compared to other carbohydrates.  They are versatile and can be made for breakfast, cooked in soups, mixed in salads, or accompanying fish for dinner.   I find my instapot a great way to cook whole grains quickly, but you can also find microwaveable bowls of brown/wild rice online and in many grocery stores so you can have a whole grain in 90 seconds.  AVOID WHITE BREAD, WHITE RICE, PASTA, SUGARS.  These simple carbohydrates become sugar once in your body and sugar is an important cause of fatty liver disease.  Almost all my recipes on this site feature whole grains!

5. AVOID ALCOHOL:  ZERO alcohol is best if you have fatty liver.  Alcohol is toxic to the liver and when already damaged we want to protect the liver from any further injury.  Try sparkling water with lemon or lime for something different.

This is a food blog....but regular exercise is also extremely important in maintaining a healthy weight and reversing fatty liver disease.