Experts Say 1 In 4 Americans Have This Disease — But Less Than 5% Of People Are Aware They Have It

Here’s an alarming statistic: An estimated 25% of U.S. adults have metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formally known as fatty liver disease), making it the most common chronic liver disease. That’s 1 in 4 people. Perhaps what’s even more surprising is that less than 5% of people with MASLD know they have it, according to a national health survey conducted by ISPOR.

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MASLD is sneaky. It happens slowly over time and causes no symptoms whatsoever. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t dangerous. “If left untreated, it has the potential to lead to irreversible liver damage called cirrhosis, or ‘scarring of the liver,’” Dr. Susan Kais, a gastroenterologist and assistant professor of clinical health at UC Health in Cincinnati, told HuffPost.

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Ready for the good news? MASLD is largely preventable — and even reversible — by maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle. With that in mind, here are three foods to eliminate if you want to support your liver.

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3 foods to eliminate to support your liver

Considering that MASLD used to be called fatty liver disease, it makes sense to think that fatty foods are the main driver of the disease. But according to Dr. Mary Drinane, a hepatologist at Dartmouth Health, the biggest culprit is actually sugar.

“When sugar is absorbed in the gut, its next stop is the liver. It goes through a big vein called the portal vein, and once it’s there, the liver converts it to lipids and triglycerides within the liver. That’s why sugar is the main driver of MASLD, because once it gets to the liver, it’s converted into lipids,” Drinane said.

As for fat, Drinane told HuffPost that it, too, can contribute to MASLD, specifically saturated fat. “When the liver receives more sugar and fat than it can process, it starts storing what it can’t handle,” said Dr. Nadege Gunn, a hepatologist and the chief medical officer of hepatology and obesity at Iterative Health. With this in mind, here are three foods to eliminate to support your liver.

1. Sugar-sweetened drinks

Soda, fruit juice, sweet tea, energy drinks and flavored coffee drinks are the worst offenders when it comes to liver health, according to all three doctors. Kais explained that when you consume more sugar than what the body needs for energy, the liver converts it into fat, which builds up in the liver cells over time.

On top of that, Drinane pointed out that there are no other nutrients in these drinks (like fiber, protein or unsaturated fats) to slow the absorption of the sugar. This leads to a blood sugar spike, which prompts the pancreas to produce more insulin. Over time, this leads to insulin resistance, which promotes fat storage in the liver, as a 2024 study in the journal Nature explains.

“There is no single food item responsible for MASLD, but sugar-sweetened beverages, like sodas, energy drinks and sweet teas, loaded with added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup, are major culprits, since the body simply can’t utilize all of that sugar, leaving the liver to convert the surplus directly into fat,” Kais said.

Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth, you’re not off the hook when it comes to using diet to minimize your risk of MASLD. All three doctors say that eating fried food regularly can also negatively impact the liver. “Fried foods are full of saturated fats and trans fats that stress liver cells,” Kais said.

A recent study published in the Journal of Advanced Research, taking into account 208,673 people, found a clear association between frequently eating fried food and a higher risk of MASLD. Researchers found that eating fried food regularly — particularly french fries — increased the risk of MASLD by 15%.

“Refined carbohydrates like white rice, white bread and pastries act like pure sugar in the body,” Kais told HuffPost, highlighting the third-worst type of food for your liver. A recent study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology backs this up, showing that a diet high in refined carbohydrates, like white rice, is associated with a higher risk of MASLD.

Surprised alcohol didn’t make the top three? It’s definitely something all three doctors say to be mindful of. Alcohol can lead to insulin resistance as well as inflammation in the liver, both of which you want to avoid.

How to support your liver through what you eat

Knowing which foods to minimize is only part of the plan for using diet to support your liver. It’s important to know what foods to eat more of, too. Gunn told HuffPost that the Mediterranean diet is the best eating plan to follow for lowering the risk of MASLD. This way of eating emphasizes vegetables, fruit, plant-based proteins, seafood, lean proteins and olive oil while minimizing ultra-processed foods and red meat.

A 2025 study published in Hepatology Communications that took into account 47,429 people and data from more than 13 years backs this up, showing a connection between a Mediterranean diet way of eating and better liver health.

When a craving for something sweet hits, Kais recommends eating fruit or dark chocolate. “Whole fruits, especially berries, are a great option since they’re relatively low in sugar and packed with fiber, antioxidants and vitamins that support overall metabolic health and, in turn, liver health. Dark chocolate with a high cocoa content is another good choice. It satisfies a sweet tooth while providing antioxidants like polyphenols, making it a smart pick in moderation,” she said.

Besides following a Mediterranean diet style of eating and reaching for fruit or dark chocolate when a craving for something sweet hits, Drinane told HuffPost that regularly drinking coffee is another way to support the liver. Just don’t load it up with sugary syrups.

Drinane emphasized that MASLD is largely preventable and reversible. Making changes to your diet truly can transform your health and there’s no better place to start than by minimizing consumption of sugary drinks, fried food and refined carbs.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost.