Whether it's sugar, alcohol, or excess fruit, we put our liver through its paces. “Unfortunately, we never think about the strain the liver is under, because our minds love hearty food, sweets and alcohol. The mind makes them, the liver pulls them!”, says Dr. Mihaela Bilic.
Sugar affects the liver PHOTO: ARCHIVE, THE TRUTH
“The mind makes them, the liver pulls them! There is no Romanian holiday or celebration without a lot of food. And when there is plenty of food, who do you think is in charge of digesting and metabolizing nutrients? Stomach and digestive tract, you say. True, but they do more of the mechanical, chopping and mixing part. The liver really does the hard work!”claims Dr. Mihaela Bilic, nutritionist, in a post on his Facebook page.
According to the specialist, when we eat bread and flour, the liver takes care of the transport of starch/glucose through the blood and also makes reserve fat from it, if we ate too much.
“Also, when we eat meat or cheese, the amino acids from the proteins also go to the liver, it decides how many are used for the synthesis of new proteins and how many will be eliminated through the kidneys. For fats it's even more complicated! The liver produces almost 1 liter of bile every day, a greenish substance essential for the digestion of fats in food, i.e. oil, butter, sausages and cheeses“, explains Dr. Bilic.
The liver is also the organ that “it synthesizes triglycerides, phospholipids, and cholesterol, some fats we can't function without.”
“And if that wasn't enough work, learn that sugar, fruit and alcohol are the most taxing on the liver. Fructose, i.e. the natural sugar in fruit, can only be metabolized in the liver. When we eat excess fruit, honey or sugar and when we drink fruit juice we put the maximum demand on the liver”, the nutritionist claims.
Alcohol-toxic effect for cells
At the same time, alcohol is an element that relaxes us and makes us feel good, but it has a toxic effect on all cells in the body.
“When alcohol appears in the circulation, the liver is responsible for neutralizing and rapidly removing it from the system. Whether it's sugar or alcohol, it's just as difficult for the liver. Unfortunately, we never think about the strain the liver is under, because our mind loves hearty food, sweets and alcohol. The mind makes them, the liver pulls them!”, said doctor Mihaela Bilic.
Consequently, the doctor recommends that we pay great attention to the liver, because it is a silent organ, it does not hurt and does not show signs of illness.
“How do we know the liver is tired and overworked? On ultrasound, when we see it infiltrated with fat, it is called a steatotic liver. How do we not end up here? Dietary moderation, rest and a splash of essential phospholipids as supplements. This is our great luck: the liver heals and restores itself, if we take care of it!“, Dr. Bilic concluded.