Cebu City – Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is an umbrella term for a range of liver conditions affecting people who drink little to no alcohol. As the name implies, the main characteristic of NAFLD is too much fat stored in liver cells.

Fatty liver diminishes the functionality of the liver, making it unable to remove toxins from the body and results in insufficient bile production affecting the overall digestion process. Non-alcohol related fatty liver disease is a major health problem and is found to be associated with obesity, insulin resistance, and hyperlipidemia. Patients with NAFLD do not show signs and symptoms, but when it does, the patient manifests fatigue, pain or discomfort in the upper right abdomen.

Lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise are first in line interventions for the prevention and therapeutic procedures in the early stages of NAFLD to control the disease progression.

As someone with NAFLD, what nutrition-related actions should you do?

Consume more whole foods. These are foods that haven’t been processed and have not undergone any refinement process. These can be found in foods which are also rich in fiber such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and wheat bread. Dietary fiber promotes the production of good bacteria in the gut and is also shown to help in weight reduction.

Include Omega-3 food sources in the diet. These are abundant in fatty fish, fish oils, vegetable oils, nuts (especially walnuts), flaxseeds and flaxseed oil. Consumption of omega-3 has shown improvement of liver enzymes. Studies also have shown that eating omega-3 rich foods lowers triglyceride levels in the blood.

Incorporate plant-based protein in your diet. If you’re not familiar with it, protein sources can be found from both animal and plant-based sources. Plant-based proteins like seeds, nuts, legumes, vegetables, soybeans, peas improve the liver function in NAFLD patients. Journal articles have indicated that the consumption of plant-based foods improves the antioxidant intake and promotes gut microbiota in the GIT which is beneficial to liver enzymes.

Limit intake of refined sugars, fried and salty food items. Added sugars commonly found in candies, and baked goods, and sweetened beverages like soda and fruit drinks increases blood sugar levels and promotes fatty liver. Fried and salty foods also increase caloric intake which often leads to obesity– an identified cause of fatty liver disease. One tip you can do is to alter your cooking procedures. So instead of using too much oil for frying, boiling, baking and even steaming is recommended.

If you’re skeptical and you think you might be at risk for developing this condition, it’s important to know that incorporating healthy changes in lifestyle habits and dietary adjustments can help in improving your liver health and condition. Fatty liver diseases reduce the efficiency of liver function. Following a balanced, nutritious diet especially rich in fiber, protein and healthy sources of fat from omega-3 fatty acids lowers the risk for fatty liver diseases and promotes healthy weight loss. // DMO II Patricia B. Dalan, RND

References:

Berná, G., & Romero‐Gomez, M. (2020). The role of nutrition in non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease: Pathophysiology and management. Liver International, 40(S1), 102–108. https://doi.org/10.1111/liv.14360

Khatri, M. (2022, February). Get rid of fatty liver disease: Diet, Supplement & Lifestyle Tips. WebMD. Retrieved January 2023, from https://www.webmd.com/hepatitis/fatty-liver-disease-diet