Fatty Liver aka NAFLD is becoming a condition that is affecting more and more people, but fortunately it is something that you can reverse by making adjustments to your diet and lifestyle.
Although there is a general consensus regarding the foods to avoid when you have a fatty liver, there is no magic pill that cures it. There is no medication approved for curing fatty liver.
Many doctors recommend Milk Thistle (affiliate link) which rarely has side effects – if any – and is considered by many to help the liver.
But based on my own experience in reversing fatty liver as well as talks with other people who did it and also a lot of research, I came to the conclusion that the most important thing for you to reverse it is following a solid fatty liver diet.
Choosing the best diet for fatty liver
The diet that I have followed to reverse my fatty liver and which worked for many other people I have recommended it to is a slightly modified version of the Mediterranean diet.
This is a diet that many doctors recommend as well as the best diet for fatty liver.
To be completely honest with you, I am 100% sure that when it comes to reversing fatty liver, there are multiple approaches and diets/ways of eating that work just as well.
Eating healthy is the most important part of the equation and it doesn’t really matter how you call your way of eating as long as you eat clean and healthy. But it’s a lot easier to follow some clear guidelines and this is exactly what I plan to chalk out below.
I have to repeat: following this diet helped me reverse my fatty liver in 1.5 years and many other people on our Facebook support group have also done the same following this diet.
One thing is clear: after being diagnosed with a fatty liver, you need to make some (probably) drastic lifestyle changes and changing your diet is the most important of them all.
And here is where the confusion begins: if you will look over the internet, read books or even ask people around, you will find that everybody seems to have a different opinion on what works and what you should do.
In my case, after spending tens of hours reading internet pages regarding diets for NAFLD, immediately after being diagnosed, things were not very clear. Here is what I found:
– most people recommend a low fat diet. This is probably the common element of most diets and the thing that makes a lot of sense: if you have too much fat in your body, you should stop adding extra, right?
– others swear that you should only follow a low carb diet and not care about fat: carbs are sugar, sugar turns to fat, fat is bad for your body. Which also makes sense.
– In other words, you have all possible options covered: some claim that a low fat, low carb diet works best; some say that a low fat, high carb diet works best; there are people that claim that a high fat, low carb diet is actually what you need…
So the more you look and the more you read about the perfect fatty liver diet, the more confused you can get as every person has their own side of the story.
I sure did get confused at first and I was kind of shocked to hear a friend having the same problem say to me: “Well, choose one and hope you made the right choice!”
I couldn’t risk it with my life, so I kept researching even more. I started to compare the fatty liver diets out there, I started to write down common elements, I started to note the things that they did completely different and I started to look into those things as well, from the perspective of a healthy person. Then I did more research.
Understanding a diet as a whole and finding the best possible one for a human being (not necessarily one with a fatty liver) was actually my goal and in the end I came up with my own version of the perfect fatty liver diet: the (slightly modified) Mediterranean Diet.
When doing research, you should really read between the lines. Many people who are recommending a diet or another actually don’t have a fatty liver and never had one – and even fewer reversed theirs.
They don’t really understand all the implications, they haven’t tested it. But this diet that I am recommending (and MANY other people, including liver specialists are recommending it!) has been tried and tested by yours truly and it worked.
Other people that I have recommended it to followed it and reversed their condition.
I am confident that it was the most important factor in reversing my fatty liver!
What is the best fatty liver diet?
I don’t claim to have it, but common sense and all the hours of reading and learning made me realize that there’s one diet out there, available for thousands of years, that works best when it comes to healing your liver. So my answer is:
The Mediterranean Diet
Or, better said, a common sense, modified version of the Mediterranean Diet, slightly adjusted to make it safer for those who have NAFLD.
This diet is considered by many the best diet for a fatty liver and it surely helps with your overall state of health, being considered an extremely healthy diet for the heart as well.
You can read over on Oldways about this diet and check out a visual representation of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, showing you exactly what to eat and how often to eat those foods – and there are many other liver specialists out there considering it the best possible approach.
Of course, I didn’t take everything for granted and I made some small changes based on my personal eating habits and foods that I have easier access to.
I also cut down a bit the consumption of fish and seafood because I don’t really like them (but you shouldn’t, since they are healthy).
There is also alcohol consumption accepted by the Mediterranean diet – a bit of wine in moderation won’t be bad for a healthy individual – but those with fatty liver must completely eliminate it.
Have in mind that while extremely healthy, the Mediterranean Diet without modifications is just a healthy way of eating and living, but not aimed directly at curing NAFLD. So you will need to consider some small but important additional things that I will cover below.
With everything I wrote above in mind, here is the approach that I took and helped me reverse my fatty liver. This is basically the best fatty liver diet that I wholeheartedly recommend. Here is what to eat:
1. Fruits and vegetables
They should be the things that you consume the most of. Eat as many as you want and eat them raw, boiled, steamed, baked (without any added fat) or grilled.
These things should make up most of your food intake. I am not including potatoes on this list, nor sweet corn – these two are not top choice foods for fatty liver and should be consumed in moderation.
