21-Day Fatty Liver Diet Plan - What to Eat and What to Avoid?
Introduction | Importance of Fatty Liver Diet | Foods to ADD | Foods to AVOID | 21-days Fatty Liver Diet Plan | Supplements for Fatty Liver | Conclusion | FAQs | References
Key Takeaways
- Understanding Fatty Liver Disease: Fatty liver disease, or Hepatic steatosis, involves excess fat accumulation in the liver, which can lead to inflammation and scarring. It's a growing health concern globally.
- Importance of a Fatty Liver Diet: A diet rich in whole, unprocessed foods and low in sugars, processed foods, and saturated fats can significantly improve fatty liver disease and even reverse it in its early stages.
- How Does Diet Help? A fatty liver diet helps by aiding weight management, reducing inflammation in the body, and improving insulin sensitivity.
- Foods to Add: Incorporate food items like healthy fats, garlic, Omega-3 fatty acids (found in seafood, seeds, and nuts) to improve liver health.
- Foods to Avoid: Eliminate alcohol, sugars, and reduce carbohydrate intake to prevent further fat accumulation in the liver.
- 21-Day Diet Plan: Find a structured 21-day diet plan to promote liver regeneration and overall well-being.
- Supplement Recommendations: Milk Thistle (silymarin) and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) are beneficial supplements for managing fatty liver disease due to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
“I was diagnosed with fatty liver grade 2 and when nothing worked, a healthy diet recommended by the Miduty team and their recommended supplements helped me get rid of all the issues. I would recommend everybody to take a diet chart and talk to their experts to treat their health condition.”
- Rashmi, from Aligarh says.
Have you also recently been diagnosed with fatty liver?
Fatty liver disease, also known as Hepatic steatosis, is a growing health concern affecting millions worldwide. It occurs when excess fat accumulates in the liver, potentially leading to inflammation and scarring.
The good news? Lifestyle changes, particularly an appropriate fatty liver diet,can significantly improve your condition and even reverse fatty liver disease in its early stages.
The Power of a Fatty Liver Diet
As fatty liver disease is associated with fat buildup in the liver, it should be a good practice to work on the diet to reduce the extra fat accumulation. Moreover, obesity is also one of the major risk factors for fatty liver [1], so weight management is the best way to treat it.
The fatty liver diet emphasizes whole, unprocessed foods rich in nutrients that promote liver health. It focuses on:
|
Benefits |
Description |
|
Weight Management |
Weight management is the most significant way to heal your fatty liver. Research suggests that if you lose 3% to 5% of your body weight, it may help in considerably reducing the hepatic steatosis symptoms. Furthermore, if you want to see an improvement in necroinflammation, then you should lose up to 10% of your body weight. [1] |
|
Reduces Inflammation |
A reduction in inflammation greatly aids in the improvement of fatty liver disease. Research suggests that a fatty liver diet that is low in glycemic index, and high in anti-inflammatory foods, aims to: - Reduce inflammation - Supports gut health And, therefore, results in managing and even reversal of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. [2] |
|
Improves Insulin Sensitivity |
As per studies, Fatty liver is seen predominantly as a result of insulin resistance and the associated metabolic syndrome like obesity, type-2 diabetes, hypertriglyceridemia, and dyslipidemia. [3] It depicts that if we take a fatty liver diet rich in foods that support insulin sensitivity, it may help in reversing fatty liver. |
What Foods To ADD To Your Fatty Liver Diet Plan?
For a start, you can incorporate complex carbohydrates, protein, and fiber to your fatty liver diet plan. Also, putting a stop on sugars, processed food, and saturated fats also helps a lot if added in a diet for reducing fatty liver.
Let us know what foods you should add to you fatty liver dietto see improvement in your health:
- Healthy Fats
Healthy fats improve the inflammations and enhance the metabolic functions, helping with fatty liver grade 2. Some healthy fats which may help with fatty liver include coconut oil, homemade desi ghee, butter, avocados, olive oil (only for light cooking or as dressing), avocados, etc. Watch the video here
- Garlic
Garlic i.e. Allium sativum, shows significant improvement in the condition of fatty liver and also aids in increasing the liver enzymes. [4] As a result of a study, adding garlic in the diet chart for fatty liveris quite significant and provides long-term benefits.
- Omega-3 Fatty Acid
Studies observed an improvement in the metabolic activities of the liver after consuming Omega-3 Fatty Acids. This enhances the metabolism of fat accumulated in the hepatocytes, aiding in a better liver health. [5]
So adding Omega-3 rich foods is a smart choice to make while following a specific diet plan for fatty acids.
You can incorporate foods like:
- Seafood such as salmon, cold-water fatty fish, etc.
- Seeds and nuts such as chia seeds, flax seeds, walnuts. Consume the nuts and seeds in soaked form.
Also, you can get Omega-3 fatty acid in other fortified foods like yogurt. [6][7]
What Foods To AVOID In Your Fatty Liver Diet Plan?
Being closely associated with metabolism, fatty liver gets affected a lot by our eating habits. This is the reason you should stay away from certain foods or drinks which may help reduce the fat build up in your liver and manage fatty liver.
