Why coffee or tea is good for your liver
Tea and Coffee are the most widely consumed beverages in the world.
Both beverages contain caffeine and have been linked to adverse health effects but the many benefits outweigh the drawbacks, such as the beneficial antioxidants present in both.
Coffee and tea consumption is now linked to liver health and according to a new research, drinking coffee or herbal tea can protect against liver fibrosis.
Chronic liver disease ranks as the 12th cause of death in the world and most of them are associated with an unhealthy lifestyle and diet.
On the whole, researchers found that both coffee and herbal tea consumption, even in small amounts, was significantly associated with lower liver stiffness.
Our diet includes more processed food these days, which lacks essential nutrients required for our health. This has not only led to the emergence and prevalence of obesity but has also increased the occurrence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) due to the accumulation of fat in the liver just like alcoholic liver disease.
Liver fibrosis estimated as a degree of liver stiffness is high in extensive scarring of the liver which results from chronic inflammation. Progressive fibrosis leads to the development of cirrhosis and liver–related mortality.
However, healthier lifestyle strategies, such as the consumption of coffee and tea, can prevent or reverse liver disease and thus investigating inexpensive and accessible solutions for a healthier lifestyle becomes viable, providing health benefits and reducing the development of liver disease.
Data was collected from 2,424 participants who were 45 years or older and living in a suburb of Rotterdam, The Netherlands. They underwent extensive physical work-up which included data collection for anthropometrics, blood sampling, hepatological imaging using abdominal ultrasound and Fibroscan®, which quantitatively measures liver stiffness.
Additionally they completed a Food Frequency Questionnaire with 389 items and provided detailed information about their coffee and tea consumption.
Coffee and tea consumption was divided into three categories: none, moderate (0-3 cups per day), and frequent (more than 3 cups per day).
Tea consumption was categorised by herbal, green or black tea and then further divided into no consumption set at 0 and more than 0 consumption.
Researchers found that frequent coffee consumption was significantly associated with lower risks of high liver stiffness values which meant that there was less scarring of the liver. This observation was independent of a number of lifestyle and environmental factors.
On the whole, researchers found that both coffee and herbal tea consumption, even in small amounts, was significantly associated with lower liver stiffness.
There was no direct link between coffee and tea consumption and the presence of fat accumulation in the liver (NAFLD). However, the effect of coffee on lowering liver stiffness was significant in both the group with liver fat and the group without any liver fat.
It seems that consuming coffee and herbal tea seems to be beneficial in preventing liver scarring even before liver disease develops.
While researchers warn that further testing is required to understand the quantity and types of coffee and tea for favourable liver outcomes, it is safe to say that drinking your favourite beverage is an inexpensive and very accessible way to maintain liver health.
Source: Journal of Hepatology
