We all know that the liver, the largest internal organ you have, is responsible for removing toxins in the body. Did you know that it also do so many other tasks, and some of them include processing of drugs, removing excess hormones and cholesterol, storing of vitamins, minerals and glycogen, and metabolizing of carbohydrates, protein and fats. Indeed, your liver is one of the most hardest-working organs that you have!
Because of the many different key functions that it performs, you will surely have all sorts of problems whenever your liver is not functioning optimally. You will have the likes of fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and brown-colored urine. Your skin and the whites of your eyes will also end up yellowish, a condition known as jaundice. One of the best ways to keep your liver in tip-top shape is by carefully minding your diet.
There are certain foods that you should limit or exclude from your diet if you don’t want to harm your liver. Here are some foods that are scientifically-proven to be bad for your liver:
Salty Stuff
Everyone knows that a diet that’s high in sodium is bad for the heart. Did you know that can also wreck the liver? When shopping, steer clear of processed food products such as canned goods and deli meats because they tend to pack lots of sodium. Before placing any item in your shopping card, read the nutrition information at the back.
Anything That’s Sweet
Food and beverages that are loaded with refined sugar can damage your liver, say the experts. This is the reason why you should limit your consumption of cakes, candy bars, sodas and the rest of the bunch. So should you opt for artificial sweeteners just to shield your liver from harm? Not so fast. Experts say that these synthetic replacements for sugar can set off toxic reactions within you, which can wreak havoc to your liver.
It is also a good idea to avoid eating a lot of fruits that contain fructose. While it’s true that fructose is not as bad as refined sugar, consuming too much of it can still leave your liver overworked and eventually damaged.
Fast Food
Want to keep your liver healthy? Refrain from going inside your favorite fast food joint. That’s because food high in fat — basically everything that’s on a fast food menu — can do some very serious problems with your liver, according to experts. Fortunately, they say that opting for a healthier diet can actually reverse the damage the liver has incurred due to the consumption of all those deep-fried goodies served at fast food joints.
Products with Trans Fat
Also known as trans fatty acids, trans fat is regarded as the worst kind of fat that you can put in your mouth. Trans fat can be found just about anywhere you look at the supermarket — salad dressings, microwave popcorn, chips, biscuits and frostings are just some of them. What makes trans fat bad for the liver is the fact that it can rapidly increase the levels of bad cholesterol in the body even in the smallest amounts.
Dishes with MSG
Short for monosodium glutamate, MSG is actually a form of salt that is used as a flavor enhancer. Numerous studies done on animals revealed that a diet containing lots of MSG can be bad for the liver, as well as cause headaches, asthma attacks and irritable bowel syndrome, among so many other problems.
If you think that Chinese foods are the only ones that are loaded with MSG, better think again. You can find MSG in more food products that you thought, such as canned vegetables and processed meats.
Alcoholic Drinks
It’s no secret that alcohol is something that can damage your liver big time, in particularly if it’s consumed in excessive amounts. Experts say that the chemical reaction resulting from the liver’s breaking down of alcohol can cause the largest organ in your body to get inflamed and end up scarred as it attempts to heal itself.
