DIET FOR CIRRHOSIS

Diet therapy, diet for cirrhosis

Diet in the treatment of cirrhosis has a

very prominent role in preventing the
damage that this disease causes to the liver
from increasing.
Photo of steamed
The recommended diet for cirrhosis is one artichokes, boiled
that helps prevent nutritional rice and salad. Gentle
deficiencies and that favors the functions cooking with little
of the liver, preventing the generation of oil is recommended.
waste that the organ must filter. Steamed, boiled or
creamed artichokes are
It is important that cirrhosis patients a recommended food for
consult with a nutritionist or dietitian, cirrhosis.
supervised by their doctor, about the most
appropriate type of diet to follow.

What should an appropriate diet for

cirrhosis be like?

The diet for cirrhosis consists of a balanced

and varied diet that meets the following
guidelines:

- Completely eliminate alcohol

consumption , including alcoholic
beverages, foods with alcohol and
medications such as tinctures . Photo of salted fish
and olives. Foods rich
in sodium such as
- Low-salt diet : It is not necessary to
preserves, sausages,
follow a strict diet without salt, but foods
etc. should be
with a lot of salt must be eliminated from eliminated from the
the diet (sausages, salted meats, pickles, diet.
cookies, chips, snacks, pre-cooked foods,
salted nuts, tetrabrick broths, canned fish,
soy sauce, etc.) and cook with little salt.
Depending on the state of cirrhosis, or if obesity , fluid retention , or high
blood pressure is present, the doctor may prescribe a strict salt-free diet .

- Food hygiene : Strict food hygiene must be maintained regarding its

origin and handling. In this way, possible food poisoning will be avoided. It
is recommended to keep food in the refrigerator, clean vegetables very
well, etc. (See: Food hygiene measures )

- Relaxation therapies are recommended for people with cirrhosis

SUITABLE FOODS IN THE CIRRHOSIS DIET

Proper diet for cirrhosis

In general, people with cirrhosis should eat a balanced diet, with the
following guidelines:

- Cooking without fat or with little oil :

It is highly recommended to cook steamed ,
boiled, en papillote,... The texture of the
food should be soft and juicy. It is
recommended to cook without oil or with a
small amount, and add only a splash when
serving the dish.

Some recommended dishes: Green beans Photo of rice with

with carrots and boiled potatoes - Couscous vegetables, which
salad - Potato salad - Carrot and potato provides energy in the
cream - Vegetable rice without stir fry - form of carbohydrates.
Mashed potatoes - Artichoke omelette -
Vegetarian lentils - Monkfish with vegetables - Fish steamed.

- Eat 5 - 6 meals a day, and do not eat large meals : It is

recommended to distribute food throughout the day in different meals.

- Foods rich in carbohydrates : Foods rich in carbohydrates are those

that provide the necessary energy so that the body can work correctly and
energy deficits do not occur. These foods are easy to digest and should
be taken with every meal . You can have potatoes , sweet potatoes ,
rice , corn , bread , tapioca , etc.

You can also eat legumes , such as chickpeas , lentils , peas , tofu , etc.

- Foods rich in antioxidants : It is

recommended to eat about three fruits a
day, which will also provide the antioxidants
necessary to avoid cellular damage:
Apples , pears , loquats (A study shows
that loquats improve liver health),
pineapple , mango , kiwi , papaya ,
persimmons or rosewood , cherimoya ,
peaches , quince jelly , etc. Photo of mango, a fruit
rich in vitamin C and
You can drink natural juices, such as apple beta-carotene.
or pear juice. However, it is preferable to
consume the whole fruit, because the fiber it contains helps improve sugar
absorption. Orange juice is not recommended because it stimulates bile
secretions.

- Dress with virgin olive oil (rich in vitamin E )

- Vegetables and vegetables : They

provide antioxidants, vitamins and
minerals. Among the most recommended
are:

- Carrots : They are the food richest in

beta-carotene (antioxidant) and also Photo of blended
contain a certain amount of carbohydrates, carrot, very rich in
which helps avoid nutritional deficits. Due to beta-carotene.
its vitamin content, it is recommended to
eat two carrots a day, raw or cooked in
purees, creams, steamed, etc.

- Carrot smoothie : It can be combined

with apple or other fruits. It is one of the

Photo of artichoke
omelet, rich in
protein.
juices richest in antioxidants due to its contribution of vitamin C and beta-
carotene.

