To eliminate fatty liver, you must eat high-fiber foods! Nutritionist: Overeating high-GI fruits can lead to fatty liver disease

Modern office workers have irregular meals, prefer to consume high-calorie starch and fried foods, and drink and party with friends and family from time to time. This creates a long-term metabolic burden on the liver. Examinations reveal that the liver is greasy. Severe fatty liver may lead to fatty hepatitis or even cirrhosis. Nutritionist Cai Huijun reminds us that eating high-fiber foods every day can help prevent fat deposition in the liver, but be careful not to step on high-GI fruits.

Overeating high GI foods can lead to fatty liver disease

Tsai Hui-jun, a nutritionist at the Nutrition Department of Taichung Guangtian Hospital, said that there are two arguments for the formation mechanism of fatty liver. The first is that the body's oxidative stress is too high, and free radicals damage liver cells, causing inflammation, which affects the liver cells' ability to metabolize fat. However, eating more foods with high antioxidant capacity, especially fresh vegetables and fruits, can reduce oxidative stress and prevent the formation of fatty liver.

The second argument is related to insulin resistance. When people eat too much oil or food, especially foods with a high GI (glycemic index), it increases insulin resistance and fat is easily accumulated, commonly known as "body fat". It will affect metabolism in the long term and lead to diabetes and fatty liver. Clinically, many diabetic patients have symptoms of fatty liver.

Eating more foods with high antioxidant capacity can reduce oxidative stress and prevent the formation of fatty liver.

Glycemic foods are classified into different levels, and low GI foods are preferred

Fatty liver can restore normal liver function index through diet control, but nutritionists remind that food types and cooking methods may affect insulin changes in the body. Low GI foods should be given priority when consuming, and cooking methods that digest quickly should be avoided.

Nutritionist Cai Huijun said that refined white rice and white bread, processed strawberry jam, high-sugar desserts, or watermelon and lychee are high GI foods (greater than 70). After eating them, they can easily accelerate the rise in blood sugar and create a feeling of hunger. On the one hand, the more you eat, the more you will eat. On the other hand, it will also increase the accumulation of fat in the blood or cells of the human body, increasing the risk of fatty liver, obesity, diabetes and other diseases.

Foods with a medium GI value, with a glycemic index between 56 and 69, include cereals, croissants, noodles, pineapples and cantaloupe. To prevent the formation of fatty liver, it is best to give priority to low GI foods with a glycemic index below 55, such as oats, whole grain brown rice, whole wheat bread, whole wheat noodles, oranges, apples, papaya and strawberries. They are natural, fresh, unprocessed, less refined, and rich in dietary fiber, which can prevent blood sugar from rising rapidly and reduce the incidence of metabolic diseases.

Watermelon and lychee have high GI, so you should only eat one serving a day.

It is worth noting that many people mistakenly believe that fruits are high in fiber and eating more of them is healthier. Nutritionist Cai Huijun said that some fruits are high in natural sugar. Eating too much can easily cause blood sugar to rise and increase the risk of fatty liver. It is recommended that the general public choose 3 servings of low-GI or medium-GI fruits per day, and diabetics should limit it to 2 servings per day.

If it is a fruit with a high GI value, the intake should be considered. Taking watermelon with a GI value of 80 as an example, a portion is about 250 grams and has a calorie content of 60 calories. The GI value of lychee is 79, and a portion is about 5 pieces, 100 grams, and also has a calorie content of 60 calories. However, since both can easily cause blood sugar to rise, the daily intake should not exceed one serving.

The GI value of lychees is 79, and each serving contains about 5 lychees, 100 grams, and has 60 calories.

Cooking magic, same ingredients with different GI

In addition to the types of food, preventing or eliminating fatty liver also requires attention to the way food is cooked. Nutritionists give examples. For white rice dishes, cooked rice has a relatively low GI value, and its gastrointestinal empties more slowly, so people are less likely to feel hungry and their blood sugar rises more slowly. On the other hand, porridge, which has a higher water content, has a relatively high GI value and is digested quickly. People are more likely to eat more due to hunger, which increases the risk of diabetes and fat accumulation.