The liver is an important organ for human metabolism. It stores glycogen, produces bile, and metabolise fat and it is also the largest detoxification organ in the human body. Binging on high saturated fat and empty-calories food endlessly, especially the worst foods for liver health, makes it harder for your liver to do its job. It may cause damage to liver and cirrhosis. Also, you have an increased risk of liver cancer.
1. Alcohol
Most of you might know that alcohol is bad for your liver. The liver breaks down most of the alcohol you drink so that it can be removed from the body. However, this creates a toxic compound that is even more toxic than alcohol. It obstructs the metabolism of the fatty acids by the liver cells, causing internal fat deposition, resulting in fatty liver, particularly for heavy drinkers. It may cause liver inflammation and even irreversible liver disease persistently such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), adults of the legal drinking age are recommended to drink in moderation by limiting intake to 2 drinks or less in a day for men while 1 drink or less in a day for women.
2. Fried Food
High fat and high-calorie food may cause the fat tissues unable to be metabolised in the liver, but it makes them deposited in the liver, resulting in fatty liver and even liver cirrhosis.
3. Processed food
Most processed food is added with food additives such as food colouring, flavouring to make them more attractive. Not to mention that preservatives such as nitrite is added to make food last longer. Long-term consumption of these foods can increase the burden on liver metabolism and detoxification, resulting in liver damage.
Processed meat such as meat patty, ham, sausages, and smoked meat is high in sodium and nitroso compounds which are prone to cause tumour and cancer. It was classified as carcinogenic to humans by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), whereas red meat as class 2A carcinogen while processed meat as class 1 carcinogen.
4. Sugar
Excessive high fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in food or sugar-sweetened beverages not only contributes to obesity but is also prone to fatty liver disease. As excess sugar causes the liver to convert into fat and builds up in the liver. Excessive sugar intake can stimulate oxidative stress and an elevated inflammatory response to the liver.
In nutshell, excessive free radicals in the body may cause chronic inflammation of cells, including liver cells. Hence, a proper diet with more fresh fruits and vegetables and spices, particularly less food that damages the liver and drinking more water, all are good practices to keep the liver healthy.
