Green Mediterranean diet could benefit people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

A green Mediterranean diet resulted in the greatest reduction of liver fat than other healthy diets as well as prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Read to know more about this new diet.

By: Longjam Dineshwori | | Updated: January 19, 2021 7:45 pm

Green Mediterranean diet vs traditional Mediterranean diet. © Shutterstock

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a condition in which excess fat is stored in the liver of people who drink little or no alcohol. This means the buildup of fat is not caused by alcohol use. A severe form of NAFLD, called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), causes the liver to swell and become damaged. This may progress to advanced scarring (cirrhosis) and liver failure. According to the American Liver Foundation, there are no medical treatments yet for non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. The NAFLD patients are often recommended to eating a healthy diet, exercise regularly, lose weight and avoid alcohol to prevent liver damage. If you’re a NAFLD patient and looking for a healthy eating plan, opt for a green Mediterranean (MED) diet. Also Read - Mediterranean diet rich in green leafy vegetables can keep you mentally sharp in later life

The results of a long-term clinical intervention trial concluded that a green Mediterranean (MED) diet can reduce intrahepatic fat more than other healthy diets and cut non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in half. The study, published in international journal Gut, was conducted by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev researchers along with a team of international colleagues. Also Read - 6 worst foods for your liver you need to avoid

What is green Mediterranean diet?

This is a modified Mediterranean diet which is rich in vegetables and less processed and red meat. It includes daily intake of walnuts (28 grams). In addition, the refined Mediterranean diet is enriched with green components, high in polyphenols, including three to four cups of green tea/day and 100 grams (frozen cubes/day) of a Mankai green shake. Mankai, also known as duckweed, is an aquatic green plant that is high in bioavailable protein, iron, B12, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. Also Read - Vegan Diet is Better than Mediterranean Diet in weight loss and Diabetes

Lead researcher Prof. Iris Shai, an epidemiologist in the BGU School of Public Health, noted that this new Mediterranean diet can make dramatic changes to hepatic fat and other key health factors.

Green Mediterranean diet helps reduce fatty liver

Shai and his team started the 18-month trial in 2017 at the Nuclear Research Center Negev in Dimona, Israel. They recruited 294 people in their fifties with abdominal obesity, who were then randomly divided into three groups: healthy dietary regimen, Mediterranean diet and green Mediterranean diet. Along with the diet, all the participants were included in a physical exercise regimen with a free gym membership. MRI scans were conducted to measure the intrahepatic fat before and after the trial.

While they found that every diet led to liver fat reduction, the green Mediterranean diet resulted in the greatest reduction of hepatic fat. Those on the green Mediterranean diet lost 39% hepatic fat, as compared to the traditional Mediterranean diet (20%) and the healthy dietary guidelines (12%).

Overall, the green Mediterranean diet led to dramatic reductions in fatty liver. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among the participants dropped from 62% at baseline to 31.5% in the green Mediterranean group, compared to 47.9% in the Mediterranean group and 54.8% in the healthy dietary regimen group.

The researchers believe that the effect of polyphenols, found in walnuts and Mankai, and the reduction in red meat play a role in liver fat reduction.

Published : January 19, 2021 7:36 pm | Updated:January 19, 2021 7:45 pm

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