Many people say that you should stay away from very sweet fruits like bananas, grapes, melons and so on. I didn’t – I ate a lot of fruits and vegetables and still reversed my condition.
Of course, you shouldn’t eat pounds of bananas each day: eat everything with moderation and you should have no problem. You can read my detailed guide on fruits to eat here after you’re done with this article.
2. Legumes
Beans, lentils, peas are also safe and can be consumed in high quantities, but not on a daily basis. These go great as side dishes and will provide you with the necessary fibers and minerals our body needs, all for a small amount of calories.
3. Nuts and seeds
I usually use them as one of my snacks throughout the day, but don’t eat too much as they are high in calories and fat (healthy fat, though).
But since we need to reduce calories intake, we have to eat just a small amount of nuts and seeds.
4. Dairy products
These are also consumed multiple times per week, but with caution and cutting some items off this list. I never eat butter or any other high fat cheese, sour cream or yogurt.
Only low fat milk, yogurt and cheese is consumed and not in large quantities. Make sure that there is no added sugar, nor any other chemicals in your dairy – this is very important.
There are many people who decide to stay away from all dairy products, and that is completely fine as well. I decided not to do it and consumed them in moderation and had no problem reversing my fatty liver.
But if you can live without milk and yogurt (and small amounts of cheese every now and then), it won’t be more difficult for you to get your health back.
5. Meat
It can be consumed a few times per week. Only go for low fat meat like chicken breasts (skinless) or turkey breast and anything low in fat. Eat fish mostly, avoiding red, high fat meat for as long as possible.
When I eat meat, I go for the leanest possible part and the portion is not larger than a regular adult’s hand. If you enjoy eating fish and seafood, you can consume it more often, even on a daily basis. Grill it or boil it, never fry it!
This is actually an important rule to follow with this diet: never fry anything, never cook with extra oil. Keep your food as healthy as possible if you want to reverse your fatty liver!
Here are some other important things to have in mind when it comes to making this fatty liver diet work for you:
– Cook your own food. One of the most important aspects here, because you can easily reduce the amount of fat used and completely eliminate added sugars, which are just as bad.
I only use extra virgin olive oil and very small amounts of it, mostly for salads. Combine it with Apple Cider Vinegar, which is also considered great for NAFLD and you have a perfect, healthy dressing instantly available.
I cook most of the other dishes without using any oil or any kind of fat, or adding just a bit when the cooking’s almost over.
After just a few days you will get used to eating everything without the added oil and you will find out that most foods still taste delicious! And if you’re still wondering what oil to use, read my article here.
Paying attention to HOW you cook your food is extremely important. Simply cooking your food at home – but using a lot of the bad stuff you shouldn’t, frying ingredients and adding sugars and other baddies won’t give you any benefits.
– Bread is something I still consume on a daily basis, unfortunately, but I have greatly reduced the number of slices and increased the quality.
This means that I never eat white flour bread anymore, and instead I go for whole grains bread.
Rye bread is the best choice for fatty liver, but if you can’t really get used with the slightly bitter taste, whole grain is good too.
Ideally, you should cut bread completely off your diet. If you are like me and simply can’t do it, try to eat a maximum of 2 slices of healthy, whole-wheat bread (without added sugar or other chemicals) per meal. But also keep your daily slices to a maximum of 4!
It was difficult for me (goodbye, traditional sandwiches!) but it’s also something you will get used to. Now, so many years after being diagnosed and reversing my condition, I can go for a few days without eating bread and usually I don’t have more than 2 per day.
– Rice & Pasta is something that I used to eat often, but I found that I can live without them. While these are healthier than other options (at least before adding sauces and sides), they both have tons of carbs which are unhealthy for the liver.
While it’s ideal to never have these again, I still ate both rice and pasta and managed to reverse my fatty liver. I had both in very small quantities, though, and just a few times per month.
Avoid highly processed rice and pasta and go for brown or ideally black rice (or wild rice) as well as whole grain pasta. The less processed they are, the slower the release of carbs in your blood, making them healthier.
Keep your portions small and don’t make it a habit eating them. And always remember: it’s better without having them at all – but if you can’t really take them out of your diet completely, eat these on rare occasions and in small portions.
– Sugar: I have never used sugar in any type of food that I prepared at home since 2014. I have never bought sugar since being diagnosed and never used it. We don’t need this.
So completely eliminating sugar from your diet is completely doable, even though in some cases it will be VERY difficult (those cravings will hit you hard and often, especially early on). But again, it is something you will get used to!
We get enough sugars from fruits and the other foods that we eat, there is no reason to add extra! If you can completely eliminate it, it’s perfect!
However, don’t replace it with synthetic sweeteners as they are just as bad, if not worse. There are some sugar alternatives that you can use, but try to keep them at a minimum.
Note: I do get some unnecessary sugar when I sometimes eat out or when I decide to cheat with a bit of cake or something sweet or something unhealthy.
