The liver's enemies are many things - including those that we eat every day. Meet the products that are extremely harmful to the liver. It is worth knowing them in order to be able to eliminate what is harmful from the diet.
Our liver is a very important organ. It has many functions and can regenerate. However, it cannot be completely forgotten! What is harmful to the liver? Here is a list of products to watch out for.
Alcohol
There is a reason why we put alcohol in the first place - the liver's biggest enemy are alcoholic beverages - wine, beer or stronger alcoholic beverages. Drinking 80 grams of ethanol a day (i.e. 2 beers or 1 liter of wine) increases the risk of developing various liver diseases, including cirrhosis and fatty liver.
Drugs
Most of the drugs we take are metabolized in the liver, which means that they can damage liver cells. Of course, some drugs are taken by us constantly, so it is worth keeping the liver under control. However, the most common causes of drug-induced liver damage are painkillers (i.e., non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) and antibiotics.
If we can, then, limit the use of painkillers - or at least take them as recommended by the doctor or the manufacturer.
We recommend: Liver diseases - symptoms of a sick liver
Fast food
This is the third place on our list of foods harmful to the liver, probably no surprise. Any fast food, be it a hamburger or a kebab, is made up mostly of fat, sugar and s alt. After all, it must taste good to us … It's a pity that it contains almost no nutrients. And it can damage our liver - not directly, but indirectly.
How is this possible? High fat content and addictive nature lead to overweight, which is responsible for the development of certain liver diseases, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
Cigarettes
We move smoothly to the fourth place, i.e. to stimulants in the form of cigarettes. Every cigarette you smoke affects the condition of our organs - not only the lungs, but also the liver and heart. According to research, smoking is responsible for one in four cases of liver cancer!
Smoking cigarettes, also electronic (also cigarettes) contributesalso contributes to the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.
Sugar
Too much consumption of sugar-rich products (sweets, cookies, bars) contributes to the disruption of the liver regeneration process. This also applies to sugar in the form of sweeteners, glucose-fructose syrup or refined sugar.
Remember that all "glasses" of sugar can be found in carbonated drinks!
S alt
Excessive s alt intake disrupts the body's water balance and increases blood pressure. Moreover, excess s alt causes abnormal formation of liver cells and slows down the regeneration process. Too much s alt in the diet increases the likelihood of liver fibrosis.
Monosodium Glutamate
Monosodium glutamate, our umami flavor, a popular food additive that enhances its flavor. E621, yeast extract, fish meat extract or protein hydrolysis product - there are many names on the packaging, but you have to be careful with it.
According to scientists, monosodium glutamate influences the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, especially its transition into nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).
Instant dishes
It is impossible to avoid them in our ranking - they contain a lot of s alt, sugar, or just monosodium glutamate. They are not good for our liver (and not only - the stomach does not like them either), they contribute to the development of obesity and liver disease. If only we can avoid ready-made dishes!
We recommend: Drinks detoxifying the liver. Drink them before going to bed!
Meat
Especially it's processed and red. Meat should be limited and not exceed half a kilo a week! Better to give up sausages, cold cuts and other highly processed meat dishes. When eating meat, choose lean pieces, such as turkey or chicken.
Heavy metals
Wondering where they can be found in our menu? Well, excess arsenic is often found in brown rice, alcohol, marine fish, and even drinking water. It can build up in the liver and damage it. Therefore, you should always buy products with appropriate approvals and from reliable sources.
You should also be careful with lead - it also accumulates in the liver and is not removed from the body. It is found in contaminated food.
Mushrooms
And exactly - mold, i.e. mycotoxins and aflatoxins produced by Aspergillus fungi. Mycotoxins can be found in moldy products, while aflotoxins can appear in poorly stored nuts, dried fruit, grain, but also in milk or meat of fed animalswith contaminated feed. Importantly, toxins are not killed by high and low temperatures.