Prevent Fatty Liver with 5 Healthy Drinks
Fatty Liver Disease, known medically as Steatohepatitis, is a disease characterised by the build-up of fat in the liver. It’s related to the effects of metabolic syndrome, since being overweight and high levels of triglycerides are influential factors.
People who drink alcohol have a higher risk of this disease, although, sometimes it develops because the metabolism and the excretion of fat is slow because of other liver problems.
Although it can develop silently, some patients experience abdominal pains, fatigue, and a heavy feeling after eating.
Medical attention will help to assess the severity and find an appropriate course of treatment. However, there are also some healthy drinks that will help to combat it.
In this article, we review some of the main causes of the disease, as well as some natural options to help treat it.
Causes of fatty liver disease
The damage done by cells in the liver due to drinking too much alcohol is one of the main causes of fatty liver disease.
The toxins in alcohol negatively affect the liver and stop it from breaking down fats properly.
However, as well as this cause, there are other, non-alcoholic factors, that it’s important to know:
- Being overweight or obese
- Rapid loss of weight
- Nutritional deficiency
- Type-2 diabetes
- High-cholesterol or triglycerides
- Hereditary metabolic disorders
- Prolonged use of some medications (oestrogen, corticoids, antiretrovirals, tamoxifen, or diltiazem.
Symptoms of fatty liver disease
The initial stages of fatty liver disease can develop without sign of any symptoms. However, if it advances without treatment, patients may experience:
- Pain in the upper right-hand side of the abdomen
- General illness or fatigue
- Notable loss of weight
- A heavy feeling, particularly after eating
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and dizziness
- Difficulty in keeping concentration
- Yellow skin or eyes (ictericia)
Natural drinks for the treatment of fatty liver disease
Fatty liver disease is detected with blood tests, ultrasounds or hepatic biopsies. Once confirmed, the doctor will suggest treatment to reverse the impact on the body.
As a complement you can use some healthy drinks made with natural ingredients. Due to their detoxifying and digestive properties, they help to reduce the severity of the disease.
However, before choosing any of them, it’s important to consult your specialist so that it doesn’t interfere with your prescribed treatment.
1. Beetroot juice
Rich in dietetic fibre, antioxidants, and essential minerals, beetroot juice is one of the best homemade remedies for alleviating fatty liver.
The nutrients it contains help to detoxify the liver and improve the processes that eliminate excess fat.
Ingredients
- 2 beetroot
- 2 cups of water (250 ml)
Preparation
- Peel the beetroots, chop them and put them in a blender with some water.
- Process it all for a few moments, until you get a smooth mixture.
How to take it
- Drink a glass of juice before breakfast, and repeat this in the middle of the afternoon.
- Keep up this routine for at least 3 weeks.
2. Loquats
These delicious fruits have a purifying power that helps to reduce the build-up of fat in the liver.
Ingredients
- 3 loquats
- A cup of water (250 ml)
Preparation
- Process the pulp of the loquats with the cup of water.
How to take it
- Drink the juice before breakfast for 3 consecutive weeks.
3. Ginger infusion
Because it contains a lot of antioxidant and antiinflammatory compounds, ginger is a great complementary remedy for combatting the effects of steatohepatitis.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of grated ginger (50 g)
- A cup of water (250 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (15 ml)
- 1 tablespoon of honey (25 g)
Preparation
- Add the grated ginger to a cup of boiling water and leave it to rest for 10 minutes.
- After this time, pour it into a bottle and add the lemon juice and the honey.
How to take it
- Drink this infusion before breakfast for 4 weeks.
4. Boldo tea
Boldo contains two main ingredients which help to combat the build-up of triglycerides and fatty acids in the liver cells: boldine and boldoglucine.
Ingredients
- One teaspoon of boldo leaves (5 g)
- A cup of water (250 ml)
Preparation
- Pour the boldo leaves into a cup of water and boil, on a low heat for 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and leave it to rest for 10 minutes
How to take it
- Drink the infusion in the middle of the morning and repeat in the middle of the afternoon.
- Drink it for 2 consecutive weeks, rest another two weeks, then resume.
5. Radish juice
Radishes contain natural fibre, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds which can help to soothe the pains caused by liver problems.
Ingredients
- 2 radishes
- 1 glass of water (200 ml)
Preparation
- Peel the radishes and cut them into small chunks.
- Add the radishes and water in a blender and process until you get a smooth mixture.
How to take it
- Drink this every other day.
- Keep this up for 3 to 4 weeks.
Complement these drinks with some light food, low in calories and fat. Keep taking these remedies for the duration indicated for the best results!
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Speisky, H., & Cassels, B. K. (1994). Boldo and boldine: an emerging case of natural drug development. Pharmacological Research, 29(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/1043-6618(94)80093-6
- Fahey, J. W. (2015). Brassica: Characteristics and Properties. In Encyclopedia of Food and Health(pp. 469–477). Elsevier Inc. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384947-2.00083-0
- Melzer, O. A., Rothkopf, M. M., & Ganjhu, L. (2014). Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. In Metabolic Medicine and Surgery (pp. 115–132). CRC Press. https://doi.org/10.1201/b17616