But overall I am feeding my body 95% less sugar than was before being diagnosed. And if I managed to do it, you can do it too!
– Other sweets are generally ignored too and kept for special occasions. I no longer eat sweets from the stores or confectionery (candies, cakes, chocolate and so on) and I only eat home made sweets without added sugars.
These are extremely bad for our health. The high content of carbs that sweets have is really bad for our body – including the liver and they are usually really high in fat too. So whenever you have cake, you bassicaly eat a bomb of fat and sugar. No, thank you!
When I cheat, I make sure to make it no less than two days per month when it comes to these complex sweets. But sooner rather than later you will learn to go for the less sweet and unhealthy options and you will find the sweets you used to eat gross and horrible.
I am not counting fruits here, which, as I said, can be consumed multiple times per day and are actually a perfect desert – one you’ll have to get used with actually!
– Alcohol is something that I don’t drink at all. I’ve read many studies that claimed that alcohol is extremely dangerous for a fatty liver and even though there are some voices that still claim that a small drink every few days will do no harm, I am not willing to take the risk. Hopefully you are not willing to take this risk either!
Note: I have never drank, not even a sip of alcohol, since being diagnosed in 2014 and I don’t plan to ever drink alcohol again to help my liver even more.
You can still live a happy life without it, including a social life. I wasn’t a big drinker in the first place, but like most people out there I enjoyed drinking a glass or two of wine every now and then or had a few beers when going out.
Transitioning to never having alcohol at all was easier than I had initially thought. I also started drinking non-alcoholic beer (usually when going out, but not always) a year after reversing my NAFLD and it doesn’t seem to have done any harm.
But I only did this AFTER reversing it and I am drinking this non-alcoholic beer with moderation (maybe a total of 4 per month, but I have many months when I have none).
– When it comes to beverages, I only drink water mostly, as well as tea and coffee. It appears that coffee actually helps the liver (according to several reports that I have read) but remember to drink it black or with as little sugar as possible, without any artificial flavorings or cream.
Freshly squeezed juices are a treat every now and then – but don’t consider them healthy as they are just a lot of sugar since the most important part of the fruit (the puplp) is gone.
Smoothies are fine, but I personally don’t like them – if you do though, enjoy them! I also treat myself with sparkling water every now and then as a replacement for fizzy drinks, sodas and alcohol.
How many times per day should you eat?
When you’re following this fatty liver diet, it’s best to eat five times per day, in smaller quantities. I have many days when I actually eat six times per day, like this:
– breakfast as soon as I wake up (which is sometime between 7 and 7:30)
– morning snack (at around 10:30)
– lunch (at 1 PM)
– afternoon snack (at around 4 PM)
– dinner (at 6 PM)
– sometimes a late snack at around 8 PM (I am trying to cut this out though)
You can adapt this to your own schedule, of course. The golden rule of thumb here is to eat multiple times per day in order to reduce hunger (the hungrier you get and the longer this lasts, the easier it will be for you to break down and eat unhealthy).
Also, try to eat your last meal or snack at least 2 hours before sleeping.
If you are comfortable eating just the three main meals of the day, it’s even better. You don’t HAVE to eat the snacks, but if you are hungry (and most likely you will be!) it’s best to have them. Always keep quantities in check though and never overeat. Which gets us to…
How much should you eat?
Portions should be small, but you don’t have to eat like a supermodel that wants to lose even more weight. If you are used to eating large portions, don’t try to cut them down too much from day one because you might find it difficult to adapt and eventually break down.
Reduce portions slowly (make it a process that lasts a month, cutting a bit more every other day) until you reach the perfect amount for you.
Remember that you most likely have to lose weigh as well, and keep your weight in check afterwards. It’s a complete and permanent lifestyle change that we’re talking about now that you have a fatty liver, so you’d better be prepared.
The key here is calories deficit: this is the one and only thing that you need to lose weight. So if you need 2,000 calories per day to keep your healthy weight, try to eat around 1,500 – 1,700 calories per day. This will see you lose around half a kilogram (1.1 pounds) per week, which is a safe amount to lose.
During this time, you will also get used with the smaller portions (we usually eat a lot more than we actually need), and taking it slower will have the benefit of making it easier for you to stick to this.
If you’re currently eating 4,000 calories and cut them to 2,000 per day, it will be a lot more difficult long term. So take it slow, let your body adjust, but set your goal and get there!
You will naturally lose weight!
One of the things that I was advised to do after being diagnosed with a fatty liver was to lose weight. When I started this diet, I weighted 210 lbs (I am a 5.11″ guy) and I have naturally lost weight without any extra exercise, and without starving.
I went down to 190 lbs in just three months and this was the reason why I haven’t started exercising yet: you don’t want to lose weight too fast, or you’ll put extra pressure on your liver.
Please have in mind, though, that this fatty liver diet is not a weight loss diet. In my case, it helped a lot because I used to eat huge portions in the past and unhealthy foods.
Just switching to lower portions and eating completely healthy helped me lose weight, then stick to my new weight over the years. I was so surprised to see how much eating habits affect our weight!
