The diet to combat fatty liver: menus and recommended foods

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Every day, with its 5000 biochemical reactions, the liver works within our body. A 1.5 kg gland that controls carbohydrates, fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. A real director of the metabolism body which, among other things, also holds the key to regaining a healthy weight. “Not surprisingly, those suffering from fatty liver – the so-called ‘fatty liver’ – find it more difficult to lose weight”, explains the prof. Pier Luigi Rossi, specialist in nutrition sciences and preventive medicine. “The only real strategy is to ‘unload’ it from the glycogen and fats accumulated inside the liver cells and avoid the glycemic peak after each meal, so as to keep the secretion of insulin, the hormone of the accumulation of weight and body fat “.

Proper nutrition can help us.

Fatty liver and weight loss

The 40% of Italians he has a liver full of glycogen and triglycerides. “The fault of a diet based on a high dose of carbohydrates deriving from foods made with flour (bread, pasta, pizza, sweets…)”, says prof. Pier Luigi Rossi. “These carbohydrates they cause increases in blood sugar and insulin in the blood after each meal and, in the liver, are transformed into glycogen and saturated fatty acids. Day after day, the fats are deposited in the hepatocytes and, when the liver reaches the weight of 2 kg, here is the fatty liver disease. In this condition, the liver is unable to metabolize the insulin secreted by the pancreas after a meal with foods rich in carbohydrates ”.

A condition that should really be avoided since “The liver difficulty in eliminating insulin from the blood causes a progressive increase of this hormone in the blood which, if prolonged over time, leads to insulin resistance: that is, insulin is unable to fully exercise its function of letting glucose enter the cells ”, warns the doctor.

The consequences? “There is an increase in glycemia, a profound sense of fatigue, apathy, nervousness, loss of memory and attention, as well as an increase in fat especially in the abdomen and a feeling of continuous hunger. A person with fatty liver and high blood insulin cannot lose weight. Every diet fails. And it can appear type 2 diabetes mellitus”, Warns the expert.

The importance of proper nutrition

Lose weight starting from the liver, therefore. To achieve this goal it is necessary to know the biochemical reactions that take place in our body after the intake of the substances contained in the food we bring to the table, and not simply rely on counting calories. “Every time we eat, our blood changes in relation to the molecules present in the food”, explains prof. Pier Luigi Rossi. “To clear the liver of the glycogen and triglycerides present in it, we must keep the blood glucose and insulin values within the limits by controlling the daily dose high carbohydrate glycemic index and load (bread, pasta, foods made with flour …) and the long-chain fatty acids present in foods of animal origin such as fatty meat, cheeses and cured meats “.

What to bring to the table

“We choose carbohydrates that don’t cause your blood sugar to rise too quickly. There are not only pasta and bread! We prefer to these i cereals and legumes. The molecular quality, that is the different composition in nutrient molecules of legumes, has a healthy ratio between carbohydrates, proteins and lipids. In addition, this category of foods contains interesting doses of polyunsaturated fatty acids necessary to stem the state of insulin resistance ”, advises the doctor. “The second goal, focusing on the well-being of the liver and relieving it of excess fat, provides instead a dietary therapy that stimulates gene modulation of DNA of liver cells (PPAR alpha peroxisomes) through the intake of unsaturated fatty acids Omega 3 natural. These precious beneficial substances are contained in fish, whole grains, oil seeds, legumes (preferably lentils and chickpeas), extra virgin olive oil, cold pressed raw linseed oil, krill oil and in other plant foods (fresh vegetables): all foods with genomic action on peroxisome transcription factors “.

It is important to stop all alcoholic beverages. The alcohol represents a toxic molecule for the liver.

The food day

The diet proposed by prof. Pier Luigi Rossi predicts five meals per day: breakfast, morning snack, lunch, snack and dinner. Eating every three hours keeps the blood sugar level below 120mg / 100ml. This condition determines the control of insulin secretion.

TO lunch and dinner, it is recommended to start and end the meal with vegetables. “Vegetables – underlines the nutritionist – contain fibers soluble and insoluble which, in contact with the water present in the intestine, form a ‘gel’ capable of governing the gradual entry of glucose into the blood, keeping blood sugar levels under control and avoiding an overproduction of insulin. Perfect are the bitter ones, like the cruciferous, and artichokes for their hepatocyte stimulation action “. A glass of water every hour, to be sipped during the day, and especially before a meal, allows you to increase this beneficial action of the fibers on the control of glycaemia and post-meal insulin.

Then continue with a protein dish, especially fish. Bread and pasta are instead replaced by legumes and cereals. One exception: rye bread, which can be eaten together with the protein dish.

Finally, green light forphysical activity. “To reduce the secretion of insulin by the pancreas, unload the liver full of glycogen and fatty acids, reactivate the insulin receptors in cell membranes to overcome the state of insulin resistance, a good diet is not enough”, concludes the doctor. “It is important to do at least 10 thousand steps or an hour of exercise bike a day, and resistance exercises to increase the lean muscle mass of the upper limbs ”. So let’s take advantage of spring to get back on the move.

MONDAY

BREAKFAST: 1 cup of barley or unsweetened green tea; 1 low-fat yogurt; 1 tablespoon of cereal; 6 hazelnuts; 1 coffee without sugar

MORNING SNACK: 1 seasonal fruit or a juice of 1 orange and 1 lemon

LUNCH: Red and green radicchio salad; lemon chicken breast; sautéed artichokes with garlic and parsley; rye bread (40 g); extra virgin olive oil (3 teaspoons)