The American Liver Foundation notes that eating a healthy diet along with regular exercise helps the liver to work well. Eating an unhealthy diet may lead to liver disease. Consider that a person who eats a lot of fatty foods is at higher risk of being overweight and suffering from non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. You should eat foods from all the food groups, including grains, protein, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and fats. Science Daily reported on Aug. 16, 2013, Coffee and Tea May Contribute to a Healthy Liver.
Increased caffeine intake may reduce fatty liver in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), according to an international team of researchers led by Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School (Duke-NUS) and the Duke University School of Medicine. Internationally, 70 percent of people who are diagnosed with diabetes and obesity have NAFLD, which is the major cause of fatty liver not due to excessive alcohol consumption.
It has been estimated that 30 percent of adults in the United States have this condition, No effective treatments are available for NAFLD except diet and exercise. This research has been accepted for publication by the journal Hepatology. The study authors used cell culture and mouse models for this research. The researchers observed that caffeine stimulates the metabolization of lipids which are stored in liver cells and decreased the fatty liver of mice that were fed a high-fat diet.
These findings have suggested that consuming the equivalent caffeine intake of four cups of coffee or tea a day may be beneficial in helping to prevent and protect against the progression of NAFLD in people. Dr. Paul Yen, one of the researchers, said, “Coffee and tea are so commonly consumed and the notion that they may be therapeutic, especially since they have a reputation for being “bad” for health, is especially enlightening.”
Healthy green tea and limeade is all the rage
Green tea is the new drink that everyone is talking about. Medical studies state that the health benefits of drinking green tea can help people lower risks of certain types of cancer and heart disease. Knowing that green tea is beneficial to your health it makes sense to enjoy it in more ways than one. Creating a lemonade type drink using limeade with green tea gives Jackson residents a new flavor to savor and sip on their front porches. A perfect way to relax and watch the autumn leaves change color as the cooler weather begins to approach. Green tea is available locally in town at the Pick’n Save located at 2419 College Avenue (251) 246-4600.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of water
- 4 green tea bags
- 2 (12 ounce) cans of frozen limeade concentrate
Directions:
- Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- Turn heat off the stove and add the green tea bags to the pot.
- Allow the tea bags to steep in the hot water for 10 minutes.
- Remove the tea bags and let the green tea cool half way.
- Prepare the frozen limeade concentrate per the instructions on the can.
- Mix the green tea and limeade together and chill.
- Once cold serve in tall glasses.
- Enjoy!
Suggestions:
- A mint sprig at the top of the glass brings a colorful presentation to the drink.
- Keep a sugar bowl close by if anyone desires their tea a little less tart by sweetening it up with a little sugar.
- Garnish with some lime slices for a little extra lime flavor.
- Drop in a few cilantro leaves to create an interesting taste to the green tea limeade.