Eventually though, you will reach a point where your weight loss will halt and if you’re not at your ideal weight, you should start exercising to speed up the process and get there.
From personal experience, I can say that this happens after three months of changing to the Mediterranean diet and losing weight.
As soon as that happens, you should bring in exercise into your life. Exercising is extremely important, so do something extra even if it’s just walking 8,000 steps per day.
The higher the intensity of your exercising, the better. Aim to exercise at least 3 times per week, ideally every day. Here as well you should take it slow and increase intensity every few days.
Most likely, you will be extremely out of shape, so doing any of the more advanced programs will be impossible. Take it slow and your body will adjust. But persevere, never give up!
When I started exercising, I was only “running” on a treadmill three times per week.
However, I was so much out of shape that when I first started doing it, I was only able to run for about 3 minutes straight at a very low pace during my 45-minute session and only walk briskly for the rest.
But just a month later I was running almost half of the time (3-4 minutes running, 4-5 minutes of faster walking and so on).
Today, I can easily run, without taking a break, for 35 minutes straight (and I could probably do more if I wanted to). So take things slow, but be consistent: you will get there too! You just need time to adjust.
Is this this fatty liver an easy one to follow?
From personal experience, I can honestly say that it’s not easy. In my case, it came as a drastic change and cutting all those unhealthy foods was difficult. There were cravings, there were times when I just broke and ate a lot, feeling miserable afterward.
So probably you will find it a bit difficult too – there’s no need to sugarcoat this. Be prepared!
Fortunately, the diet itself is really nice and allows you to try a huge variety of foods and dishes and you’ll never get bored eating the same things over and over again.
The most difficult parts (at least in my case) are reducing the portion sizes, reducing the amount of fats and eliminating sugars (this was the hardest!).
I always used to have a cake or some candy around me before being diagnosed, and it’s really difficult to put hem away. Looking back at this, it was probably one of the reasons why I developed a fatty liver in the first place.
Fortunately, you will soon get used with eating apples as desert instead of sugary sweeets, so it’s not a never-ending hell you’re going to go through (but the first two weeks will be really tough!)
Fortunately, only the beginning of the race (which is actually a marathon) is difficult.
You will get used to this new life very soon and you will start to love all the foods you’ll eat every day, even though there will be very low fat consumption and way more sugars than you were probably eating.
Actually, if you will taste any fried food a few months after switching to this diet, you will find it yucky and way too greasy for your liking.
The good part? It’s all extremely healthy and you’ll soon start to feel a lot better: you will feel less tired, you’ll be happier, you’ll even start appreciated different tastes that you didn’t before.
These will come sooner or later – it varies from individual to individual – but they will come. I think that you will start seeing improvements after the first month, but at the 6th month mark you will feel like another person (slimmer, healthier, full of energy) and no more pain under the right rib.
There is one important thing to have in mind: it probably took you years (if not decades) of eating unhealthy and becoming unfit to get where you are now. You can’t expect things to change in a week or a month. This also needs time – but fortunately not years or decades.
And after you will reverse your fatty liver, make sure to still stick to this Mediterranean diet. Don’t get back to old habits as your fatty liver can return easily. Stick to eating healthy, follow this balanced diet and you’ll always feel good!
IMPORTANT: Don’t forget to bookmark this page to be able to easily visit it in the future to make sure that you are indeed following the correct steps and eating the right things for your body. Or just PIN it using the image below:
There’s a ton of information above so you might not remember it all after one read. So bookmark this article and visit it as often as needed and feel free to browse this blog: you will find a ton of useful information, all for free!
I was diagnosed with a fatty liver back in 2014 and managed to reverse it by mid 2015. Since then, I’ve been studying NAFLD and I have decided to share everything I have learned over the years to help you reverse your condition.
I am also the admin of the Fatty Liver Support Group on Facebook and the Fatty Liver Subreddit.
I was diagnosed with fatty liver and Cirrhosis Nash i dont drink and I was 167 pounds im 5.3 I am now 147 after 2 months i wish someone can Guide me in a good diet to help my cirrhosis and my fatty liver I don’t think that the things I meeting are going to be healthy for my condition I am also diabetic so I don’t know what is causing my liver problem
I have IR and NAFLD also. The cause might be the IR and the Diabetes, said my doctor. This modified mediterranian diet is really tasty and full of possibilities. Ilike it, just I miss someday some sugar….
Please advise me of what to eat and how often
Hey Lynn,
Sorry to ask you but really I always need somebody to consult about this disease. First what do you think of air pop corn fat and salt free?
Second, what do you think of this program in this website. Fatty liver remedy.com.
Please advice. Thank you
Hello Sara,
I believe that fat and salt free popcorn is safe to have as a snack every now and then. It still has a lot of carbs, but I would say it’s OK to have some every now and then.
Regarding Fatty Liver Remedy, it is one of the programs that I recommend on this blog. However, I believe that the Fatty Liver Reversal program that you can see in the sidebar to the right is even better. It is up to date, very informative and helpful, with all the information you need to reverse your fatty liver nicely grouped in one place.