So keep your fatty liver dietfree from these foods/drinks:
- Reduce the Consumption of Carbohydrates
Reducing the intake of carbohydrates helps manage fatty liver disease. The reason for this is that carbohydrates are also considered sugars at the end by our body. So, to follow a low-carb diet, you can increase the quantity of your lentils, butter, veggies, or protein, while reducing the number of carbohydrate-rich chapatis in your meal.
For instance, instead of 2 chapatis/breads in your meal, you can have one chapati/bread with a larger portion of lentils or vegetables. Another option to reduce the intake of carbohydrates is by swapping your white rice with quinoa.
- Unhealthy Fats
Avoiding unhealthy fats is crucial to manage your fatty liver grade 2, as they contribute to further fat accumulation in the liver cells. You should avoid:
1. Trans Fats: Generally found in processed or packaged food like cookies, fried food etc. Opt for baked or grilled alternatives instead of fried food.
2. Saturated Fats: Found in high-fat dairy products, fatty cuts of meat, and certain oils like palm oil, etc. Choose lean meats, and healthier oils like coconut oil, ghee, or olive oil for cooking.
- Sugars
Anything that adds to the fat deposits in your liver is harmful, and simple sugar (fructose) is one of the major components that can worsen your fatty liver.
Look at the labels carefully for any sugars, corn syrup, agave, dextrose, etc. present in the drinks you are consuming. So, it’s a healthy alternative to just sip plain water or opt for black coffee with a little bit of cream, if you want. Moreover, you can use natural sweeteners like stevia, xylitol, etc. [8]
- Alcohol
Alcohol can be particularly harmful to those with fatty liver disease as it can cause further liver damage and impede liver function.
It directly affects our gut microbiota and also lacks any nutritional value. It’s still being researched that how much alcohol is okay to consume, although, it depends on what grade of fatty liver you are at. So, it’s a good practice to completely avoid alcohol for a healthy liver. You can start dropping the habit gradually to manage your fatty liver condition. [8]
21-Day Fatty Liver Diet Plan
You can treat fatty liver with some simple changes in your diet and lifestyle. As we have talked about the foods that you should consume and what you should avoid, now we will be sharing a 21-day fatty liver diet plan with you.
Over the course of three weeks, this Indian diet chart for fatty liver focuses on eliminating harmful foods and incorporating beneficial ones, aiming to promote liver regeneration and overall well-being. By following this plan, one can expect positive changes in their liver health, including reduced inflammation, improved liver enzyme levels, and enhanced energy.
Have a look:
Week 1
|
Day |
Breakfast |
Mid Meal |
Lunch |
Dinner |
|
Day 1 |
Oats Daliya with lot of capsicum and carrot |
Green tea + seeds mixture |
Jowar roti with Cabbage vegetable/ Bhindi veg |
Jowar daliya |
|
Day 2 |
Ragi Appe with coconut/ garlic chutney |
Minty Apple Salad |
Ragi roti with any green vegetable. |
Lauki methi curry |
|
Day 3 |
Jowar chilla with veggies + Garlic ki chutney |
Badam Chai with Almonds |
Boiled Egg curry OR RagiChilla + Lady finger vegetable |
Bitter gourd veg with Kuttu roti |
|
Day 4 |
Sesame- Ginger- Red Pepper Stuffed Spinach and Broccoli |
Matcha tea + makhana |
Jowar roti with any seasonal veg |
Vegetable Broccoli creamy Soup / Veggies soup |
|
Day 5 |
Oats cheela kneaded with veggies + curd/ Garlic chutney |
Coconut water |
Brown Rice pulao |
2 Bowl of Grilled Salmon Fish with sauteed veggies OR Veg Oats |
|
Day 6 |
Methi/ Onion kneaded jowar roti + garlic mint chutney or curd |
Bullet Coffee |
Buckwheat pasta OR Buckwheat Chila with seasonal veg |
Moong Dal Khichdi |
|
Day 7 |
Oats cheela kneaded with veggies + curd/ mint chutney |
Nuts smoothie |
Meethi veg with bajra roti |
Pumpkin veggies soup |
Week 2
|
Day |
Breakfast |
Mid Meal |
Lunch |
Dinner |
|
Day 1 |
Bajra Khichdi with mint chutney |
Supergreen smoothie |
Ragi roti with Pumpkin Veg and garlic chutney |
Sauteed vegetables with Roasted paneer |
|
Day 2 |
Vegetable Oats |
Unstrained vegetable juice |
Vegetable ragi Wrap OR Roti |
Sweet Potato chaat with sprouts |
|
Day 3 |
Broccoli stuffed jowar roti with onion tomato chutney |
Moringa tea +seeds mixture |
Oats roti with mix veg curry |
Oats Upma with Vegetables |
|
Day 4 |
Amaranth Veggies Daliya |
Green coffee with Almonds |
Beetroot salad and masoor dal with Brown rice |
Green Veg with Bajra Roti |
|
Day 5 |
Jowar Uttapam |
Badam chai with seed mixture |
Jowar roti with Paneer |
Jowar roti with dal |
|
Day 6 |
Methi Oats Roti with Curd |
Spinach and kale smoothie |
Brown Rice with Kaju curry |
Grilled fish/ Chicken / Drumstick curry with ragi roti |
|
Day 7 |
Jowar roti with Seasonal Veg |
Turmeric Tea |
Egg curry OR Soya Veg with Oats Roti |
Ragi dosa with sambar and coconut chutney |
Week 3
|
Day |
Breakfast |
Mid Meal |
Lunch |
Dinner |
|
Day 1 |
