Jaundice Diet plan (Indian Menu)

The constant pain, the feeling of malaise, yellow skin and eyes, loss of appetite, nausea … all associated with jaundice. Jaundice is the buildup in the blood of a yellow pigment called bilirubin. This bilirubin is deposited in body cells, causing the eyes and skin to turn yellow. Read on to learn more about the Jaundice Diet Plan (Indian Menu).

Ideally, the liver will remove the bilirubin from the system and not let it build up. However, when the liver is not working properly, it affects the level of bilirubin in the blood. Jaundice is not a disease, but it is an underlying condition that could indicate a liver disease such as fatty liver. Jaundice is a metabolic disorder that is accompanied by nausea, vomiting, indigestion, dark urine, abdominal pain, and pale stools.

Different people will give a hundred solutions and eating rules to treat jaundice, adding to the pain and misery of the situation. Let's see what ideally we can include in our diet and avoid to treat jaundice. Here is a nutritional and research based jaundice diet plan (Indian menu).

Jaundice Diet Plan (Indian Menu)

Food to eat in jaundice diet plan::

Consuming liquids up to 2.5 to 3 liters is essential. Liquids help flush excess bilirubin out of the system through the urine. Liquids include water, tea, daal, fruit juices, soups, infused water, preparations, and any liquid sauce.

Ordinary water can become dull and tasteless in this state. This is where coconut water comes to the rescue. Coconut water is rich in vitamins and minerals. A serving of coconut every day helps reduce bilirubin in the blood.

The fiber in the food helps to bind excess bile pigment and remove it through the faeces. These include high fiber foods like whole grains, whole fruits and vegetables, bran-rich flours, psyllium, chia seeds, sprouts, etc.

Fruits and vegetables as mentioned above are high in fiber. The vitamins and minerals it contains also help you recover from jaundice faster. Fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants that help reduce the stress on the body caused by jaundice. They help regenerate the liver and make digestion easier. Fruits and vegetables naturally have a high water content, which increases fluid intake. Consume at least 4 – 5 servings of fruit and vegetables daily.

• Fruits with natural enzymes:

Fruits like mango, papaya, avocado, grapefruit are rich in digestive enzymes. These help with the easy digestion and absorption of food.

Proteins help with liver regeneration. It helps maintain the integrity of the intestinal muscles and provides energy to the body. Consume cottage cheese or yogurt that is high in probiotics. Probiotics improve liver function, which is affected by jaundice. Also include daals, legumes, sprouts, and eggs as needed. Add at least 3 servings of high quality protein.

Nuts and seeds are rich in high quality fats as well as protein and fiber. With jaundice and an impaired liver, the body is unable to digest fats. The diet is low in visible fats for the same reason. But nuts and seeds provide digestible fats that provide energy to the body. Consume at least 1 serving of nuts daily. Soaked almonds can help.

Whole grains along with the right amount of protein make the availability of the nutrients very easy. It helps remove excess bile from the system. Consume at least 5 – 6 servings of whole grains daily. These include whole wheat flour, millet, oats, quinoa, etc.

Foods To Avoid In The Jaundice Diet Plan:

Alcohol interferes with the functioning of the liver. It further worsens the elimination of excess bile. Alcoholism is a major contributor to liver malfunction, which leads to jaundice.

Refined carbohydrates put an excessive strain on the liver with its metabolism. It also leads to excessive bile production for its digestion. Replacing refined carbohydrates with whole grains is the smart step in fighting jaundice. Avoid sweets, canned foods, and baked goods

• Fried and high calorie junk food:

High calorie or fried foods are very high in fats and refined carbohydrates. These make jaundice worse by putting additional strain on the liver for digestion. A high fat content in the food leads to indigestion, diarrhea, fluid loss from the body and weakness. Replace these with good quality grease.

Canned and canned foods are very rich in salts, sugar and fats. These products lead to excessive bile production in the body. The sodium in canned foods leads to water retention in the body. The water retention in the liver further deteriorates liver function and health.

In addition to being high in protein, red meat is also very high in saturated fats. This high content of saturated fatty acids puts additional strain on the liver for its digestion. It disrupts liver function and the elimination of excess bile.

Excess salt in the daily diet leads to water retention in the body. As mentioned earlier, water retention worsens liver function. It requires fluid restriction, which is not advisable for jaundice. This creates a difficult situation in treating jaundice.

Jaundice Diet Plan (Indian Menu)

Sample diet plan:

Empty stomach: 6 soaked almonds + coconut water / lemon water.

Breakfast: 1 cup of oats or daliya with milk + 2 dates

Morning: ½ cup of grilled paneer or 2 egg whites

Having lunch: 1 cup of vegetable soup or chicken broth + 2 chapatis + 1 cup of sautéed vegetables OR 1 cup of cottage cheese or khichdi or dal rice

Evening snack: 1 cup of coffee or green tea + 1 cup of roasted kurmura or 1 khakra or cooked moong or cooked sprouts

Midnight snack: 1 fruit

Dinner: 1 cup of vegetable soup + 1 cup of vegetable khichdi or bissibelle rice or sambar rice or vegetable pulao + 1 cup of cottage cheese

Bedtime: 1 glass of buttermilk or lemon water with 2 – 3 teaspoons of psyllium husk

Final grade:

This jaundice diet plan (Indian menu) is a low fat diet. Having adequate fiber along with plenty of fluids is key to combating high bilirubin levels. It takes at least 2 to 4 weeks for the body to fully recover from jaundice. Adequate rest along with medication accelerates the recovery of the liver.