Are pickles and apple cider vinegar ok for reversing a fatty liver? I’m also diabetic.
Yes, they are. I have published an article on apple cider vinegar on the website too – you might want to check it out for more details.
Thankyou for taking the trouble to write your diary.I have just been diagnosed with a fatty liver and i have found comfort in reading your diary. Kind Regards Donna.
I am always happy to hear that this blog is helpful to others, Donna. Now, get healthy! 🙂
Hi Lynn
I am a bit confused about eggs. Some say that eggs are good and some say they are bad for a fatty liver. What do you suggest?
I think that anything consumed with moderation is safe to eat. Egg yolks are indeed high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which is not good, but they also have many vitamins and minerals that are extremely healthy. Plus, they are tasty 🙂
So I think that 1 egg or 2 per week shouldn’t do much harm, but don’t fry them in oil – boil them or make poached eggs instead.
I just wanted to add that eggs are super healthy. Eggs contain Choline which is good for the liver.
Amen!
Eggs are the BEST food for your liver, cutting them out is a huge mistake as they get stuffed under the High-Cholesterol category. Your liver needs cholesterol (the right kind) and eggs are the best source. Even Dr Sandra Cabot talks about that. Eating scrambled eggs three times a week makes a noticeable difference along with my milk thistle supplements, often I feel no discomfort. If I don’t eat them for a week not changing anything else, I feel it. This blog is great and the info is super helpful but the one area that is often pigeon-holed is the value of eggs for your liver.
Hi so is it bad to use crystal light packets to put in water??
Most people would say that yes, you should stay away from that as it is highly processed and even artificial sweeteners are bad for you. However, if you take it as a treat every now and then, I think you can have it – there are other worse things on the market right now 🙂
Hi. Thanks for the effort of writing this blog. I have been diagnosed with mild fatty liver (non-alcoholic) 4.5 months ago and I have changed my diet significantly to Fruits, Vegetables, and Fish with some brown rice and even changed my lifestyle – jogging and walking every day. However, my weight has dropped from 73.5kg to 62kg in 4.5 months an. my friends said I have slimmed down. I’m afraid that the weight loss might go further, so I wish to know whether I still can consume carbohydrates (such as rice and potato) and meat. Or are there any ways to gain weight healthily amid my fatty liver disease.
Hey Lynn, what’s your recommendation for exercise? Somewhere you mentioned 60 minutes 3 days per week cardio, is it 60 minutes per session or total 60 minutes in all 3 days combined?
It is best to aim for 60 minutes per day, with at least 3 days of exercise per week.
If you are like I was when I started this, you should take it slow and go up from there: I was out of shape, so I started with around 40 minutes of fast walking in the gym, them went to slow running and so on until I was able to run (relatively slow at around 9 km/hour) for 60 minutes straight.
So, even though it’s 60 minutes per session, anything is better than nothing, but do aim to exercise a bit every day and have at least 3 day of more intense exercise.
I swim and or exercise in the am and night before bed 15 mins tops
Use to do 100 laps and was gaining now am and pm keep ok not gaining losing inches here there but not gaining
Lynn,
Do you mind sharing your meal plan like breakfast, snack, lunch, etc ?
I also was diagnosed with fatty liver on October 19th this year and till today I have lost a total of 30lbs in 2.5 month. I stick to no sugar just get it from fruits and literally 80g carbs per day.
I also do workout 6 times a week with brining 400 calories per day.
I am interested in your meal plan so please share the actual plan. Appreciate it
BTW how long did it took you to reverse your fatty liver ?
Hi, thank you so much for this. I was diagnosed on January 4th this year, just 3 days ago. That night I cooked myself a steak and had a glass of wine. Saturday morning I decided I will try a mostly plant based diet, with occasional meat and some seafood. I’m already missing sugar and bread, (withdrawals?), but at only 31, I seriously need a lifestyle change. Last year I had my gallbladder removed and now this. So I just wanted to say a big thank you for all the information you’re providing.
I am happy to hear it is useful, Judi. Indeed, major changes are required… but you will see that in the end, they are not as tough as they might seem at first.
Hi ,love this article
what kind of supplement i can take for fatty liver beside diet ? any advice ?
Thanks
Sue
Great, and informative post, lots of great advice…….
*dessert has to be the hardest to give up for me. I used to misspell dessert, but I had a boss tell me, an easy way to remember is that *dessert has 2 (s) like a second helping…
and desert is one (s) like sand.
Thx for such a great article.
I wanted to say a quick thank you for the work you put into this blog. I haven’t officially been diagnosed yet but my doc has be going for an ultrasound (that I’ve scheduled for Monday) and a visit to the GI doc. He believes that it’s NAFLD. I’m in that scared mode of ‘crap what else could it be’ but all signs point to that likelihood. So, to avoid going down that BAD internet hole of researching those possibilities, I started looking into how to fix it if that’s what it is. I’ve just read through your site for an hour or two and wanted to extend my gratitude. I hope to be able to get answers quickly and, if this is what I’m living with, I look forward to engaging with you more!
