Which foods are good for your liver?
Plants, fish, olive oil and wholegrains, with coffee if you like it. No single food cleanses your liver. And for many people, the biggest liver win isn’t a food at all.
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Which foods are good for your liver?
No one food. The charity Liver UK says the overall picture of your diet matters more than any one small detail.
Its example is the Mediterranean diet. That means mostly plants, olive oil in place of butter, and plenty of vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish.
If your liver is healthy, a balanced diet helps cut your risk of liver disease later. If you have fatty liver, Liver UK says it can help reverse the damage.
| Food | How much | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetables and fruit | At least 5 portions a day, one in every meal | A portion is 80 g, about a handful. Tinned and frozen count. |
| Starchy foods | No more than a third of what you eat | Pick wholegrain bread, rice and pasta. |
| Fish | 2 portions a week | Make one oily, such as mackerel or sardines. |
| Other protein | A mix | Beans, lentils, eggs and tofu more often than red or processed meat. |
| Oils and spreads | Small amounts | Olive or sunflower spread, not butter or lard. |
| Drinks | 6 to 8 cups or glasses a day | Water, lower fat milk, sugar-free drinks, tea and coffee. |
Source: Liver UK
Food choice can help even without weight loss. In a small trial of 12 people with fatty liver, a Mediterranean diet cut liver fat by 39% in 6 weeks. A low-fat diet cut it by 7%, with similar weight loss.
Find the row you’re furthest from and start there.
Is coffee good for your liver?
It may be. Liver UK says around 2 to 3 cups a day could lower the risk of liver cancer and scarring, and slow liver disease down.
One review pooled studies of over 2 million people. Each extra 2 cups a day was linked to a 35% lower risk of the most common liver cancer. Decaf was linked to a smaller drop of 14%, from only 3 studies.
“Linked” matters. These studies watched what people drank, and no trial has tested it. So the review rated the evidence very low.
So enjoy it if you like it, and keep it plain. Coffee shop drinks with full fat milk and sugary syrups add a lot of calories.
Pregnant? The NHS says to have no more than 200mg of caffeine a day. More in is coffee good for you?
Which foods are bad for your liver?
Alcohol comes first. If you drink, the NHS says to keep to no more than 14 units a week, spread across 3 days or more.
Liver UK adds 2 or 3 alcohol-free days a week, ideally in a row. If you have liver disease caused by alcohol, don’t drink at all.
Not sure what a unit is? See alcohol units explained.
| Eat less | Have instead |
|---|---|
| Butter and lard | A little olive or sunflower spread |
| Sausages, ham, bacon and other red or processed meat | Beans or fish |
| Chocolate and crisps between meals | A piece of fruit, a handful of nuts, or natural yoghurt |
| Sugary drinks and syrupy coffees | Water, lower fat milk or sugar-free drinks |
| Fried and roast food | Grilled, baked, boiled or steamed food |
Source: Liver UK
Fruit juice and smoothies count as only one of your 5 a day, at 150ml, because they’re high in sugar.
Searching for liver as a food? It’s very rich in vitamin A, so the NHS says to eat liver or pâté no more than once a week.
If you eat it every week, skip supplements with vitamin A. Avoid liver and liver products such as pâté if you’re pregnant.
What helps your liver more than any food?
That big win is drinking less and, if you’re overweight, losing some weight. The NHS names obesity and drinking too much as 2 of the 3 main causes of liver disease.
If you stop drinking, your liver can often recover, the NHS says. But if you drink a lot every day, stopping suddenly can be very dangerous. Get medical help first.
Weight counts too. One study followed 293 people with fat and inflammation (irritation and damage) in the liver (NASH) for a year.
| Weight lost in a year | Liver inflammation (NASH) cleared | Scarring went down |
|---|---|---|
| Whole group | 25% | 19% |
| 5% or more | 58% | Not reported |
| 10% or more | 90% | 45% |
Source: Vilar-Gomez 2015
If you weigh 90 kg, 5% is 4.5 kg and 10% is 9 kg. This was one clinic in Cuba, and only 3 in 10 people lost 5% or more.
If you drink most days or carry extra weight round your waist, start with that, using one of the changes below.
How do I start a liver-friendly diet?
Liver UK suggests picking 1 or 2 small changes rather than lots at once. For meal ideas, see Mediterranean diet meals.
Six liver-friendly changes to start this week
- Add a portion of vegetables or fruit to every meal, building up to at least 5 a day.
- Swap butter for a little olive or sunflower spread.
- Have fish twice a week, one of them oily, such as mackerel or sardines.
- Swap chocolate and crisps for fruit, a handful of nuts or natural yoghurt.
- If you drink, keep to 14 units a week or less, spread over 3 days or more.
- Build up to at least 150 minutes of exercise a week, and lose weight if you’re overweight.
Sources: Liver UK; NHS: fatty liver; NHS: alcohol and the liver
Skip detox kits. Liver UK says you cannot physically detox your liver, and there’s no evidence toxins build up in it.
Some herbal products can harm the liver. See herbal supplements and liver damage.
Already have liver disease? If a specialist or dietitian has given you advice, talk to them before changing what you eat. With scarring of the liver (cirrhosis), you may need more calories and protein, not fewer.
When to speak to a GP
Fatty liver does not usually cause symptoms. It’s usually found on tests done for another reason. See a GP if:
- You think you could have fatty liver, or you’re at higher risk: overweight round the waist, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common hormone condition, high blood pressure or cholesterol, or over 50.
- You feel very tired and weak all the time, lose your appetite or sex drive, have yellow skin or eyes, itchy skin, or feel or are sick. These can be signs of liver disease.
- You’re worried about your drinking or want help to stop. You can also go to an alcohol support service.
- Call 999 or go to A&E if you’re worried alcohol is affecting your liver and you vomit blood, have black sticky poo, tummy pain, trouble breathing, or feel suddenly confused, dizzy or can’t stay awake. Don’t drive yourself.
A blood test can show signs of liver strain. See liver function tests, the fatty liver blood test and how to lower ALT.