Green vegetables, berries, nuts, and fatty fish are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that help boost liver health.
The liver plays a vital role in the body, removing toxins from the blood, promoting digestion, and storing vitamins. The liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself.
Dr. Le Minh Thuy, a specialist at Tam Anh General Hospital in Ho Chi Minh City, advises everyone to maintain a healthy lifestyle, supplement with essential nutrients, and increase their intake of green vegetables, fruits, and lean protein... to help keep their liver healthy. The following foods and drinks can help prevent liver disease.
Coffee contains caffeine, vitamins, and beneficial minerals such as vitamins B12, B5, B3, manganese, potassium, and magnesium, which have antioxidant effects. Drinking a cup of coffee in the morning helps start the day feeling alert and less stressed.
Caffeine may have a positive impact on people with chronic liver disease, reducing the risk of liver cancer. Two chemicals in coffee, kahweol and cafestol, support cancer prevention.
Caffeine is digested in the body to produce a chemical called paraxanthine, which may slow the growth of scar tissue associated with fibrosis. Coffee drinkers should limit themselves to a maximum of three cups per day, avoiding excessive caffeine consumption as it can cause side effects such as insomnia, increased heart rate, nausea, and stomach pain. Drink pure black coffee and limit the addition of sweeteners like sugar and milk.
Tea, including green and black tea, is rich in antioxidants and offers many benefits for the liver. These antioxidant compounds contribute to reduced inflammation and improved liver function.
Olive oil is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, which are good for the liver. Olive oil increases levels of good cholesterol, protects the liver against fatty liver disease, and benefits cardiovascular health.
Doctor Minh Thuy examines a patient in October 2023. Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital
Berries like strawberries and grapes are rich in vitamins and minerals such as A, B2, B6, C, E, K, K1, folate, manganese, iron, copper, selenium, and potassium, which are essential for bodily functions. The antioxidants in these fruits help reduce inflammation and improve liver health.
Oats are rich in soluble fiber beta-glucan, which helps the digestive system function smoothly, contributing to the prevention of constipation, inflammation, and obesity, and is beneficial for people with chronic liver disease. Healthy fiber-rich foods like oats should be added to the diet of liver disease patients.
Chicken meat: The liver's important function is to metabolize proteins, lipids, etc., providing energy for the body to function. Meanwhile, chicken meat is rich in healthy protein, helping to supplement nutrition and energy for patients, contributing to reducing symptoms of fatigue, weight loss, loss of appetite, malnutrition, and digestive disorders.
Chicken meat is rich in protein, which is very good for the liver. (Image: Freepik)
Nuts, including pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, cashews, and macadamia nuts, are rich in nutrients, high in protein, and contain plenty of good cholesterol, making them beneficial for health. The abundant vitamin E in these nuts is helpful for people with fatty liver disease.
Green vegetables are rich in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Vitamin K in green vegetables is an important nutrient that provides the raw materials for the liver to synthesize and control the formation of blood clots in the body. Green vegetables also contain glutathione – a healthy antioxidant that is very good for the liver. Some vegetables that should be eaten regularly include spinach, kale, broccoli, lettuce, and amaranth.
Fatty fish , including salmon, sardines, tuna, and mackerel, contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce fat in the liver, decrease inflammation, and improve fatty liver disease.
Other plant-based foods that are good for the liver include lentils, peas, tofu, walnuts, almonds, and macadamia nuts.
According to Doctor Thuy, in addition to a healthy diet, lifestyle, and exercise, avoiding staying up late, limiting alcohol consumption, and not smoking, regular health checkups help to screen for and detect liver diseases early for effective treatment.
Thao Nhi
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