From someone who’s up entirely too late worrying….Thank you! This has really helped!
Sorry to hear about that, Colleen. But at least you’re on the right track, doing your research and preparing to tackle this accordingly. The good thing about a fatty liver is that it can be reversed!
Hi Lynn
Thanks so much for the time you have taken to compile your knowledge and to share with complete strangers.
This evening I made a coffee and stirred in my favourite coffee creamer and as I sipped, wondered what effect the creamer was having on my liver (I have also been diagnosed with NAFLD). So I typed COFFEE WHITENER AND FATTY LIVER DISEASE into Google and your website appeared.
Oh Lord – I have half a can left of the creamer which I love……so I will reduce my intake to one coffee with creamer per day until I have finished it and will not purchase again.
Funny I switched from LActofree milk to creamer…..big mistake.
Anyway, I have been told to drink lemon water and apple cider vinegar water to cleanse my liver.
I don’t eat fried foods but do love crisps and realise I need to eliminate these in order to cleanse.
I am inspired that you have reversed your conditions and begin my journey tonight.
I have saved your website for future reference
It took me a lot of time to learn everything I know today – and I am still learning new things. But you’re doing one of the most important things: research. (The other being changing your actual diet). It looks like you’re on the right track and I am sure you will have no problem replicating my success and reversing your fatty liver. Good luck!
Hi Lynn..since being diagnosed with NAFLD beginning of may 2019 ive lost 49lb and I’m now 10lbs into a healthy bmi
I’ve gone from a uk size 18 to a size 12 which I think is in the USA a from a size 14 to a size 8
I was very strict while I was loosing the excess weight..didn’t even have one cheat!
I don’t want to loose anymore weight..never thought I’d be able to say that !
While I was loosing the excess weight I only eat veg, Ie cauliflower and broccoli,chicken,fish,rolled oats,walnuts and 1 small slice of wholemeal low carb bread per day,
extra-virgin olive oil, 3oz sweet potatoe once every two weeks .. I found it hard to find enough calories to get above 800 Cals a day whiteout eating anything carby
Since I’m within my bmi now I’ve added
brown rice, 3 egg whites a few berries now and again
2 slices of wholemeal (low carb bread) of course
6oz of Greek plain yoghurt (no added sugar) and still eating the veg..(which I have to say used to make me gag as I really don’t like the taste) that in itself was a challenge..!
lynn My question is I’m still only reaching around 1500 calories and I should be on about 1868 Cals a day
What else could I add to up my calories
Hope you can help !
Congrats for taking such good care of yourself! Great progress so far and I am sure you can keep this up.
As for extra calories, you can add one additional snack per day (or maybe eat a bit more during one of the main courses). Adding any sort of seeds or nuts is both healthy and high on calories. Plus, you’re not getting extra carbs! I also believe that now you can safely use an entire egg (and maybe make an omelet) since the yolk – even though high in fat – has a lot of really good minerals and vitamins (including Vitamin D). Plus, 1 yolk has about 4.5 grams of fat, which is not that bad at this time. Also, avocadoes are recommended – they have healthy fats and more calories than regular vegetables or fruits.
Also, I see that you don’t have any fruits in your diet. I used to eat lots of fruits and still reversed my fatty liver. Fruits are healthy and our body deals with their carbs differently than it does with the refined sugar. Add some lower sugar fruits, but don’t shy away from eating one apple a day and even a banana every now and then. At this point, they would do more good than harm (if they would ever cause any harm), in my opinion.
In the end, even with a deficit of 300 calories per day, you won’t keep losing a lot of weight and you’ll reach the point where you won’t lose any more pretty soon. Remember that 1 pound has around 3,600 calories… so the weight loss won’t be as drastic as it was before and as long as you remain at a healthy weight (and not go underweight), that shouldn’t really be a problem.
Lynn thank you for your reply
Ive added 3oz of brown basmati rice to each of my 2 main meals..so 60z altogether..is this ok ?
so I was already having 1oz of walnuts is it ok to add another 1oz then as there good fats and I’m below my calorie deficit that will bring me up to 1545 calories my problem is I have no weight loss if I don’t go walking but as soon as I do exercise I loose 1lb per week
I don’t really have fruit as I was prediabetic type 2
How much extra virgin olive oil is recommended per day ?
Thanks ?
Hi Lynn,
So glad I found your blog – had an ultrasound yesterday and the nurse has found some ‘fatty spots’ around the liver – awaiting docs in 2 weeks for diagnosis.
My diet is vegan, pretty healthy and I exercise daily. Although i suffer with HBP and cholesterol (big genetic influence I think).
So this morning on a mission to lose weight (I carry mine around the middle – so after researching presume this is a big factor). Won’t be drinking again either….
Your blog is so positive and informative – I think I’ll hang out here for a while – instead of courting Dr Google!!
Dr Google can indeed be very scary sometimes, I know.
