With the internet blowing up with how lemon juice, olive oil and cayenne pepper are the secret ingredients to treating all ailments in humans known to man, I thought it was time to clear up these misinformed, money-grabbing claims and tell you what’s what.

Fatty Liver Disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), is a condition where there is a build up of fat in the liver. At the initial stages of this condition, it doesn’t often cause symptoms, and if most often detected during tests for other conditions. As the condition progresses, the accumulated fat lead to inflammation of the liver, called hepatitis.

Hepat- meaning liver and -itis meaning inflammation

If the condition continues to get worse, it leads to fibrosis, scarring of the liver. At the end stage, the scarring gets so bad it begins to impair the liver function to the point where the liver is no longer able to extract waste from the blood, and in some cases cancer of the liver.

Currently, no specific medication exists to treat this condition, but there are often medications prescribed to manage conditions caused alongside it. Fatty Liver Disease is managed and treated through adapting healthy lifestyle changes. In my opinion, because of the ambiguity of the advice and treatment, it gives “so-called” experts freedom to run wild with health claims and for anecdotal evidence to be used as evidence.

Lemon Juice, Olive Oil and Cayenne Pepper

Alongside cleansing the liver, there are claims it prevents premature ageing, gallstones and other conditions – is it too good to be true? Let’s see.

Olive oil, where Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered as the highest quality, is high in oleic acid, vitamin K and E, polyphenols.

Lemon juice is high in flavonoids (sub-type of polyphenols) and vitamin C.

Cayenne pepper is high in capsaicin.

What’s the verdict?

Now lets see what these nutrients have to do with fatty liver disease.

Polyphenols and Vitamin C act as antioxidants. Antioxidants neutrilise free radicals (unstable atoms) by dinding with them in the body. Free radicals can cause cellular damage in the body, which is why a diet involving fruit and vegetables is recommended as these help reduce free radicals in our bodies.

A diet high in saturated fat and low in Vitamin C is associated with fatty liver disease. Therefore, it’s only reasonable to think that including sources of polyunsaturated fats (olive oil) and Vitamin C (lemon juice) would help reduce the condition’s progression.

Studies on capsaicin have so far only been done on mice. These studies have found potential benefits in it reducing fat in the liver. However, further studies are needed in humans to see what dose would be needed to see a signiciant effect.

No studies have found they cleanse or detoxify the body consumed together or on their own.

With how these so-called experts also advise consuming this magical concoction, in the morning on an empty stomach, it may lead to irritation of the stomach and potentially damage to the tooth enamal due to the acidity of the lemon juice.

Claims like this are unfounded by science. They are also extremely insulting to people who are living with this condition, or to family members of those who have lost their lives to it. Anyone can zoom in on a particular food, at its properties and start making claims. But if you zoom out of particular food and nutrients and get the bigger picture, it gets a little more complicated. You notice that lots of good things in small doses is protective to health. It’s why variety is part of a healthy diet, getting sources of polyphenols, vitamins and minerals from a variety of foods. By zooming in, you overlook the importance of the entire diet, sleep, physical activity, stress management, the impact of financial and socioeconomic situation. These foods are good sources of nutrients, so include them in your balanced diet, but you do not need to have it in the order and manner that’s being advised.

If you have recently been told you have early stage fatty liver disease and are here because you googled how to cure it and came across lemon juice and olive oil, I’m sorry. I’m sorry that there are people out there making health more complicated, making it harder to know who to trust. But also, thank you for finding this blog post and I hope it has helped. If you want to work with me on reversing fatty liver disease by making manageable changes to your lifestyle, you can book your Free Discovery Call here to begin our journey.