In this observational study conducted in China, consumption of sweet potatoes was associated with a lower risk of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in men, but not in women. This Study Summary was published on May 31 2022.
According to a Japanese study, purple sweet potato – rich in the red pigment anthocyanin – may keep your liver healthy. Anthocyanins contribute to the colour of blueberries, cranberries, eggplant, grapes and red cabbage, and are believed to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
A study in Clinical Endocrinology showed that a low potassium level is associated with NAFLD. Therefore, bananas and sweet potatoes are a great food for the liver.
Sweet potatoes contain potassium. A high potassium intake may not be suitable for people who take beta-blockers. Doctors commonly prescribe these for heart disease, and they can cause potassium levels to rise in the blood. People with kidney problems should also take note of how much potassium they consume.
Indole, a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and kale, may be used to fight and prevent fatty liver disease.
We recommend the Mediterranean diet to our liver patients. The Mediterranean diet is everything you would expect a dietitian to recommend – more fruits and veggies, more whole grains, more nuts and legumes, lean meats, less red meat and less sweets/added sugars.
Other vegetables like carrots, pumpkin, leafy greens, beetroot, cauliflower, green onions and celery are all good for people with fatty liver disease.
Consuming sweet potatoes in excess can result in Vitamin A toxicity which is manifested in skin rashes and headaches. Due to high fibre content, excess intake of sweet potatoes can result in bloating, stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Just one sweet potato gives you 400% of the vitamin A you need each day. This helps keep your eyes healthy as well as your immune system, your body's defense against germs. It's also good for your reproductive system and organs like your heart and kidneys.
Being a good source of potassium, sweet potatoes can help you manage your blood sugar level, reducing the risk of heart problems. But when consumed in excess may not be a good idea. Excess potassium intake may lead to hyperkalemia or potassium toxicity and can be a reason for heart attack.
Sweet potatoes also contain vitamins and minerals, such as potassium, that may help balance the levels of sodium in the body and reduce its effect on the kidneys. However, as sweet potato is a high-potassium food, anyone who has CKD or is on dialysis may wish to limit their intake of this vegetable.
Many don't know that eggs are a food that's good for fatty liver. This is because eggs are rich in choline, which plays a role in transporting and lowering LDL or “bad” cholesterol.
Fatty/Fast Food Items
French fries, wafers, burgers, and pizzas do no good to your liver. These food items are high in saturated fat or trans-fat content and are difficult to digest. In other words, your liver needs to work hard to process these food items.
Bananas: Bharadwaj also suggests bananas for fatty liver disease patients. They are a storehouse f vitamin B6, C and A and also high in resistant starch, which is good for liver health.
If your sweet potato is oozing, soft and squishy, discolored, smelly, or have a bunch of sprouts, it's time to toss. If there are only a few sprouts and the sweet potato is still firm you can cut the sprouted portion off, cook and eat right away, or you can plant it!
While both our experts say eating a sweet potato a day is certainly healthy, they don't recommend more than that, since there are plenty of other vegetables to enjoy too. “If you're eating more than one a day, you might want to consider varying up your food choices so you get a variety of nutrients,” Rizzo says.
The beta-carotene in sweet potatoes has been shown to fight inflammation, and eating them regularly can help ease joint pain and other symptoms of inflammatory conditions like arthritis. If you're looking for a delicious way to reduce inflammation, add some sweet potatoes to a salad or bake alongside protein!
While there is no set limit on how many sweet potatoes can be consumed in a day, you should ideally not eat more than 3 or 4 pieces of sweet potatoes in a single day. As sweet potatoes contain a lot of carbohydrates and sugar, consuming too many of it on a daily basis can lead to quick weight gain.
Sweet potatoes are starches and not low-carb vegetables, with about 20 net carbs per medium potato. If you're counting carbs, you might want to choose them only occasionally and not every day. Also, don't make sweet potatoes your only vegetable choice in a day.
Sweet potatoes are the perfect example of a carbohydrate that's high-nutrient and low in sugar, sodium and saturated fat. It's exactly what diabetes experts recommend fill up one-quarter of your plate at mealtimes.
Snack cucumbers help your body to dispose of old waste and toxins. This makes cucumber a healthy food for the bladder, kidneys, liver and pancreas.
Look for “whole grain,” “whole wheat,” “sprouted grain,” and “high fiber” on package labels. Choose foods with at least three grams of dietary fiber and fewer than eight grams of sugar per serving.