Health briefs 2

Nov 28, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Low-fat diet helps fight off liver ailments

Berlin (dpa) - A healthy and low-fat diet helps to prevent liver disease, as not only alcohol, but also fatty food can damage this vital organ and lead to what's known as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

The key is to avoid saturated fatty acids from eating animal protein and to take in large quantities of unsaturated fatty acids, in particular of the omega-3 group, according to Wolfgang Wesiack, president of the Professional Association of German Internists. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in vegetable fats and in cold-water fish.

Patients already suffering from fatty liver disease should cut their carbohydrate intake and take regular exercise to improve their stamina, Wesiack says.

He also advises inoculation against the viral illnesses hepatitis A and B to ensure that the patient's fatty liver does not become infected. An infection could result in cirrhosis of the liver and fatal liver collapse.

Fatty liver is a widespread ailment in affluent countries with diets high in animal protein. In Germany, for example, some 10 million people in a population of 82 million are sufferers, largely as a result of a high-fat and high-calorie diet.

Fruit and vegetables three time as day - but in healthy portions

Berlin (dpa) - Dietitians commonly advise everyone to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, a target difficult for many people to meet.

However, anyone eating just three meals a day can get their required intake by dividing the recommended quantity accordingly, a Berlin consumers' organization advises.

More fruit and vegetables should be eaten at each sitting, as long as the total quantity is right. A good start to the day is made with fresh fruit on its own or in muesli or yoghurt. An alternative is a glass of pure fruit or vegetable juice to go with bread.

A salad, followed by a main course with plenty of vegetables makes for a healthy lunch, according to the pamphlet. An ideal evening course is freshly cut tomatoes, radishes or cucumber.

The German dietary association recommends eating 400 grams of vegetables per day, corresponding to two large unpeeled carrots and two medium-sized tomatoes. In addition, there should be 250 grams of fruit per day in the diet - equivalent roughly to a medium-sized apple plus a medium-sized banana.