- Artichoke : Artichokes are recommended to help purify the liver. They

contain cynarin, an active ingredient that improves liver function. They can
be steamed, boiled, or introduced into purees or creams.

- Beet : It is rich in carbohydrates and also contains betanin, an

antioxidant.

- Also recommended: Arugula , lettuce , zucchini , pumpkin , chayote ,

radishes , broccoli , cauliflower , turnip , tomatoes , etc. It is
recommended to take a small amount of spinach , because it stimulates
bile secretions.

- Dried fruit : They are energetic foods, rich in fiber and with a lot of
calcium. They can be added to muesli in the morning, or to all kinds of
recipes with rice or pasta. Raisins are recommended for their resveratrol
(antioxidant) content.

- Nuts and seeds : They can be taken but in moderation, due to the high
fat content they provide. 2-3 walnuts daily are recommended for their
omega 3 content. Sesame seeds are rich in calcium. Fried or salted nuts,
such as snacks, are not suitable.

Sheet with some of the indications for the diet for cirrhosis.
Protein intake for cirrhosis

Proteins are very important nutrients

because without them the basic functions of
the body cannot be performed. A protein
deficiency can aggravate cirrhosis. Given
the importance of proteins in the diet, it is
recommended:

- Eat a food with protein at each meal :

Egg - Low-fat cheese - Skimmed yogurt - Photo of yogurt with
Skimmed milk - Soy yogurt - Enriched soy strawberries. It is
drink - (In case of ascites or fluid retention, recommended to
consume cheese without salt.). accompany the fruit
with yogurt. Yogurt
Non-vegetarians can eat white meat contains a certain
amount of protein and
(chicken, turkey, rabbit) and fish (hake,
probiotics. Probiotics
monkfish,...). It is recommended to
are necessary because
consume them boiled to reduce their purine cirrhosis medication
content (discard the broth). can deteriorate the
intestinal flora.
- Drink 3 glasses of skimmed milk or
soy drink a day (enriched with calcium , vitamin D and vitamin B12 ): It
is recommended to distribute it throughout the day, in the morning,
afternoon and evening, to increase the intake of protein and calcium (3
glasses of milk or soy drink provide 20 g. of protein and 720 mg. of
calcium approx.).

- 1-2 yogurts a day : You can have cow's or soy yogurts, with dairy
bacteria. People with cirrhosis may have weakened intestinal flora due to
taking some medications, so yogurts also help improve the intestinal
microbiota by containing healthy bacteria ( probiotics ). Two yogurts a
day provide 10g. of proteins.

Cheese , yogurt or sheep's milk, or other non- skimmed dairy products,

are not recommended. In the case of vegetable drinks , rice , almond , or
oatmeal drinks are not recommended, because they do not contain as
much protein as soy drinks.

With the above guidelines, supervised by a doctor , protein needs can

be adequately covered.
Vegetarian diet for cirrhosis

In some cases of cirrhosis, the doctor may recommend a meat-free diet

(no meat, fish, or shellfish). This is advisable when cirrhosis presents with
encephalopathy and intolerance to conventional proteins .

Poor liver function can cause proteins to be poorly metabolized and the
waste they generate (ammonia, purines , amino acids ) to accumulate in
the body. These residues damage the nervous system and cause hepatic
encephalopathy (mental confusion, malaise, etc.)

When hepatic encephalopathy exists, proteins should be obtained from

dairy products (skimmed) and eggs (preferably without the yolk), that is,
a low-fat ovo-lacto-vegetarian diet.

FOODS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CIRRHOSIS

- Cooking with a lot of oil : Avoid sautéing, frying, restaurants, and

foods cooked with a lot of oil.

- Eliminate animal fat : Sausages, pâtés, sausages, hamburgers, minced

meat and foods rich in animal fat are totally contraindicated. Eliminate
from the diet cakes, sauces, cookies, muffins, cream, pastries and, in
short, those foods that are fatty or cooked with butter or milk cream.

- Foods with a lot of fat : In addition to the above, chocolate (cocoa

butter) and products that contain it are also not convenient.

- Highly oxidizing foods : It is not recommended to regularly cook

grilled, barbecued or roasted foods because they are highly oxidizing
(presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons PAH ). In addition,
pesticide-free foods are recommended (Wash with plenty of water, do not
consume the skin of the fruits, consume organically farmed foods).

- Foods very rich in salt : Sausages, preserves, precooked foods,

tetrabrick broths, flavor tablets, soy sauce, etc.

There are a series of infusions with medicinal plants and

supplements that can complement the diet for cirrhosis.