Amaranth Cheela with Garlic Chutney |
Bullet Coffee |
Moong Dal with ½ cup rice and 1 Jowar roti |
Cauliflower poha |
|
Day 2 |
Besan cheela with mint chutney |
Green tea and a fistful of roasted nuts |
Coriander Ragi roti with Vegetable Gravy |
1 cup karela vegetable with lentil soup + 1 Oats roti |
|
Day 3 |
Oats appe with amla mint chutney |
Coconut Water |
Jowar Khichdi with Curd |
Jowar porridge with nuts mixture |
|
Day 4 |
Amaranth upma add veggies in it |
Badam Chai with Makhana |
Bajra Khichdi with curd |
Broccoli stuffed bajra roti with curd/mint chutney |
|
Day 5 |
Oats Vegetable Upma |
Turmeric Tea with Roasted Makhana |
Egg Chapati/ Paneer /chapati – 2, with seasonal veg |
Moong dal soup ( add 1 tbsp of desi ghee in it ) |
|
Day 6 |
Sabudana Upma with veggies |
Coconut water |
Ragi Roti with Any Dal |
Oats idli with coconut chutney +drumstick sambar |
|
Day 7 |
Besan Dhokla with mint chutney |
Coconut water and Oats cookies |
Ragi uttapams with mixed vegetable sambar |
Bowl of oats upma with vegetables |
Supplements to Add to Your Fatty Liver Diet
Along with dietary modifications, it is important to incorporate some supplements that may help your fatty liver improve and to reduce the inflammations and other associated issues with fatty liver.
These supplements include:
-
Milk Thistle
Milk Thistle, particularly its active component silymarin, is beneficial for managing fatty liver disease due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It helps reduce oxidative stress and liver inflammation, protecting and regenerating liver cells.
Additionally, silymarin can lower elevated liver enzyme levels and improve insulin sensitivity, crucial for managing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). While milk thistle supports liver health, it should complement a balanced diet for fatty liver, exercise, and medical advice for effective fatty liver management.
You can go with Miduty’s Liver Detox, made with organic milk thistle powered with 80% (highest) strength of silymarin.
-
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC)
N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) also plays a significant role in managing fatty liver disease due to its powerful antioxidant properties. NAC boosts glutathione levels, a key antioxidant that helps neutralize harmful free radicals and reduces oxidative stress, which is a major factor in fatty liver progression.
By mitigating liver inflammation and improving cellular detoxification, NAC supports liver health and can enhance overall metabolic function. Additionally, it helps in reducing liver enzyme levels and improving insulin sensitivity.
Get the most beneficial supplement for fatty liver having the benefits of both Milk Thistle and N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) by Miduty. Along with Milk Thistle and NAC, it has dandelion root extract also which helps with fatty liver.
Conclusion
Fatty liver is a serious condition, but the good news is you can always reverse it. It can mostly be cured by making lifestyle and dietary changes. We have discussed how diet can be a powerful tool to manage your liver health.
To start with the management journey of fatty liver, you can download a free fatty liver diet plan pdf from Miduty.
Remember, a healthy lifestyle is the key to zero health issues. Combine this fatty liver diet plan with regular exercise and consider consulting a healthcare professional to timely optimize your liver health.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1. Can fasting help with fatty liver?
Fasting is beneficial for managing fatty liver as it reduces the fat accumulated in the liver, works on inflammation, and also improves the overall liver functioning.
Q2. What should you not eat in a fatty liver diet?
You should limit or completely stop consuming excess sugars and carbohydrates in your diet. Check for labels carefully for sugar before consuming.
Q3. How to cure fatty liver with diet?
Start including more foods that are high in fiber, healthy fats, and antioxidants. Consume more vegetables, berries, nuts, fish oil, which can help you in liver tissue repair.
Q4. Is Ghee good for fatty liver?
Homemade Ghee is one of the most important healthy fats and does not cause any harm to people having a fatty liver. Healthy fats help in making your metabolism smoother and thus, help with reducing the condition of fatty liver.
Q5. What are the worst foods for fatty liver?
Foods which are high in sugar and carbohydrates are bad for your fatty liver. Also, try to cut down on packaged and processed foods as they contain a lot of such components.
References
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Sr. No. |
Reference Links |
| 1. |
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| 2. | |
| 3. |
The Role of Insulin Resistance in Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease |
| 4. | |
| 5. | |
| 6. | |
| 7. |
Can Walnut Serve as a Magic Bullet for the Management of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease? |
| 8. |
