Corn syrup and seed oils set off a number of inflammatory pathways initiated by changes in the gut microbiome
What is the most harmful food for your liver? Usually, saturated fats are blamed for your ailing liver health. However, according to experts, high fructose corn syrup and many seed oils are top foods that threaten your liver health, potentially leading to fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, or even failure.
High fructose corn syrup is a common syrup found in many processed foods and drinks. “Research has shown that high fructose consumption is strongly linked to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,” Dr. Surabh Sethi, a Harvard and Stanford-trained hepatologist, told his followers on Instagram.
“Fructose is converted to fat more readily than glucose, contributing to liver fat buildup and inflammation,” he said.
How does corn syrup endanger your liver?
According to Dr. Sethi, corn syrup sets off a number of inflammatory pathways initiated by changes in the gut microbiome composition and the weakening of the integrity of the gut’s intestinal barrier. It then permits microbes and toxins like endotoxins to gain access to portal vein circulation and lead to increased fat deposition and liver inflammation.
Apart from harming your liver, corn syrup also plays a key role in the development of obesity and weight gain, which is a cause of many lifestyle diseases, including heart issues, type 2 diabetes, and even kidney failure.
Seed oils can put your liver in jeopardy
Dr. Sethi said apart from corn syrup, seed oils like soy, corn, canola, and cottonseed oils are also a hazard for your liver health as these are high in omega-6 fatty acids. “While omega-6 fatty acids are essential, an imbalance with omega-3 fatty acids can lead to inflammation,” Dr. Sethi added.
Seed oils are extracted from plants using either a chemical solvent or an oil mill. Then they are often purified, refined, and sometimes chemically altered. And so, experts say too much omega-6 relative to omega-3 in these oils contributes to chronic inflammation.
Inflammation is an underlying factor in many of the diseases that have grappled people across the world, including heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes, and arthritis.
Ways to keep your liver healthy
Experts say since your liver is responsible for body processes from producing proteins, cholesterol, and bile to storing vitamins, minerals, and even carbohydrates, it is important to take care of it.
Your diet plays a key role in maintaining liver health, and so many foods contain compounds that have been shown to help improve liver enzymes, protect against fat buildup, and decrease inflammation and oxidative stress. A few of these include:
Coffee
Coffee is among the most preferred beverages across the world that helps promote your liver health. Drinking coffee protects the liver from disease, even among those who already have health concerns related to this organ.
Grapefruit
Grapefruit is loaded with antioxidants, which naturally protect the liver. The two main antioxidants found in grapefruit are naringenin and naringin, which help reduce inflammation.
Berries
Berries like blueberries and cranberries contain anthocyanins—antioxidants that give these juicy fruits their distinctive colours. Eating berries regularly helps improve hepatic steatosis, or fatty liver, in people with fatty liver disease.
Beetroot
Beets are a great source of nitrates and antioxidants known as betalains. Drinking beetroot juice daily helps reduce oxidative damage and inflammation of the liver.
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