Everyday meals that feature widely in British diets may be fuelling serious damage to the liver, a nutritionist has warned.
The problem stems from poor dietary habits taking hold throughout the country, creating the perfect conditions for liver fat to accumulate.
Dr Meena Malhotra, who founded and runs Heal n Cure, issued stark warnings about how refined carbohydrate dishes and sweet drinks silently fuel the silent condition.
She particularly cautioned against the combination of high-carb meals paired with sweetened beverages, which make up some of the most harmful choices for metabolic health.
High-carb meals represent a harmful choice for metabolic health
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"Any drink with fructose acts as alcohol without a buzz," the expert noted. "In a hypercaloric state, fructose found in sodas and fruit juice produces insulin resistance and fatty liver.
"Artificial sweeteners like acesulfame, aspartame, erythritol, etc, cause fatty liver progression by the same mechanism of causing insulin resistance."
It should be noted that this includes 100 per cent fruit juices, which Dr Malhotra noted are not as healthy as most people think.
The worst foods on Dr Malhotra's list are worryingly familiar, comprising flour-based products with a high glycaemic load.
Naturally, this includes pasta dishes, pizza, sandwiches made with processed ingredients, and chips, especially when paired with fizzy drinks.
Regular sugar is not the only problem, however. Dr Malhotra noted that artificial sweeteners like acesulfame, aspartame and erythritol contribute to fatty liver disease through the same mechanism, by triggering insulin resistance.
She noted that the flour-based foods have a high glycemic load, making them particularly problematic for liver health.
"Foods with high glycaemic load, meaning refined carbs like dishes made with flour (bread, pasta, noodles, pastries etc) or fruit juices/sweetened beverages are one of the biggest causes to produce fatty liver," the expert explained.
In addition, Dr Malhotra pointed to trans fat and damaged fats found in fried foods as major culprits making fatty liver disease worse.
Registered dietitian Helen Tieu, who founded Diet Redefined, warned that even fruit juices contribute to liver fat build-up when consumed in excess, even though they're primarily made up of natural sugars.
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100% fruit juices can contribute to a build-up of fat in the liver
| GETTY"Reducing added sugars, refined carbs, and highly processed foods, while prioritising whole foods, lean protein, and hydration, is key to supporting liver health and slowing fatty liver progression," Ms Tieu explained.
The main takeaway is that protecting the liver requires limiting processed foods and sugary drinks while staying properly hydrated.
"Reducing added sugars, refined carbs, and highly processed foods, while prioritising whole foods, lean protein and hydration, is key to supporting liver health and slowing fatty liver progression," Ms Tieu noted.
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