By Franklin Delgado
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease – known in medicine as NAFLD – has become one of the most prevalent liver diseases of the 21st century, driven by diets rich in added sugars, a sedentary lifestyle and obesity.
The good news is that, in addition to adjusting your diet and lifestyle, there are drinks with scientific evidence that can help both prevent its appearance and reverse the accumulation of fat in liver cells.
Among the most common drinks that serve the described purpose are: water, coffee, green tea, water with lemon on an empty stomach, beet juice and wild artichoke infusion (milk thistle).
Recommended drinks
Coffee tops the list with the strongest support. [Previene y combate] Multiple meta-analyses have shown that traditional consumption of two or three cups a day—without sugar or cream—significantly lowers markers of liver damage. Its bioactive compounds, especially chlorogenic acids and caffeine, inhibit cholesterol synthesis in the liver and modulate the inflammatory response.
green teafor its part, offers an alternative for those who prefer to avoid excessive caffeine. [Previene y combate] Its star compound, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), acts directly on the metabolic pathways that regulate triglyceride synthesis. Studies in patients with mild to moderate fatty liver have reported improvements in lipid profiles after twelve weeks of daily consumption of three cups.
Milk thistle infusion It deserves special mention in the case of those who already have a diagnosis. [Combate] Silymarin—its most studied active ingredient—acts as an antioxidant, antifibrotic, and anti-inflammatory at the cellular level, with clinical trials showing reductions in ALT, AST, and liver echogenicity after several months of treatment.
beet juice. [Combate] The nitrates and betalains present in beets have been shown to reduce oxidative damage in liver tissue.
Water with lemon on an empty stomach. [Prevención] Vitamin C and flavonoids in lemon stimulate bile production and promote liver purification.
Finally, the power of water. [Prevención] Displace the consumption of soft drinks, industrial juices and energy drinks – all loaded with added fructose – by plain water is, according to the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD), the most cost-effective measure to reduce steatosis. Small changes sustained over time can reverse initial stages of the disease without the need for medication.
It is worth noting that no drink replaces medical treatment or changes in diet and exercise. When diagnosed with fatty liver, you should always consult a hepatologist or gastroenterologist before starting any supplementation.
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