Foods That Are Bad for The Liver

In this article, we explore what foods are bad for your liver health and what you should be cutting out for good! Liver health is important and we want to help you on your path to a healthy lifestyle.

In this article

What Effect Does Food Have on The Liver?
The Bad Foods
What to Avoid Altogether
What Should I Be Eating?

What Effect Does Food Have on The Liver?
In this article, we will examine which foods are bad for the liver and what you should be avoiding altogether. Eating the wrong type of foods can have a huge negative impact on your liver. For example, when eating a lot of fatty or salty foods your liver works over-time and cannot do its job properly, this may lead to inflammation, which in turn could eventually cause scarring of the liver that’s known as cirrhosis.

The Bad Foods
Salt and sodium intake create a strain on the liver. Watch out for packaged or processed foods containing added salt such as cured meats, canned vegetables and soups, sauces and salad dressings, condiments such as ketchup, packaged noodles and rice, some cereals, and juices can all contain high amounts of added salt.

Saturated fats are difficult for the liver to process. Limit high-fat meats such as sausage, bacon, salami, and hot dogs. Also avoid high-fat dairy products like whole milk, ice cream, and cheese, these contain high concentrations of saturated fats. Snack foods and fast foods should also be avoided due to the high amounts of saturated fat.

Refined sugars, and carbohydrates, for example, white bread, pasta, sugar, white rice, sweets and cakes, are all hard on the liver. Be sure to limit your consumption of anything that is made with white flour or sugar. Substitute these refined carbohydrates with whole grain alternatives like brown rice, whole wheat flour, oats, quinoa, and barley.

What to Avoid Altogether
Excessive alcohol consumption can be very harmful to your liver, leading to swelling or scarring of the liver that eventually becomes cirrhosis of the liver. U.S. government guidelines say up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men.

Chemicals like food colorings, flavorings, and preservatives and toxins such as insecticides and pesticides, put a strain on the liver so should be avoided. Vitamins that contain iron should not be taken, iron is stored in the liver and too much can cause iron toxicity. There are vitamins available that do not contain iron.

What Should I Be Eating?
For a liver friendly, balanced diet you should focus on eating plenty of colorful fruit and vegetables, especially dark green leafy vegetables. Bitter foods are good for your liver, these include coffee, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus to name a few.

Amsety Bars are a great health snack or meal replacement for anyone looking to improve their liver health. Containing no refined sugars, low in sodium, non-GMO, gluten free, organic, kosher and containing sixteen vitamins and minerals, Amsety bars are kind to your liver. They come in two delicious flavors, Peanut Butter Superstar and the Dark Chocolate Champion.