Cutting back on salt could protect your liver

Too much salt doesn’t just affect our hearts – new evidence shows it can also increase the risk of fatty liver disease, too. We already know that people with advanced liver disease need to avoid adding salt to their food. This study shows a link to earlier liver disease.

Fatty liver disease affects about a third of all Australian adults. It’s when there’s too much fat in the liver cells. It interferes with how the liver works, and can lead to liver damage over time – including serious problems like cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.

A team of British researchers used data from the UK Biobank to look at whether there was an association between how often people added salt to foods and their risk of developing fatty liver disease.

Of the 494,000 participants they looked at, about 7,000 developed fatty liver disease during the time of the study. People who always added salt to foods had about a third higher risk compared to people who never or rarely added salt.

Those most at risk were people with a normal body mass index, people who frequently drank alcohol, and people who were genetically susceptible to fatty liver disease.

One of the reasons for this problem could be that high salt intake can lead to insulin resistance, which is involved in the development of fatty liver disease, the researchers said.

High salt intake can also cause inflammation in the liver, and can affect the balance of fats in the blood.

This study shows that cutting back on table salt is an easy way to help prevent fatty liver disease. In practice, that means being careful about how often you sprinkle extra salt on your food at the table. While the research points to this specific habit, it also suggests that reducing salt overall, from all the foods you eat, is just as important.

Here are some easy swaps you can use instead of adding extra salt:

• Herbs and spices – try garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, turmeric, or chili flakes.

• Fresh herbs – parsley, coriander, basil, dill, rosemary, thyme, or mint add lots of flavour.

• Citrus – a squeeze of lemon or lime can brighten food without salt.

• Vinegar – balsamic, apple cider, or rice vinegar add tanginess.

• Pepper – freshly ground black or white pepper gives a flavour boost.

• Onion and garlic powder – add depth without sodium (just check labels for salt-free versions).

• Smoked or roasted flavours – smoked paprika or roasting veggies can add a savoury taste.

You can find more information about eating for your liver, delicious recipes and being a healthy weight on our website.