A List of Foods to Manage Hepatitis C

A List of Foods to Manage Hepatitis C

Hepatitis C, a virus, attacks the liver and leads to inflammation as well as fibrosis. Also known as, hep c or HCV, this condition can spread through various body fluids, like saliva and blood.

Since this condition affects the liver and causes damage, you need to follow a strict diet that consists of foods to manage hepatitis C. You do not need to follow a specific diet, but including these foods in your diet is essential to manage the symptoms and reduce the risks of liver damage.

Fresh fruits and vegetables
A balanced diet includes an equal portion of fresh fruits and vegetables. These help in better functioning of the liver by reducing the absorption of fatty acids. In addition, leafy greens like spinach, kale, and cabbage are good for your health; however, overconsumption can have side effects.

You should not have too many leafy greens, as they are rich in iron that can also affect your liver and cause hepatitis C to worsen. So, choose to have five portions of all these foods to manage hepatitis C in a day.

Fresh stock of vegetables or fruits is important as they help the liver function efficiently. However, in that case, you need to avoid canned or frozen foods.

Whole grains
Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that consist of zinc, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Complex carbohydrates are rich in nutrients that are good for health and are great for nutrient balance.

They take time to digest and, as a result, keep you full for a longer time. Whole grains are good foods to manage hepatitis C and include options like brown rice, whole wheat, oats, and rye along with oatmeal and wild rice.

Proteins
A substantial amount of protein is required to keep your body healthy and develop an ideal immune system. Moreover, protein is a complete source of energy and keeps the stomach full. This stops people from snacking on junk foods or any unhealthy food.

You can choose to substitute portions of simple carbohydrates that you have with a portion of healthy protein. These may be eggs, fish, beans, tofu, turkey, nuts, cheese, and seeds.

These are some of the healthy foods to manage hepatitis C and reduce the chances of affecting the liver or causing diabetes. Dairy proteins are also rich in calcium and vitamin D. However, you can always have fat-free versions or low-fat dairy products so that these foods do not aggravate hepatitis C. Besides that, make sure to avoid dairy products that are high in sugar.

In most of the cases, people do not suffer from serious liver conditions, so there is no specific diet to follow. Nevertheless, one should try and stay away from junk or fast food and include these foods in their diet. These foods will help reduce any unwanted complications in the latter stages.