To protect your liver and avoid making mistakes, stop eating these 4 kinds of food!

Modern people work, study and play games every day, which is so tiring. I’m really worried that one day I won’t be able to work anymore!

The liver is the largest detoxification organ in the human body and is under great "work pressure" every day. If it is not carefully cared for, problems can easily arise. In mild cases, fatty liver may occur, and in severe cases, it may lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer.

If you want to be healthy, you must first ensure the health of your liver. What foods in life will further damage the liver? What foods are good for the liver? In this article, we will talk about how to protect the liver.

1. Foods that damage the liver

▲Photo: Photo Network

1. Wine

Excessive drinking is harmful to your health, especially to your liver.

Long-term heavy drinking of ethanol and its metabolite acetaldehyde and acetic acid can cause great damage to the liver and reduce the liver's ability to detoxify certain poisons, leading to liver disease. [1]

Many studies at home and abroad have shown that for people who drink frequently, the liver is the most affected organ and bears a heavy load, which can easily lead to alcoholic liver damage. It is estimated that about 20 million people in the world have excessive drinking problems, of which 10% to 20% have varying degrees of alcoholic liver disease. [1]

Therefore, if you want to keep your liver healthy, it is best not to drink alcohol . If you really have to drink, control the amount. The new version of the "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents" recommends that both men and women should control their daily alcohol intake to less than 15 grams , which is roughly equivalent to 450 ml of beer, 150 ml of wine, 50 ml of liquor, and 30 ml of high-proof liquor.

▲Figure: "Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents 2022 Edition"

2. Moldy nuts

Have you ever had this experience: you cracked a melon seed with great anticipation, only to find that it tasted rancid or even moldy and bitter?

What most people do is eat a few more right away to reduce the taste.

Don't do this again! Throw away the moldy and bitter nuts immediately , because they may be contaminated with aflatoxin , which is liver toxic. Eating them frequently will increase the risk of liver cancer.

3. Oil pressing

The cooking oils sold on the market have all been refined and inspected before leaving the factory. From raw material selection to the production process, they are subject to strict control and screening, so there is no need to worry too much about the problem of aflatoxin .

However, the homemade oil you make may contain excessive aflatoxin due to mold. Even consuming it in small amounts for a long time will increase the risk of liver cancer.

4. Rotten ginger

Sprouted ginger does not produce toxic substances and is still edible.

However, if you find that the ginger is rotten or moldy, do not eat it, because the safrole content in ginger will greatly increase after it rots . It is a toxic substance and excessive intake is harmful to the liver.

In addition, eating high-fat foods, processed foods, and taking medicine blindly can also damage the liver.

2. Foods that protect the liver

▲Photo: Photo Network

1. Fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C

For example, kiwi, winter dates, strawberries, oranges, tangerines, sweet peppers, colored peppers, pakchoy and other fruits and vegetables rich in vitamin C.

Vitamin C can protect the enzyme system in the liver, promote metabolism and biotransformation, and improve liver function. [2]

2. Meat, eggs, milk and beans containing high-quality protein

Meat, eggs, milk and beans, such as beef, chicken, fish, milk, yogurt, northern tofu, etc.

Protein can enhance the liver’s ability to synthesize protein, thereby replenishing the enzymes and structural proteins needed for liver and body metabolism and maintaining the stability of the internal environment. [2]

3. Coffee

Coffee drinking may improve liver enzymes, especially in people at risk for liver disease.

Studies have shown that coffee consumption of more than 2 cups per day is associated with lower rates of fibrosis and cirrhosis, lower rates of hepatocellular carcinoma, and lower mortality in patients with liver disease.[3]

However, you should not drink too much coffee. According to the "Scientific Consensus on Coffee and Health", the average adult should control caffeine intake within 400 mg per day, which is 1.5 cups of American coffee (Starbucks large cup (473 ml) American coffee contains 225 mg of caffeine). If it is a small bag of 1.8-2g instant coffee, no more than 5 bags per day.

4. Green tea

Green tea contains tea polyphenols , which are polyphenol compounds that can lower the content of triglycerides in the liver and plasma, reduce fat deposition, and protect the liver. [4]

You can use light tea instead of boiled water every day, but it is not recommended to drink strong tea to avoid affecting the absorption and utilization of other nutrients.

Summarize:

Liver damage "minefields" in life can easily be stepped on if you are not careful. If you want to live longer, you must protect the health of your liver. In addition to paying more attention to diet, you must also control your emotions, don't stay up late, and exercise more.

How is your liver?

References:

[1] Ma Xinying. Effects of alcohol intake on liver function and serum oxidative stress factors MDA and MT levels[D]. North China Coal Medical College, 2010.

[2] Chen Yali, Zhang Yan, Xiong Xikai. Experimental study on the effects of milk and vitamin C on the liver[J]. Chinese Journal of Histochemistry and Cytochemistry, 2002(04):389-392+508.

[3]Wadhawan M, Anand AC. Coffee and Liver Disease. J Clin Exp Hepatol. 2016 Mar;6(1):40-6. doi: 10.1016/j.jceh.2016.02.003. Epub 2016 Feb 27. PMID: 27194895; PMCID: PMC4862107.

[4] Liu Dongmin, Huang Jianan, Liu Zhonghua, Ning Chaoqun, Hu Li. Research progress on tea and its polyphenols in regulating obesity and comorbidities[J]. Genomics and Applied Biology, 2019, 38(12): 5603-5615. DOI: 10.13417/j.gab.038.005603.