Liver Cirrhosis Diet Foods : A Dietary Approach to Cirrhosis Management

Considering the important role of the liver in our body now is the time to spread awareness about liver-related conditions.

What you need to know:

What is Liver Cirrhosis?
How to Follow a Liver Cirrhosis Diet?
Diet Chart For Liver Cirrhosis Patient
List of Foods to Avoid and Eat in Liver Cirrhosis Diet

What is Liver Cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is a late stage of fibrosis of the liver. Every time your liver gets injured due to some disease, it tries to repair itself. As cirrhosis progresses, scar tissues form, making it difficult for the liver to function properly. Although advanced liver cirrhosis is life-threatening, if detected at an early stage, it can be treated to prevent further damage.

How to Follow a Liver Cirrhosis Diet: All You Need to Know

The nutritional needs of people with liver cirrhosis vary depending on several factors. Although the following diet highlights the food intake, it is advisable to consult a doctor or dietician to get the best treatment plan as per your needs.

Diet Chart For Liver Cirrhosis Patient

Keeping in mind the average Indian diet, here’s a simple, systematic and easy-to-understand liver cirrhosis diet chart.

Days of the week	Time of the day	Food combination
Sunday	Breakfast	Vegetable omelette + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup dal + soyabean curry + chapati + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup cauliflower and potato vegetable + 2 chapatti + salad
Monday	Breakfast	1 cup vegetable poha + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup bottle gourd vegetable + 2 chapatti + 1 cup spinach raita + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup peas and carrot vegetable + 2 chapati + salad
Tuesday	Breakfast	1 cup scrambled egg + 2 multigrain toasted bread + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup dal + 1 cup mix veg + 1 cup parboiled rice + 1 chapatti + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup cabbage and peas vegetable + 2 chapatti + salad
Wednesday	Breakfast	2 moong dal cheela with stuffed paneer + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup mutter paneer vegetable + 2 chapatti + 1 cup ghia raita + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup mushroom curry + 2 chapatti + salad
Thursday	Breakfast	1 paneer sandwich with low-fat cheese + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup dal + 1 cup stuffed capsicum + 2 chapatti + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup lotus stem vegetable + 2 chapatti + salad
Friday	Breakfast	1 cup soy bean salad + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup soy chap + 2 chapatti + 1 cup tomato raita + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup brinjal vegetable + 2 chapatti + salad
Saturday	Breakfast	1 cup black chana with paneer salad + 1 cup skim milk
	Mid-morning	1 cup coconut water/ 1 bowl fruit salad
	Lunch	1 cup chicken/ fish curry + 1/2 cup rice + 1 chapatti + salad
	Evening	1 cup skim milk/ tea + 2 whole grain biscuits
	Dinner	1 cup dum aloo vegetable + 2 chapatti + salad

List of Foods to Avoid In A Liver Cirrhosis Diet

In order not to worsen the situation, keep the following main points in mind while following the liver cirrhosis diet

Foods to avoid

Refrain from consuming alcohol and smoking.
Cut down on sweet, salty, fried or fatty foods and maintain a healthy weight. Also, avoid saturated fat, high-calorie foods and refined carbohydrates (such as white bread, pasta, and white rice).
Avoid undercooked meat or seafood and red meat or any type of processed luncheon meat or sausage.

Patients with liver cirrhosis have a tendency to retain fluid in their body, due to which they have to reduce the intake of salt in their diet. Hence, it is advised to use alternatives like lemon juice and herbs instead of salt. Processed and fast foods should not be included in the liver cirrhosis diet as they are high in sodium. Low-fat foods should be preferred as high-fat foods worsen the condition by causing fatty liver disease.

Foods to eat

Take a look at the list of foods to include in the liver cirrhosis diet

Eat fresh fruits like apples, oranges, berries, peaches, and vegetables such as broccoli and spinach, which are rich in antioxidants. Blueberries contain nutrients like polyphenols that protect you against nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. You can add fruits to oats or cereal for natural sweetness, fiber, and nutrition.
Derive the majority of protein from a plant-based balanced diet, such as legumes, dried beans, small portions of unsalted nuts, and tofu.
Small servings of lean poultry without the skin, some types of fresh-caught fish (such as salmon), and eggs or egg whites are suitable protein-rich options.
You can include low-fat Greek yogurt, fortified dairy-free milk alternatives like almond or soy, and small portions of low-sodium hard cheese.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. If you are on a low-sodium diet, then check the label of bottled water, as some contain sodium. Consume milk and juice only if it is pasteurized.

Benefits

A liver cirrhosis diet helps provide essential nutrition, reduce liver complications, and protect the liver from further damage. Since the liver is the most important organ, cirrhosis hinders the functions it performs in the body, so it is important to nourish the body with the food you eat.

How It Works

The diet should be tailored based on the overall health and needs of the individual. The diet plan changes with respect to the amount and the content of the food. Due to changes in your metabolism and digestive system due to liver damage, it is important to stay adequately nourished. Liver cirrhosis can also lead to malnutrition. In this case, you will need to eat more frequently throughout the day to consume more calories.

Duration

Patients with early-stage liver cirrhosis usually do not show any symptoms as it takes years for the symptoms to appear. Its signs appear only when the condition of the liver becomes serious. The duration of a liver cirrhosis diet depends on the severity and should be followed under professional guidance.

Recommended Timing

Increase caloric intake and try to have frequent meals and snacks. A late-night snack should be helpful for people who wake up in the night. In case your sleep schedule is interrupted, plan your meals during waking periods. Try not to go more than a few hours without a meal or snack.

Cooking Tips

Boil vegetables without using oil or butter, use salt substitutes when cooking, grill small portions of meat or skinless poultry without oil, and practice food handling and safety precautions.

Modifications

If cirrhosis causes other health complications such as hypoglycaemia, ascites, and encephalopathy, it is recommended to consult a healthcare professional for further guidance.

Considerations

Stick to your liver cirrhosis diet and follow the principles prescribed by your doctor. Make necessary changes in your diet as per the doctor’s advice and check the amount of fat, sugar and salt when buying groceries. Check out menu options suitable for your diet when dining out.

Take necessary precautions to prevent liver cirrhosis with the help of this article.

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