A top gastroenterologist has revealed the three foods he avoids to protect his liver health—and informs that his list often shocks people.

According to Harvard- and Stanford-educated Dr. Saurabh Sethi, your liver, one of the most underestimated organs, plays a really important role in various bodily functions, which are the most important for your overall health and well-being.

Your liver performs a vast array of functions essential for bodily health, which include filtering blood, producing bile, metabolising nutrients, storing vitamins, and detoxifying harmful substances. It also plays an important role in regulating blood volume, producing blood-clotting factors, and fighting infections. And so, it is imperative to make sure your liver does not get damaged since the impairment is mostly irreversible. Forty-two-year-old Dr. Sethi shared his top three foods that he avoids to safeguard his liver—and says that everyone should be doing the same.

In a clip, which has racked up 53,000 views on social media, he begins by listing fructose-heavy snacks. “Fructose is commonly found in sugary drinks and processed snacks,” the doctor, based in California, says. “And it is handled almost entirely by the liver.“This can lead to fat buildup over time, increasing the risk of fatty liver disease,” he added.

According to studies, high fructose intake triggers non-reversible fatty liver disease by completely damaging the intestinal barrier.

Industrial seed oils like soybean, corn, and sunflower oils are loaded with omega-6 fats, which can lead to inflammation and oxidative stress, both harmful to your liver and other metabolic processes. “When consumed in excess, they can fuel inflammation and oxidative stress. Both are harmful to the liver,” he said.

Seed oils are known to increase blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar levels, and even the risk of cancer. According to studies, seed oils, when heated, may negatively impact liver health by disrupting lipid metabolism and increasing fat accumulation.

Fruit juices are indeed delicious and flavourful, but according to Dr. Sethi, they should be avoided as much as you can. According to Dr. Sethi, even natural and 100 per cent juices have a high fructose level and are devoid of fibre.

“This combination causes quick blood sugar spikes, which can drive fat storage in the liver,” he said.

Excessive consumption of fruit juices—especially the packaged ones, which are full of preservatives—leads to potential liver damage, especially non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Experts say these juices are packed with high fructose in fruit juice, which can overwhelm the gut and lead to excess fructose being processed by the liver, leading to a life-threatening fatty liver.

A few ways you can avoid liver disease are through healthy behaviours you might do. Here are a few tips that help you stay right with your liver.

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