Doctor reveals 6 things you should add to your diet to optimize liver function

Talk about an organic diet.

Dr. Joseph Salhab, also known as @thestomachdoc on TikTok, is finding out His six essential foods for optimal liver function — avocado, olive oil, oily fish, nuts, green tea and coffee.

The Florida-based gastroenterologist frequently shares details of his diet with his 1.7 million TikTok followers to inspire them to adopt gut- and liver-friendly habits.

His latest roundup of healthy choices comes as new research emerges about nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the so-called “silent epidemic” that affects about one in four American adults.

As the name implies, NAFLD is characterized by excess fat in the liver of people who consume little or no alcohol.

The main cause is obesity, along with metabolic risk factors such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obstructive sleep apnea.

“If you have fatty liver disease, you will always want to combine dietary changes with lifestyle changes such as exercising at least four to five times a week, being at a healthy weight if you are overweight, and avoiding liver toxins such as alcohol. ” Salhab advised.

avocado

Salhab said that in addition to being a healthy source of fat and fiber, avocados contain “vitamin E, which we know is anti-inflammatory for the liver.”

Eating an avocado a day has also been linked to improved sleep quality and cardiovascular function and a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes in women.

Olive oil

Olive oil, a staple of the much-vaunted The Mediterranean diet, sometimes called “liquid gold,” is the queen of fats. IS monounsaturated and packed with antioxidants and other healthy compounds.

Potential benefits of olive oil include reducing the risk of dementia and cardiovascular disease and relieving constipation.

In addition to cooking with olive oil, Salhab suggests regularly using oregano as a topping. “By eating it like this, sometimes you’re able to preserve some of the most beneficial ingredients within the olive oil that can be lost if it’s cooked,” he explained.

Oily fish

Salhab recommends two servings of oily fish, such as salmon or herring, per week.

His advice is echoed by Lauri Wright, a registered dietitian and a professor at the University of South Florida College of Public Health, who previously told Fox News, “Salmon is among the best choices for healthy fish. It’s rich in omega-3s that support cardiovascular and brain health — and high in protein, too.”

Wright also noted, “Research shows that omega-3 consumption lowers overall mortality from heart disease. Furthermore, omega-3 provides a modest reduction in high blood pressure and a significant reduction in triglycerides.”

nuts

Salhab recommends regular consumption of nuts such as walnuts, pine nuts, pistachios, cashews and walnuts. He reports, “They’re a healthy source of unsaturated fat, but they also contain vitamin E, which we know is anti-inflammatory for the liver.”

Nuts are good for the body and mind. Researchers at the National Institute of Aging have discovered that their eating may help improve memory in Alzheimer’s patients.

These nuts can be good too ABOUT nuts, as research has linked nut consumption to improved sperm quality.

Green tea

Salhab says the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of green and black tea make them a wonderful addition to a daily diet.

Tea leaves contain catechins, a type of polyphenol and flavonoid that protect our cells from damage as we age.

Tea leaves contain more catechins than other foods and beverages. Green tea, which undergoes less processing from leaf to cup than other varieties of tea, tends to retain its catechins. Among these catechins is epigallocatechin gallate. EGCG is known to fight inflammation and protect cells.

Coffee

Salhab drinks impure water every day to protect against gallstones and fatty liver disease. He says, “Coffee has been associated with better gut health, liver health, brain health and reduced risk of liver cancer.”

A 2022 scientific review found that coffee stimulates the release of cholecystokinin, a hormone that plays a key role in digestion.

In a 2021 article published by the University of Chicago Steatotic Liver Disease Clinic, nutritionist and registered dietitian Annie Guinane recommends drinking up to three glasses of java a day to protect the liver.