Is Zucchini Good for Fatty Liver?

Zucchini is an amazing food for fatty liver. With a taste that most people enjoy, with few calories and many nutritional elements, including antioxidants and anti-inflammatory micronutrients, zucchini should become your friend when battling fatty liver disease.

Add to that plenty of vitamins and minerals, fiber for improved digestion and high water levels (like watermelon, minus the sugar), and you get a food that aids with the maintenance of liver alkalinity and facilitates detoxification.

Can you eat Zucchini with fatty liver?

Not only that you can eat zucchini with fatty liver disease, but you SHOULD consume it regularly.

It’s one of the safest foods to eat as long as you don’t pair it with unhealthy ingredients (such as added oils/fats, dipping sauces with preservatives and chemical flavors and so on).

Zucchini is a healthy food that can help you reverse NAFLD/MASLD. Due to the fact that it has few calories and lots of nutrients, it can be used in a variety of ways – making is specifically good for your fatty liver-safe dinner or lunch.

Zucchini is a simple way to add extra vegetables to your meals, making it an ideal foundation for a liver-friendly diet.

In addition, this tasty vegetable can make a significant difference in your health because zucchini contains vitamins and minerals and a low glycemic index.

In other words, this is the perfect food for fatty liver and even though it’s not part of the superfoods list that I shared previously, it’s one that I always turn to whenever I am in doubt.

Presence Of Lutein and Zeaxanthin In Zucchini

Zucchinis belong to vegetables in the Cucurbitaceae family, with a high water content (92%) and contain very few calories (16 kcal per 100 g).

This means that eating zucchini is almost like drinking water. Water that’s full of vitamins and minerals and other healthy nutrients! So it’s a great alternative to juicing for fatty liver disease, for example.

Zucchinis contain zeaxanthin, lutein and many vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, B2, C, but they also contain protein (about 1.3%), phosphorus (0.35%), potassium (0.4%); dietary fiber; zinc; calcium; magnesium; iron; and selenium.

Intake of zeaxanthin and lutein prevent oxidative stress and inflammation/fibrosis during the development of NAFLD, which lowers the risk of progressing to end-stage liver disease.

Lutein (A pigment carotenoid) aid in the prevention of liver degeneration by lowering free cholesterol levels and reducing lipid peroxidation and pro-inflammatory cytokine production.

(sources: USDA, 2017 study, Healthline)

NOTE: Zucchini skin is smooth, delicate, and completely edible, so don’t remove it! If you want the most health advantages from eating zucchini, eat the skin too, as that is where most of the nutrients are washed.

This is why it’s usually better to opt for organic zucchini if they’re not too expensive in your area – the skin will be free of pesticides and other chemicals that non-organic ones might have.

Why Is Zucchini Good for Fatty Liver?

Zucchini is good for fatty liver because it contains vitamins, minerals and micronutrients that help the liver. It is also low in calories, fats and carbs, which makes it a perfect vegetable for us.

However, it is advisable to eat only one serving of zucchini per day to avoid overeating phosphorus which can lead to kidney problems.

It may also be noticed that the juice made out of zucchini could cause frequent bowel movements. Depending on your situation, this is a good thing or a bad thing. I tend to consider it being the former.

Increased intake of Brassicaceae and Cucurbitaceae vegetables lowers cholesterol levels in the blood due to their sulfur compounds.

In addition, the presence of iron stored and other minerals offers protection against oxidative stress and prevents cell mutation – so it’s always good to have it around.

How Much Zucchini Should You Eat?

It is recommended that you eat a maximum of three servings of zucchini per day. Usually, having them as a side dish (or even main one) for one of your meals is the best way to go, due to the high phosphorus contents mentioned above.

In terms of quantity, anything up to a cup of zucchini should be more than enough. You can consume less or even a bit more… but based on my personal experience, unless I go for a zucchini salad or zucchini balls, one cup is more than enough.

It is important to know that you shouldn’t ever fry your zucchini – you don’t need all the extra oil. Also, when cooking it, you should not add any sugar or sweeteners.

This food is safe to eat and recommended for a fatty liver diet, but if you prepare it in an unhealthy way… it becomes unhealthy too. So only eat them raw, grilled or boiled – or part of any dish/stew that you prepare.

Also read: Is Air Fried Food Good for Fatty Liver Disease?

Final Words

For the lovers of this tasty vegetable, it’s good to know that zucchini is high in antioxidants and has been linked to several health benefits. Zucchini is also high in vitamins A and C, which have antioxidant properties.

Hence, eating zucchini if you suffer from a fatty liver is recommended and acceptable, as long as you don’t fry it, pair it with otherwise unhealthy sides, or add any sugars on it.

If you want to continue exploring various foods and their safety for fatty liver disease, I recommend learning about sushi and NAFLD, garlic or popcorn.