Replacing proteins from animal foods, such as eggs, poultry, fish, and red meat with protein-rich plants in our diet may tilt the odds of evading non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in our favor.
This study looked at the impact of high protein diet on the incidence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). With the aid of validated food frequency questionnaires, researchers collated and examined data on the dietary habits of more than 15,000 Chinese men and women. The prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease among the participants was assessed using abdominal ultrasound.
Researchers noted that higher intake of proteins from animal foods, such as eggs, fish, poultry, red, and unprocessed meats, correlated with greater risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. On the other hand, swapping eggs, poultry, fish, and processed and unprocessed red meats with equivalent portions of whole grains was observed to decrease the likelihood of developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in this study. "Our findings suggest that replacing animal protein foods with plant protein foods is related to a significant reduction in NAFLD risk," the authors concluded.