What should hepatitis C eat?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Vo Thi Thuy Trang - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Many people when diagnosed with hepatitis C are very worried and follow a strict strict diet. However, this is not a cure for the disease. Because hepatitis C patients only need to have a healthy diet, do not drink alcohol or let being overweight for a long time, they can effectively support the treatment of the disease.
Hepatitis C patients will have a lot of trouble eating. During the treatment, the patient will experience loss of appetite, loss of taste, pain in the mouth and throat, nausea and vomiting. This condition is caused by a side effect of interferon treatment.
As the disease progresses to cirrhosis, the person will lose their appetite and feel tired. Accordingly, you need to limit salt in your diet. Especially for patients with high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol with hepatitis C, it is necessary to actively follow a healthy diet.

A healthy diet for people with hepatitis C is recommended as follows:
Eat regularly and have appropriate meals Maintain a consistent calorie intake Use whole grains, bread instead of rice Eat lots of fruit plants and vegetables Provide adequate protein, limit fatty, salty and sugary foods Drink enough water Maintain a suitable weight.

To ensure health, people with hepatitis C need to abstain from some of the following foods:
2.1. Alcohol, stimulants and alcoholic beverages These are the drinks that hepatitis C patients should abstain completely, because this is the cause of liver diseases in general and hepatitis in particular. These substances have the ability to damage the liver, worsen the symptoms of hepatitis C, promote the progression of cirrhosis and liver cancer form earlier.
To be effective in treating the disease as well as preventing the progression to cirrhosis, patients should absolutely avoid alcohol, stimulants and alcoholic beverages.

2.2. Foods high in cholesterol We can find cholesterol in many animal organs such as: heart, liver, pig intestine,... Therefore, people with hepatitis C should avoid eating these foods, because these are the bad cholesterol, capable of activating the hepatitis C virus to attack the liver more strongly and the activity of bile secretion is reduced because it cannot digest all the fats.
2.3. Avoid red and high salt foods Red foods and high salt foods will make the symptoms of hepatitis C worse. Because these are foods with high salt content, the liver will be more damaged due to the water retention of the blood vessels.
2.4. Sugar Sugar, especially fructose is one of the causes of health problems, making it difficult for the liver to process and metabolize. Therefore, sugar is also a food that people with hepatitis C should avoid.
2.5. These foods should also be avoided for hepatitis C patients, because it irritates the gastric mucosa, is toxic to the liver, and inhibits the excretion of toxins. Processed foods with a lot of spices and fats such as chili, pepper, ginger, garlic, hot, spicy, sour, salty foods.... In particular, eating garlic regularly can also cause liver damage because the stimulating and spicy properties of this food.
Patients also need to pay attention to avoid using rancid, moldy foods that have converted nutrients. When using these foods will cause liver damage, making the liver work harder.

2.6. Uncooked shellfish foods Uncooked shellfish foods such as clams, oysters, snails, etc. can be harmful to people with liver disease. Patients will be very susceptible to infection with Vibrio vulnificus bacteria, which can cause serious liver damage and can cause acute liver failure leading to rapid death.

In addition to abstaining from foods that are not beneficial for hepatitis C, patients should also add foods that are beneficial for the liver. This is both effective in treatment and provides adequate nutrients, helping the body stay healthy against disease. The foods that hepatitis C patients should eat are:
Protein-rich foods help liver cells grow and recover. We can easily find protein in foods such as chicken, fish, tofu, milk, nuts ... Milk as well as dairy products will also help strengthen antibodies for the liver. Particularly for patients with severe hepatitis C, it is necessary to limit eating egg yolks because this food contains a lot of protein, but makes the liver work harder. Foods rich in vitamins and minerals such as vegetables and fruits not only help strengthen the immune system of the patient's body but are also easy to digest. Unsaturated fats like: olive oil, soybean oil, coconut oil...

If you follow a reasonable diet, people with hepatitis C can improve symptoms as well as limit more liver damage. Therefore, it is necessary to abstain from certain foods and foods that are not good for the liver.
Currently, Vinmec International General Hospital has Hepatobiliary Screening packages, which help detect Hepatitis C at an early stage even when there are no symptoms. In addition, the comprehensive hepatobiliary screening package helps customers:
Evaluate the liver's ability to work through liver enzyme tests; Evaluation of bile function; vascular nutrition; Early screening for liver cancer; Perform tests such as Total blood cell analysis, blood clotting ability, screening for hepatitis B, C Assessment of liver and biliary status through ultrasound images and diseases that are at risk of affecting liver disease / liver disease. more severe liver disease In-depth analysis of parameters to evaluate hepatobiliary function through laboratory and subclinical; the risk of affecting the liver and early screening for hepatobiliary cancer. Hepatitis C is examined periodically every 3-6 months or as soon as there are abnormalities such as liver pain, weight loss, fatigue, jaundice, fever. Vinmec has a system of high-class ultrasound, CT, and MRI machines with a team of highly qualified doctors, thorough consultation and service.