26 May 2025 : Incorporating certain foods into your diet can help support liver health and potentially alleviate fatty liver symptoms. On May 25, nutritionist Ashima Achantani shared a list of five beneficial foods for fatty liver on Instagram and explained why these foods should be consumed.
Here’s what to eat to support liver health:
Turmeric
She said, “Turmeric with black pepper can be had in water or milk once a day for 1 week, then restart after 2 weeks. Turmeric supports liver detox.”
Garlic
Ashima added, “Garlic – grated and swallowed with water or added to meals. Garlic reduces liver fat.”
Lemon
She said, “Lemon – 1 lemon juice every day. Can be sprinkled over meals or simply added to water. Lemon juice aids liver cleansing.”
Tomato
Ashima added, “Tomato – add to salad. Tomatoes are rich in antioxidants, good for liver.”
Oats
She concluded, “Oats – have it as you like. Powder it and make roti or cheela or simple oats bhel. Oats are high in fibre, easy on the liver.”
What is fatty liver?
The liver is a vital organ, working hard to keep us healthy as it has various important functions like detoxification, metabolism of carbohydrates and fat proteins.
In a March 2024 interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Lorance Peter, director, gastroenterology and hepatology at Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru, said: “Fatty liver disease is when your liver, which should only have about 5% fat, starts hoarding more fat than it should. This can be assessed by a simple ultrasound examination of the liver when it is bigger and brighter than usual – that’s a sure sign of fatty liver.”
He added, “Fatty liver disease, also known as hepatic steatosis, happens when your liver cells gather too much fat, and this fat interferes with the normal metabolic functions of the liver cells. There are two main types: one caused by drinking too much alcohol (AFLD) and the other not linked to alcohol but associated with obesity, diabetes, or metabolic dysfunction (NAFLD).”
Summary:
Nutritionist Ashima Sharma recommends lemon juice, turmeric with black pepper, garlic, tomatoes, and green leafy vegetables to support liver detox and reduce fat accumulation