Eggs are delicious and highly nutritional, being a favorite for many. But can you eat eggs if you have a fatty liver?
Eggs are not part of the foods recommended for fatty liver, but you can eat them in moderation. If you suffer from NAFLD, you should not eat more than 2 eggs per week, cooked in a safe way for fatty liver.
This means that the eggs you consume should always be boiled, poached or scrambled (without any oil) and without added dressings or similar things that might increase the fat or carb content of the eggs.
There are mixed opinions regarding eggs – with some people considering them safe to eat for fatty liver or even a sort of a liver superfood. However, recent studies have found that to be wrong.
We have this study that wanted to see the relation between fatty liver and NAFLD. According to their findings, eggs do increase the risks of developing a fatty liver, even at values of two-three eggs eaten per week.
Actually, those consuming 2-3 eggs per week had 3.71 more chances of developing a fatty liver when compared to those eating 2 or fewer each week.
We can therefore assume that they’re similarly bad for an already fatty liver. This is why you should limit consumption as much as possible and only have a maximum of 2 per week. Ideally not every week.
Why are eggs bad for your fatty liver?
Eggs are extremely nutritious, that is indeed correct. They are high in protein and with high amounts of vitamin D and cobalamin, as well as iron which are really important in our diet (and we generally lack most of these).
However, eggs also pack a solid punch in terms of fat content and especially calories.
A single large egg will already provide 62% of the allowed daily amount of cholesterol, as well as 7% of the daily fat intake.
We all know that cholesterol in excess is bad for our health and eggs can easily get us to dangerous amounts. Plus, it is synthetized in the liver, forcing it to do extra, unnecessary work.
Not to mention the fact that in most cases, eggs are fried or cooked with oil, which can double the amount of unhealthy fats and cholesterol.
However, putting all things together and looking at both the Pros and the Cons, as well as considering eggs that are cooked in safe way for the liver (without any added fat or dressings/sugar), we can conclude that they are not really horrible.
Sure, they’re not exactly as tofu for a fatty liver, but they’re not that bad either. They are very nutritious, despite the negatives, so if you have them in moderate amounts – a maximum of 2 per week and ideally not every week, things should still be OK.
Are egg whites better than egg yolks or whole eggs?
Egg whites are very popular in the NAFLD communities because they are indeed safe to eat. All the calories (but also most of the nutrition) is in the egg’s yolk.
Egg whites are low in calories, have no cholesterol and almost no fat. At the same time, they barely have a taste and don’t offer much in terms of vitamins or minerals.
However, they are still high in protein and have a relatively high amount of potassium, so they’re not completely useless.
This means that indeed, you can have more egg whites than whole eggs or just the yolk.
People usually make these scrambled with a tiny amount of oil (for some extra taste). Just don’t overdo it – you don’t want to turn them into an unhealthy pile of grease!
How to eat eggs for fatty liver
This is based on my approach on reversing my fatty liver. I did not eliminate eggs from my diet, but I probably had a maximum of 3 eggs per month. Never more than one per meal and usually not more than one per week.
Still better than nothing, trust me!
The difficult part comes from the way you cook them. I did it without any oil and this is how I recommend you to eat them also.
The easiest way to prepare healthy eggs is to boil them. You can also poach them to make them feel a bit like fried eggs, but it’s just a bit too much trouble in my opinion.
I also ate “fried” eggs by cooking them directly on a non-stick pan (I used this non-stick pan -affiliate link) and without any added oil. It’s not the same as cooking them in oil, but it’s not horrible either.
You can also scramble them, without any added oil in the same pan.
They won’t taste as good as the scrambled eggs we’re used to eat because they won’t have any extra grease (nor bacon on the side) but it is something you do get used with and end up appreciating.
I was never a big fan of simple egg whites, no matter how I prepared them, so I didn’t really consume these.
If you like them, you can definitely have a bit more than 2 per week. But also make sure to cook them in a liver friendly way (nothing fried, no sugar added!)
Conclusion
Opinions are generally divided when it comes to the safety of eating whole eggs if you have a fatty liver. Eggs are highly nutritious and have a lot of Pros, but the recent studies shouldn’t be ignored either, on the contrary.
It appears that the more eggs we eat each week, the higher the chances to develop a fatty liver. This would also mean that automatically, if you already have a fatty liver, they won’t help.
If you have just been diagnosed with a fatty liver, you probably have no idea what is safe to eat and what is not. The article I have linked to at the start of this paragraph will help you a lot getting things organized.
Also, you can check out my review of The Fatty Liver Solution – a really good book, well written and well organized, that will help you reverse your condition.
Back to eggs, having them in moderation – not more than two each week – is acceptable, I would conclude. I personally haven’t stopped eating eggs completely and still managed to reverse my fatty liver.
I also had them in low quantities – no more than one per day and usually no more than one per week. This is not ideal when it comes to fixing up a quick breakfast, but still better than nothing.
Of course, if you can completely ditch eating eggs, it might be even better. Sure, they are a nice source of protein, potassium, iron and vitamin D – but you can get these from other more liver-friendly sources.
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver back in 2014 and managed to reverse it by mid-2015. Since then, I’ve been studying it, continuously updating my knowledge with the latest scientific findings and practical approaches to give others the help they need to reverse their condition.
My approach to managing fatty liver is holistic, balancing scientifically-backed information with real-life, practical advice based on personal, direct experience.
I am also the admin of the Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook and the Fatty Liver Subreddit.
Hi,
Am confused about eggs. I read online that choline from eggs can support reducing nafld (https://chrismasterjohnphd.com/blog/2010/11/23/sweet-truth-about-liver-and-egg-yolks)
So, what to believe? I mean, i run out of options on what to eat/cook , now even eggs?! 🙁 what would you re-think about eggs, with the choline aspect? I use yolk:whites 1:3
I think that with eggs, we can say that they are both good and bad. If your cholesterol is not already high, then you have a bit more room to experiment with them. I think that that 1:3 ratio you are talking about is really good.
Try cooking eggs in microwave and and Chinese vegetables keep homemade broth do egg drop soup
Thank you for this valuable article would it be possible to have some suggestions regarding what to eat daily for reversing fatty liver syndrome as it appears you have successfully done?
I have posted various articles on this topic on the blog – use the search to find more, but you can start here, with my 7-day meal plan: https://www.fattyliverdiary.com/fatty-liver-meal-plan-for-a-week/
Well, I must honestly say that I don’t eat thinking only of vitamins and mineral intake. I am Italian, a chef, and I like cooking what I enjoy eating. Everything in moderation. I do have a weak side and that is pastries. Those, I am sure, gave me the fatty liver..I am a little heave for my size but I have minimal belly fat..(I can see my shoes). I am very confused as I have heard different stories from different Doctors on line and one inparticular eats 12 eggs a day. I have started with fasting..one doing 18-6. Fast 18 hrs eat 2x during the 6 hour period. Tudca and Milk Thistle seem to be working for me as well.