Everything You Must Know about Oranges and Fatty Liver Disease

Have you been told to steer clear of oranges because you have a fatty liver? Various voices claim they’re too high in sugar, while others say they’re an excellent source of vitamins and antioxidants, so you should keep eating them with NAFLD.

This is the case of most foods related to the health of the liver and there will almost always be two, usually conflicting opinions. So if you’re feeling confused, it’s absolutely understandable.

But today I will clear the confusion by talking about eating oranges if you have fatty liver disease, how much to eat and everything else you should know about them.

Fruit Sugars Are Not that Bad

When it comes to oranges – and fruits in general – and fatty liver disease, some people recommend cutting them off the diet because of the high sugar content.

This comes from the fact that processed white sugar and high fructose corn syrup or anything similar is linked to inflammation and extra fat storage, which harms the liver.

On the other hand, fruits contain natural sugars that come packaged with fiber, minerals, and other beneficial compounds, making the sugar itself less harmful overall.

Oranges have around 12 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams (one medium orange), but around 3 grams of those are fibers, which are healthy and help our digestive system, as well as slow down the absorption of sugar.

In the end, our bodies have been consuming these natural sugars for hundreds of thousands of years – while white sugar is just several hundred years old. As a result, many doctors and scientists believe that our bodies are better prepared to handle the natural sugars in fruits, making the latter better choices than, say, candy or baked goods with added sugars.

Oranges Are Nutritious and Contain Antioxidants

Oranges contain vitamin C, polyphenols, carotenoids, and cryptoxanthin. These substances can help reduce inflammation and support overall liver health.

Research from the University of Wisconsin has shown that diets high in carotenoids are linked to lower risks of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).

Further studies have shown that both carotenoids and vitamin C that mitigate oxidative stress by chemically interacting with free radicals reducing risks of inflammation.

In addition to this, citrus fruits contain cryptoxanthin which has anti-inflammatory effects. Research done concludes that this pigment has positive benefits in NAFLD patients.

Oranges contain fibers that help the body metabolize fat and cholesterol, helping with weight management. Moreover, fibers increase satiety, reducing your caloric intake. Oranges are also relatively low in calories.

The main caveat is the sugar content, which is why we need to keep an eye on portion sizes.

Glycemic Index and Types of Oranges

Oranges generally have a moderate glycemic index (GI). This means they don’t spike your blood sugar as drastically as high-GI foods.

However, GI can vary slightly between orange varieties. Blood oranges, clementines, and navel oranges have slight differences in taste and nutritional profiles. They’re all similar enough that you can focus on portion control rather than specific varieties.

You Shouldn’t Go Wild Eating Oranges

Moderation is key when it comes to eating anything when you have NAFLD/MASLD, and the same goes for oranges. One or two medium oranges per day usually keep you on track, especially if you balance the rest of your meals.

At the same time, make sure that you don’t eat more carbs than you should when all your daily meals are taken into account.

I personally ate oranges after being diagnosed – but usually one every now and then – and I had no problems reversing my condition.

I also ate many other fruits, including bananas, apples, watermelon, and basically everything that was in season. The key is moderating, balanced meals, being active, and following a healthy diet like the Mediterranean one or even a DASH diet.

However, unlike other superfoods, oranges are not a must-eat if you suffer from NAFLD. So if you don’t particularly like them, you can skip them completely.

But if you do enjoy your oranges, eating one per day shouldn’t make your condition worse, as long as you make them part of a healthy diet.

Whole Oranges vs. Orange Juice

While oranges can be consumed in moderation, things change if we decide to squeeze them and consume them as juice.

This means that we shouldn’t drink orange juice – not even if we prepare it at home from freshly squeezed oranges. In this case, the fruit loses most of its pulp, and together with it plenty of its nutrients, especially the fiber.

Juice is easier to overconsume, too, giving the liver a heavier load of fructose at once.

So unfortunately, just like with all sodas and soft drinks, orange juice shouldn’t be consumed if you have a fatty liver. Eat the whole orange instead, as we’ve already discussed in the previous article about juicing and fatty liver disease.

The best way to eat oranges with fatty liver

I usually eat oranges as one of my daily snacks (here are more snack ideas, for free!). Or you can have them as a quick breakfast or light meal if you pair them with a handful of nuts or some yogurt that will help balance out the natural sugars with protein and healthy fats.

If you enjoy them (I unfortunately don’t), you can also mix one or half an orange into a liver-friendly smoothie.

For smoothie recipes and everything else you should know about reversing fatty liver, based on my personal experience defeating the condition, I recommend reading my book, From Fatty Liver to Healthy Liver.

Final Thoughts

A balanced lifestyle that includes exercise and a healthy diet, with a careful look at overall carbohydrate intake will help you reverse fatty liver disease.

Oranges can fit into that lifestyle without causing problems, as long as you eat them in moderation and stick to whole fruits instead of juice.

From my experience, it’s not necessary to give them up completely – just keep an eye on your daily sugar intake and enjoy your oranges, but no more than one or maximum two per day.

Don’t stop learning! Check out my previous articles that help you make better choices when it comes to managing MASLD:

• Best Salad Dressing for Fatty Liver
• Eggplants and fatty liver disease
• How to stay motivated to lose weight for reversing fatty liver