Taking care of your liver is crucial because it's the one organ that helps clean out the harmful chemicals and toxins in your body. You can prevent experiencing worrying liver damage symptoms if you adopt a good diet and lifestyle.
You need to be kind to your liver because your body will not last a week without it. You might not be aware of it, but some of the common foods you enjoy could be hurting your liver.
Foods not good for the liver are:
1. Soda, Pastries or Candies
Soda, pastries, or candies containing refined sugar or added sugar, which are added to food to enhance the flavor, is bad for the teeth and the liver. According to a study published in the Journal of Hepatology, this may lead to a fatty build-up in the liver that may be as bad as drinking alcohol.
According to the experts, the recommended daily allotment for added sugar must not exceed five percent of your caloric intake. So, if your goal is to have 2,000 calories a day, your added sugar intake must be about 25 grams only or about six teaspoons.
2. Deli or Processed Meat
Deli or processed meat, a staple in the American diet, has high sodium or salt that may affect how the liver filters and processes. Studies show that people who like to consume processed meats are 50 percent at risk for developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), per a report on Chicago Tribune.
Grilling hotdogs may be even worse because the cooking process uses high heat that triggers the food's heterocyclic amines (HCAs). This chemical alters and damages the cells in organs like the liver, leading to cancer in the later years.
3. French Fries, Fried Chicken or Fried Onions
A load of delicious French fries can be comforting to munch on, but it's rich in saturated fats that can increase the risk of fatty liver. Celebrity doctor Drew Ordon told CBS News that fried foods could change the conditions of your liver as severely as deteriorated liver caused by hepatitis.
Some fast-food restaurants even offer French fries or fried chicken with added sugars, so it's crispier. The doctor warned that a combination of fried foods with sugar or salt is a perfect storm for liver damage.
Liver Damage Symptoms You Have to Get Checked
Doctors say that liver damage symptoms can be alleviated and treated if caught early. Some of the most obvious symptoms include yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice), swelling of the abdomen, pain in the abdomen, frequent itching in the skin, dark yellow urine, pale stool shade, chronic fatigue, loss of appetite, and some bruising or tenderness on the skin.
If you have these symptoms, it's best to seek a proper diagnosis from a healthcare worker, especially if you're experiencing abdominal pain that affects your daily activities. The complications of liver disease can vary. However, if the liver damage symptoms are left untreated, it can lead to fatal consequences.
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