The liver can withstand a lot and can also recover from damage to a certain extent. However, if we permanently burden the large organ with our unhealthy lifestyle, there is a risk of fatty liver and hepatitis. These 7 foods are especially bad for your liver.
The large detoxification organ is not only responsible for breaking down alcohol and medication, but also for metabolizing sugar and fat and storing the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K as well as vitamin B12. It is actually amazing that the liver can carry out these numerous tasks throughout life – if we treat it well. Because if we move too little and eat too much, even the liver will eventually become limp, fatty and inflamed. A third of adults in Germany already have fatty liver. Time to do something about it by getting physically active every day, losing excess weight and avoiding the following foods.
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7 foods that damage the liver
1. Sweets
Sweets do double damage to your liver because they are not only high in calories , but also consist largely of short-chain carbohydrates, i.e. sugar . Therefore, the German Liver Foundation warns against regular consumption: “If the body is constantly supplied with more calories than it can burn, the excess energy is stored in the form of fat – not only in the fatty tissue but also in the liver. In addition to the liver, the negative effects affect the entire body because fat deposits in the liver are among the main causes of type 2 diabetes mellituscounting”. Equally, an existing diabetes or a budding insulin resistance promotes the development of a fatty liver , since the liver bears the main burden of processing the sugar when the insulin effect is limited . It converts this into fatty acids, some of which migrate to the abdominal fat, but some remain in the liver and do their damage there. Therefore, in addition to classic confectionery, the following food is also dangerous.
2. Softdrinks
In addition to solid sweets, the liquid version in the form of lemonade, cola or energy drinks is extremely problematic for our entire body and especially for the liver. Because with soft drinks, we give our body incredibly large amounts of sugar within a few seconds or minutes. On the one hand, the pancreas has to respond with a strong release of insulin in order to remove the sugar from the blood. On the other hand, the liver has to process the sugar and store the excess in the form of fat. A small can of cola (250 ml) already contains the daily recommended upper limit with 25 grams of sugar! Therefore, protect your liver and your entire body by only consuming unsweetened drinks such as water, tea or black coffee.
3. Fruit Juices
If you now think that fruit juices are definitely much healthier than soft drinks, you are subject to a widespread misconception. Fruit sugar (fructose) is not only just as problematic as dextrose (glucose), but can even be particularly harmful to the liver in large quantities. Whole fruit is healthy not because of the fructose it contains, but in spite of it . The fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals that surround the sugar are what make fruit a healthy food. Since fruit juices contain little fiber and are hardly satiating, we absorb large amounts of fructose from them within a few secondswhich is passed directly to the liver. To put this in perspective: A single glass of apple juice already contains more calories, more sugar and significantly less fiber than a whole apple, after which you are initially full. According to studies , the overconsumption of fructose not only leads to pathological, inflammatory changes in the liver, but also in the intestinal flora.
4. Fatty animal products
In addition to sugar, excess saturated and trans fats can also adversely affect the liver. Above all, sausage products, fatty meat and high-fat dairy products such as cream, cream quark or cheese contain the pro-inflammatory arachidonic acid . This can fuel inflammatory processes throughout the body. In addition, frequent consumption of such products quickly leads to a calorie surplus, which in turn leads to the accumulation of abdominal fat and liver fat.
5. Fast Food
Due to the usually high degree of processing of the ingredients, fast food contains little fiber and vitamins, but a good portion of calories from sugar and fats. Regular consumption of fast food therefore inevitably leads to a calorie surplus , which in turn damages your liver. In addition to overweight and obesity, the consequences are fatty liver and, in the worst case, inflammation of the organ. Therefore, be moderate with high-calorie and highly processed foods and cook them yourself as often as possible. Replace harmful trans fats from fries and the like with anti-inflammatory and liver-friendly omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in walnuts, flaxseed and sea fish.
6. Alcohol
Since alcohol is primarily processed and broken down in the liver, it suffers the most from chronic, excessive alcohol consumption. The breakdown of the cytotoxin puts a lot of strain on the organ, while at the same time impairing the other tasks and metabolic processes of the liver, leading to damage and increased storage of fat. As a result, the alcoholic fatty liver develops, which in the worst case becomes inflamed and can lead to fatal liver cirrhosis . The threshold dose for liver damage for men is 30 grams of alcohol per day – this corresponds to 0.6 liters of beer or 0.3 liters of wine . Even smaller amounts are considered dangerous for women.
7. White flour products
Unlike whole grains, bread, rolls, and pasta made with white flour put a real strain on your liver. Because the refined flour contains hardly any roughage and, with its high glycemic load, leads to a sharp increase in your blood sugar level . Ultimately, the liver has to convert the sugar again and, if necessary, store it in the form of fatty acids, which means that it becomes increasingly fatty. In addition, white flour fuels inflammation in the body and in the long run damages your intestines, your pancreas and promotes weight gain.
Liver diseases as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle
How much our diet, our exercise behavior and our lifestyle can affect the health of this important organ as a whole is made clear by the diseases that can potentially occur. The following liver diseases can be triggered or prevented by our habits:
- Fatty liver
As a result of an excess of calories, sugar and fat or chronic alcohol abuse, the liver cells also become fatty over time. This leads to inflammation and tissue damage as well as scarring in the organ, causing it to lose its ability to function. In the early stages, the damage is still reversible. However, if we do nothing against the pathological changes, there is a risk of the following liver diseases. - Hepatitis
While most of us associate the term hepatitis with the viral diseases hepatitis A, B and C, there is also what is known as alimentary hepatitis , which is caused by either heavy alcohol consumption or an unhealthy diet . As a result of the fatty liver, the organ gradually becomes inflamed, which reduces its ability to function and increases the risk of the following diseases. - Cirrhosis
of the Liver While the liver can still recover from minor damage discovered early on, advanced liver cirrhosis is fatal within five years in 65 percent of those affected . - Liver
Cancer The tricky thing about liver cancer is that it initially causes little or no symptoms. In later stages, the liver can swell and the cancer can manifest itself as tenderness in the upper right abdomen. Unfortunately, by then it is usually too late to be able to surgically remove the cancer cells and achieve a complete cure.
