Doctors warn of dietary risks to liver health

Medical experts are warning that certain dietary habits can damage the liver more rapidly than alcohol consumption. According to GLOBOCAN 2022 data, there are over 860,000 new cases and 700,000 deaths from liver cancer annually worldwide, with Vietnam recording over 24,000 cases.

One major risk involves moldy foods. Consuming even small amounts of moldy grains, vegetables, or bread can introduce aflatoxin into the body. The World Health Organization classifies aflatoxin as a Group 1 carcinogen. Dr. Wang Dong from the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery at Peking University People's Hospital notes that aflatoxin attacks the DNA structure of liver cells, leading to tissue degeneration, hemorrhage, and necrosis. He warns that simply cutting off the visible moldy parts is ineffective as fungal threads often permeate the entire food item.

Additionally, foods high in grease and saturated fats, such as deep-fried items, fast food, or expired oils, pose a significant threat. Excessive intake of these fats can overwhelm the liver's processing capabilities, leading to fat accumulation within liver cells.