Diet for jaundice: Foods to eat and foods to avoid

Jaundice is a condition that affects the liver.

- Amritha K

When the levels of bilirubin in your blood rise drastically, the condition is called jaundice. Jaundice is not a disease but rather a symptom of an underlying disease. The skin, mucous membranes and whites of the eyes turn yellow due to excessive bilirubin production. One gets affected by jaundice when there is an increase in bile pigment. Jaundice can affect anyone regardless of age. The symptoms that accompany jaundice include abdominal pain, headache, fever, nausea, loss of appetite, weight loss and vomiting. Some of the reasons for jaundice are malaria, cirrhosis and other liver disorders.

The yellow appearance of the skin is due to the excess bilirubin, a waste product of the RBCs, present in the bloodstream or in the tissues. And, medications are not the only means of treatment required for jaundice. A strict diet is necessary to alleviate the symptoms of jaundice. Individuals suffering from the condition should cut down the intake of salty and spicy foods, should avoid oily and fried items and should eat foods that are easily digestible. Raw and semi-cooked foods should be forbidden.

Foods to eat for jaundice