Most likely, it is your HBP and high cholesterol that are causing this and it’s really good that you’re exercising daily – you should keep that up. Vegan food is not necessarily safe for the liver, as it can still be very high in processed elements, fat and carbs. So double checking on that would also help – make sure you’re always eating the best food you can and keep exercising. In your case, things are a bit more difficult because of your other problems, but in my case for example, the diet and lifestyle change resulted in my being put off the HBP medication as it normalized. Hopefully something similar will happen to you too.
Hi Lynn,
Just wanted to say hello and thank you for your blog. I read it and things suddenly clicked. Under the advice of my GI doctor, I tried Keto which he strongly recommended for my F3 Fibrosis. I have been confused about what to eat from being on Keto, Weight Watchers and then Paleo, Have been on other diets in the past and having been on so many makes choosing healthy foods confusing. I felt like your blog was straight and up-front. And you talked about a lot of the food issues that I have, Now I see that things are okay in moderation like whole grains. I am definitely going to try the Mediterranean diet again and feel I will be successful after reading your experiences.
Happy to help, Beppy! I just updated this year the article about the Keto diet – which was named the worst diet of 2019 – so I’m happy you didn’t go through with it. Dealing with fatty liver is more of a complete and permanent lifestyle change and not as much of a diet that fixes you before going back to old eating habits, so the Mediterranean diet is perfect for that. Paleo is just as good in my opinion, although a bit more restrictive. Either way, as long as you stick to eating clean and exercise and stay on track, you will feel much better!
I came across your blog primarily looking to support my husband with his NAFLD. Whilst we maintained a very clean diet when he was first diagnosed, 2years ago, some old habits have returned, mostly down to us both working full time with 2 very sporty teen daughters who often do not finish training until after 8pm most evenings…sometimes it’s easy to rustle up a wrap or something just to satisfy hunger, and I just know this isn’t good enough for any of us. I realise as a family we need to get back on track – my husband has gained some weight again due to adding bread and cheese and sometimes pasta back into the house! I found your meal suggestions very helpful and hopefully we can all enjoy these as a family – as you said, the changes need to be for life. We live in the Med, so in reality, this should be easy!! Do you have a ‘shopping list’ that you would recommend? Thanks again for writing to help others.
Lee, I am happy to hear that you’re getting back on track with the healthy eating. The biggest challenge is indeed sticking to this new way of living. I also slouched a bit after reversing my fatty liver back in 2015 and in the past year I gained 5 kilos 🙁 I am also back on track starting December, with good results. So probably these minor setbacks are just part of life – but we should take action ASAP.
Regarding the shopping list, I have an article that requires a bit of maintenance, but it might be better than nothing to start with: https://www.fattyliverdiary.com/monthly-shopping-list-for-fatty-liver-reversal-healthy-foods-to-order-online/
I am planning to create an easier to read list, but until then hopefully the one above will help a bit.
Hi Lyn thank you for your information it certainly feels like you need a phd in nutrition when your diagnosed with nafld.
I am pretty much on top of the game right now.
Looking forward if I reverse my condition is there room to change the diet somewhat going forward.
Eg. Introducing a moderate amount of bread, read meat and dare I say it cheese.
It’s just a life time of fish and severely restricted Diet doesn’t cheer me up.
Would like to hear your view.
Definitely, Bev! I hadn’t stopped eating bread, cheese or red meat even during the dieting times, even though I only ate very small quantities rarely. But once your liver improves, you can certainly bring back some of your favorites, but have them in moderation.
Hi Lynn, I’m so glad I’ve found your website. I’ve been diagnosed with a fatty liver and your site has really helped me getting prepared to claim my health back. Thanks for sharing your knowledge and experience with us.
I have a few special events coming up where I can be careful what I choose but not have complete control. Is this going to completely massacre my reversal or do I just do my best beforw and after the events and treat them as a small setback, hoping that like with any diet once you’re back on track, things start happening again. Thank you
Most likely, a couple of cheat days won’t completely undo all the good of dieting. Choose the foods that seem to be the safest for the liver and get back on track as soon as possible.
Your diary is very helpful for us since my 35 year old husband has also fatty liver. We have him start following healthy diet and he has lost 20 lbs so far. I have a question about the pain under his right rib. It was completely gone for last one month but now the pain has returned since last 3-4 days. No diet has been changed. Can you please advise on this since the doctor does not believe in the fatty liver related pain. We would really appreciate it. Thank you.
Unfortunately, the pain comes and goes. Even though your husband is definitely on the right track, it’s still too early to expect it to vanquish completely.
Most likely, it is not as bad as before and it will go away sooner rather than later. Also, that pain can be caused by other problems (like IBS or problems with the gallbladder – the latter especially should be considered by the doctor if there were no tests done on this.
But most likely it’s just the nature of the pain which comes and goes until the liver is fully healed.
Thank you so much for your reply. This helped us a lot to put our mind at ease. Everything else is fine since doctor have already checked. Once again thank you so much for your reply and your articles. It is helping us a lot.
I enjoyed reading this, and got lots of good information. Congratulations on your newfound health!
Happy to hear that, John! You can reverse it too!
No need to avoid fat, in fcat you should embrace it but avoid all grains, sugar & carbs like the plague – Live by the code of LCHFIF, with some longer term fasts and you will rid most ailments, not just NAFL…
Lynn,
I have been on my journey now for about six months to try and eliminate my fatty liver. I have been really tuned in on avoiding HFCS and Palm Oil and Tocopherols. My question is how much did you worry about those kinds of ingredients? I have plenty of areas where I need to make improvements in my diet (sugar) and exercise, but curious how much you studied ingredients in everything. Also what would you get at a restaurant for example?
Dave, I always read the ingredients and pay close attention to what is inside the products that I will consume. High Fructose Corn Syrup and any type of sugar is instantly a big no, so definitely stay away from those. Palm Oil (especially hydrogenated) is also good to stay away from. It’s the first time I hear that somebody mentioning staying away from Tocopherols, so I will have to do more research on that.
But yes, it is a good thing to study the ingredients and only get what is good for you. As you probably know from reading those lists of ingredients, there’s not a lot – at least not in terms of ready-made stuff.
As for restaurants, the best options will generally be salads. Greek, Bulgarian, Mediterranean – mixes of vegetables in the end. Skip the dessings (as they are high in sugar and fat) and go for plain oil/vinegar instead.
I appreciate all your research and I’m definitely going to take your advice on eliminating the fats, white starches and high fat dairy. But I was wondering if you have researched raw dairy? I make smoothies with fresh berries, banana, raw honey and raw kefir. And I have been told raw butter is safe but I’m not sure of this. I know people who eat lots of raw butter claiming our brains need the fat and that it may help in preventing dementia. What have you read regarding this?
You can get good fats from other sources, such as fatty fish. Yes, our bodies do need some fat and as long as you don’t go over the daily limits, it can come from raw dairy also. But I would stay away from butter and focus on the kefir instead as it has less fat per 100grams 🙂
This is such a relief to read. Thank you, thank you, thank you, for making this website. I’m only 30 and I’ve been incredibly depressed over the last 8 years, and of course my diet and eating habits went to absolute shit because of it.
After much therapy and introspection, I finally regained control on my life and started to be kinder to myself, so it was very scary when I was diagnosed after getting abdominal pain for several months. I don’t know how bad it is yet (still waiting on 2nd blood test) but reading this gives me hope that I’ll be ok.
For some reason I’ve found it very easy so far with my diet changes (thankfully I LOVE fish) and I’ve had no trouble cutting out my go-to cravings and comfort eating food (fingers crossed that lasts). I don’t miss the chocolate, mainly I just miss eating cured meats like salami and parma ham haha!
There is a lot of conflicting advice online for fatty liver and I’ve been really struggling to parse what is ok to eat. A lot of places claim that low fat yoghurts (and other low fat foods) for example are to be avoided because of the added sugar- and instead to opt for high fat yoghurt like greek yoghurt. What is your stance on this?
Happy to be helpful, Monique. You can do this!
Regarding the yogurt, I always go for the low fat one without added sugar. During my travels abroad, I saw that in some countries the low fat one surprisingly has added sugar. In that case, I would go for the lowest fat option that has none of that.
So in conclusion, I would always go for an extra bit of fat instead of added sugar. Try to stick to around 3% if possible, though, don’t go for the full fat ones as fat is also bad for us.
Thanks for the information on your blog. I’m wondering what your AST and ALT levels were when you were diagnosed? I’ve read multiple websites to try and educate myself on my new diagnosis, but no one ever speaks about their starting liver enzyme values and what they decreased to after healthy eating. Also, was your diagnosis solely based on liver enzymes or did you have an ultrasound or biopsies?
Thanks!!
I mentioned this in other articles on the blog: my blood tests all came back normal (including AST/ALT) and my fatty liver was diagnosed during an ultrasound, later on confirmed by Fibroscan.
I just recently received a ultrasound because I was having pain once in awhile on my left side of ab …like 2 inches left of belly button…they thought it was a hernia for awhile, before the scan…
My doc found from the scans that I had a slightly enlarged liver and slightly enlarged spleen…. Does this mean fatty liver?…I would suspect so ..
My doc said my blood levels are good also, but to keep an eye on it.
I just started going to this doctor… kinda natural doc with some modern mixed in .. before this I started eating healthier, but now I’m going rogue healthy after seeing your article, so I can reverse…
My guess is I may have had an enlarged liver for awhile as I was always into ice cream.. cakes…candy… I’m changing now, I have no choice…
Thanks Lynn for the article, any advice is appreciated… and is an enlarged liver a fatty liver? it seems this is the new norm in America and is getting more common I’m hearing
Sorry to hear about your health problems. But yes, an enlarged liver could be caused by a fatty liver. Only a doctor can say for sure.
But definitely cut back on the ice cream and cakes and switch to healthy eating. Combine that with at least a bit of exercising to get on the right track.