Foods for hepatitis C sufferers: what you can and cannot eat

Hepatitis C is a chronic inflammation of the liver that can affect how the body processes nutrients. That is why choosing and designing a food menu for hepatitis sufferers should not be arbitrary. Proper dietary intake will help your liver work better, thereby lowering the risk of hepatitis C developing into other, more serious liver damage.

Hepatitis C affects your diet

Either from the symptoms of the disease itself or from the effects of the drugs used, hepatitis C can directly affect the person's diet.

Hepatitis C drugs can cause nausea and thus reduce appetite, for example. The pain in the mouth and throat due to infection can also make you lazy to eat. This infection then also interferes with the work of the liver to process nutrients.

Even though this disease prevents your body from getting enough nutrition, you still need to eat a healthy diet to restore your immune system and fight infection. A proper diet is also needed to prevent cirrhosis in people with hepatitis C.

Cirrhosis of the liver that develops from hepatitis can cause a loss of appetite, leaving the body weak and lacking energy - or conversely, the body feels weak due to cirrhosis, which makes you lazy to eat.

Hepatitis can cause you to lose weight without realizing it, which puts you at risk of worsening your condition.

Foods that people with hepatitis C should avoid

Certain foods impair liver function which can worsen your condition. Therefore, you should avoid:

1. Foods high in fat

Although the body needs fat for energy, eating too much fatty food can cause excess fat to accumulate in the liver (fatty liver). Fatty liver can develop into cirrhosis.

Not all types of fat you should avoid. Stay away from saturated and trans fats, which are found in many packaged foods and fast food. Other examples of foods high in saturated fat are butter, milk and all animal products.

Instead, choose unsaturated sources of fat from nuts and seeds, avocados, and olive oil and fish oil.

2. Foods high in salt

A liver that is no longer functioning properly due to hepatitis cannot completely flush salt out of the body. As a result, salt builds up in the body and ultimately increases blood pressure. High blood pressure puts you at a higher risk of fatty liver.

The maximum limit of salt consumption in one day for healthy adults is 5 gramssalt or the equivalent of 1 teaspoon. If you have hepatitis, you may need to reduce it even more. Talk to your doctor further to find out what is the safe limit for salt intake for your condition.

Not only the addition of salt from cooking, you know! You should also reduce your salt intake from processed foods, such as canned foods, including canned soup, canned meat (sardines or corned beef), sausages and nuggets, to canned vegetables, which are usually very high in salt.

Also consult your doctor about medicines that can help control your blood pressure.

3. Foods high in sugar

Foods for hepatitis sufferers should not be high in sugar. Sweet foods can cause the blood sugar of hepatitis sufferers to jump dramatically.

Reducing sugar consumption aims to prevent diabetes from appearing as a complication of hepatitis, when the liver is no longer functioning properly to regulate blood sugar levels and insulin production. Replace your sweet snacks with fresh, sweet-tasting fruits and vegetables.

In the future, you can reduce sugar intake slowly. For example, reduce your sugar size to half what you are used to, and keep it aside over time as you get used to it.

4. Undercooked food

Undercooked food is still at risk of bacterial contamination. Bacteria from raw foods such as sushi, undercooked eggs, or unpasteurized milk and cheese can cause hepatitis C infection to get worse.

5. Foods high in iron

Liver damage caused by chronic hepatitis infection can prevent the body from getting rid of excess iron. Iron that accumulates excessively in the body can eventually damage the blood and other internal organs.

Therefore, most foods for hepatitis C sufferers are not recommended that are high in iron. Limit or, if possible, avoid eating red meat, animal liver, and other foods that have been fortified with iron.

You also need to limit your drinking and drinking if you have hepatitis C.

Recommended foods for hepatitis C sufferers

There is no specific dietary guide for dealing with the symptoms of hepatitis C, but you can adjust your daily diet to make it healthier and more balanced. What are the dietary recommendations for hepatitis C?

1. Vegetables and fruit

Fruits and vegetables must be in the diet for people with hepatitis C every day. Why? Fresh fruits and vegetables high in fiber and minerals increase the body's metabolism to support the liver to function properly, while reducing fat buildup in the liver.

People who are sick with hepatitis C are advised to eat at least 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruit a day. For example, a serving of vegetables and fruit at breakfast, a plate of salad salad after lunch, snacking in the afternoon, at dinner, and a snack before bed.

The more varied the choices of vegetables and fruit with different colors, the better. However, you need to limit the portion of green leafy vegetables because they are high in iron, which can be dangerous for people with hepatitis C.

2. Low fat protein

High protein foods are important to include in your diet for people who have hepatitis C. Foods high in protein help repair and replace liver cells damaged by inflammation caused by the hepatitis C virus.

However, do not carelessly choose a protein source. Protein foods that are high in fat (such as red meat and whole milk and their derivative products) can cause ammonia to clot in the body.

Prioritize protein intake from lean chicken, eggs and fish, as well as vegetable protein. Avoid protein intake with added sugar and choose low-fat milk if you want to consume dairy products.

3. Whole grain

Whole grains and grains such as brown rice or brown rice are rich in complex carbohydrates to keep your digestive tract healthy.

In addition, complex carbohydrates are also digested slower by the body, making you full longer and have longer energy reserves for activities. This food source is also rich in B vitamins, magnesium and zinc.

If you have a gluten allergy, you can substitute quinoa for wheat and whole grains.