Among the solid organs of the human body, the liver is the largest and fulfills vital functions for health: it purifies the body of toxins, performs the synthesis of cholesterol, triglycerides and proteins, and stores vitamins and glycogen, among others. In addition, it is the only organ that receives blood from two different parts of the body: from the hepatic artery, which provides the flow from the heart, and from the portal vein, which provides the fluid that circulates from the intestines.
The liver is a vital organ for the health and well-being of the human being, for this reason its inflammation , better known as hepatitis , represents an important health risk that must be adequately addressed to avoid sequelae in the function of this organ. . Because the liver metabolizes much of the food we eat, eating a balanced and healthy diet is very important to help you recover from any condition, because the healthier our diet, the less forced is the liver’s work.
In this FastlyHealarticle we share with you how the diet for an inflamed liver should be and some tips to quickly regain liver health.
Table of Contents
What is Hepatitis?
Known as hepatitis the swelling or inflammation of the liver. This condition can originate due to different causes, among the most common we find:
- Immune cells in the body that mistakenly attack the liver.
- Hepatitis A, B, and C virus infections, or infection with bacteria and parasites.
- Abuse in the intake of alcohol and alcoholism.
- Overdose of medications such as paracetamol.
- Steatosis or fatty liver , a pathology that commonly affects people who are obese, overweight and who eat a diet rich in fat.
- Hereditary disorders such as cystic fibrosis .
- Wilson’s disease, a condition in which the body retains too much copper.
Symptoms of inflammation of the liver (hepatitis)
Hepatitis can start from poor eating habits and improve rapidly when a major change is made to our daily diet, preventing the liver from being affected by prolonged inflammation. However, when hepatitis persists it will cause liver disease and can even lead to liver cancer.
The cause of hepatitis will be the key to determining how severe the liver is, for example, conditions such as hepatitis A and fatty liver are reversible and short-lived and will not cause major damage, unlike hepatitis C and liver cirrhosis. The symptoms of inflammation of the liver are:
- Itch.
- Very mild pain or bloating.
- Clay-colored stools.
- Lack of appetite.
- Sickness.
- Weightloss.
- Yellowing of the skin, especially when the cause of inflammation is infection with a hepatitis virus.
When the liver becomes inflamed due to fat accumulation (steatosis), being overweight or obese, there may often be no obvious symptoms in the initial phase.
Importance of diet to reduce inflammation of the liver
The liver is responsible for filtering all the toxins from the food and beverages we eat, but when it is inflamed it cannot carry out this function correctly, either due to the virus that affects it, due to the accumulation of fats that it has not been able to metabolize or due to an excess of toxic substances that it has not been able to dispose of. This condition can worsen considerably if instead of a healthy diet, we offer only foods that are more difficult to process to the liver through a diet rich in fats, sugars, alcoholic beverages, junk food, fried foods, sodas, etc.
On the contrary, when we offer our body a diet rich in fiber and vegetables we are helping the liver to more easily metabolize food and instead of fats, toxins, cholesterol and triglycerides, store, as it should be, vitamins and nutrients that they will translate into health and energy for the body. As the liver can properly process food and is purified of all types of waste, it can begin to work better and recover from the cause that affects it.
Treating liver inflammation in time by making changes in our diet is very important to prevent this condition from becoming complicated and putting the health of this organ at risk due to cirrhosis, liver failure or liver cancer.
Recommended foods for the liver
- Foods rich in fiber are the best to reduce inflammation of the liver , since this substance helps the organ to absorb accumulated fat, while stimulating the purification of toxins through intestinal transit. Find fiber in watercress, spinach, whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, among others.
- Vegetables and fruits also contain a large amount of fiber, it is advisable to eat a small portion in the morning and avoid juices, since they contain a lot of fructose and are more difficult to digest.
- Green leafy vegetables contain the most antioxidants and fiber.
- Choose lean meats that offer less fat, such as chicken, fish, and skinless turkey.
- Low-fat, skimmed dairy.
- Sausages with little salt and fat, such as cottage cheese and turkey.
- Drink lots of water to detoxify the body.
- Legumes prepared in a light way, without added meat or sausages.
Foods to avoid to reduce inflammation of the liver
- Limit your intake of good fats, including avocado and olive oil. It is advisable to consume them only twice a week.
- Avoid trans fats and fried foods altogether.
- Snacks with a lot of salt, pastries, cakes, cakes.
- Alcoholic drinks.
- Junk or highly seasoned foods.
- Flours.
- Dairy products.
- Butter and margarine.
- Carbonated or energy drinks.
- Any fried and greasy food.
Diet for inflamed liver
Breakfast options
- Fruit salad, two slices of whole wheat bread with low-fat cheese, a cup of black coffee or skim milk.
- Two scrambled eggs with whole wheat toast. A skimmed yogurt with pieces of fruit. A cup of coffee.
- A plate of oatmeal cooked in skim milk. A toast of bread with jam without sugar.
Lunch options
- A serving of baked turkey, a serving of green salad (watercress, arugula, cucumber and green beans) and brown rice. For dessert, fruit salad.
- Grilled salmon, baked sweet potato with cinnamon and steamed vegetables (chard, spinach, cauliflower and watercress). For dessert, skimmed yogurt with fruits.
- A portion of whole wheat pasta with vegetables (broccoli, asparagus, mushrooms and carrots) and a portion of baked or grilled chicken. For dessert, a fruit.
Dinner options
- Eggplant lasagna made with lean beef and skim milk.
- Grilled tuna portion with cucumber, tomato, onion salad and a little avocado. Season only with lemon and mustard.
- Asparagus cream prepared only with skimmed milk. A portion of grilled polo shirt.
This article is merely informative, at FastlyHeal .com we do not have the power to prescribe medical treatments or make any type of diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in the case of presenting any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to Diet for an inflamed liver , we recommend that you enter our Digestive System category .

I am a Surgeon with a diploma in comprehensive ultrasound and surgical care residency, an area I am specializing in. During the exercise of my profession, I have realized the need for patients to know the diseases they suffer, and I can tell you that a large part of their complications is due to a lack of information. Being a health web writer allows me to transmit my experience, without borders, to all those readers eager for knowledge, educate them in the prevention of diseases and promote a healthy lifestyle.