Two a day is enough. Hepatologist: There's nothing better for the liver.
"The liver is a massive factory inside your body, with hundreds of production lines involved in over 500 key metabolic processes," explains Debbie Shawcross, a hepatologist and professor at King's College London, in an interview with The Guardian. This organ is, in fact, one of the foundations of the proper functioning of the human body.
"After consuming a meal, food is digested in the intestines, and then all these nutrients go directly to the liver for processing. This is where the metabolism of many substances, such as carbohydrates, lipids, and protein, which are the building blocks of our bodies, occurs," explains the specialist.
What has a particularly negative impact on the condition of the liver is a fatty and excessively caloric diet and the consumption of alcoholic beverages.
"The two main causes of liver disease are weight gain and alcohol," points out Stephen Ryder, a specialist in hepatology and gastroenterology at University Hospitals Nottingham. Experts agree that for the sake of liver health, it's worth limiting the consumption of hard alcohol.
The aforementioned diet is also crucial. "Limit your sugar intake, don't snack between meals, and avoid processed foods. Instead, include as many fruits and vegetables as possible," instructs Philip Newsome, director of the Roger Williams Institute of Liver Studies.
And if you're struggling with excess weight, make the necessary changes to shed those extra pounds. "Obesity has a devastating impact on liver health. Therefore, weight loss is the best way to treat fatty liver disease," emphasizes Shawcross.
"People often confuse thirst with hunger. If you feel hungry, drink water first. Also, drink a glass or two of water before a meal. These are little tricks that can work for some people when it comes to calorie restriction," adds Newsome.
To take care of your liver, it is also worth regularly drinking aromatic black tea.
"Coffee is an antifibrotic agent that prevents the formation of scar tissue. Studies have shown that drinking two cups of coffee a day helps prevent liver scarring," Elsharkawy points out.
Let's also remember to engage in regular physical activity. However, this doesn't mean we have to engage in strenuous workouts every day.
"When you exercise, fat is removed from the liver, transferred to the bloodstream and muscles. I'm not advocating that everyone should go to the gym and lift weights. Let's just be more active every day. Going for a 20-minute walk and taking the stairs instead of the elevator can have a very positive impact on liver health," explains Shawcross.
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