Although there is no specific diet for hepatitis C, eating healthy foods and avoiding junk can help go a long way. Our diet has a direct impact on the liver. Therefore, ensuring proper nutrition can give a boost to your liver health and can be useful in reducing the impact of the condition.

So, here are some important nutritional tips for hepatitis C you should keep in mind.

• Eat more vegetables and fruits
  Eating more vegetables and fruits means you are giving your body ample fiber, vitamins B-6, B-12, A, and C, and folic acid. To ensure sufficient intake, add at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables in your diet. To make sure that you are getting all the essential vitamins, try to add a variety of them. Most fruits are also low in calories, sodium, and fat content. Canned or frozen vegetables can also be picked if you don’t get some fresh ones. However, make sure that they do not have any added salts. Try to buy as many seasonal vegetables as possible. When you buy them in their season, they are richer in nutrients, and will be extremely flavorful.
• Include more dairy products
  One of the important nutritional tips for hepatitis C is to add more dairy products to your diet. You can get ample calcium and protein through cheese, yogurt, and milk. For adults, 1 to 3 servings of dairy products are recommended. To make one cup of dairy, eat around 1 ½ ounce of natural cheese or 2 ounces of processed cheese. Your required intake depends on your metabolism and several other factors, so consult a doctor before making any drastic dietary changes.
• Eat more whole grains
  Whole grains are loaded with dietary fiber content, which is good for bowel functioning. To add more whole grains to your diet, you can eat whole grain bread, oats, brown rice, quinoa, etc. These products should be picked over refined or white variants. Whole grains contain higher amounts of B vitamins, fiber, zinc, magnesium, and iron. The quantity consumed should depend on the gender, age, and activity level of a person. Generally, 3-4 ounces of whole grains daily should be eaten by adults.
• Consume less salt
  It is essential to reduce the intake of foods that are high in sodium content. Too many salty foods can increase the retention of water in the body, leading to high blood pressure. For people suffering from cirrhosis of the liver, this can prove to be dangerous.
• Avoid fast food
  The body requires fats in small quantities to give protection to the body tissues, store energy, and carry vitamins around the body. But when there is an excessive quantity of it present in the body, it can lead to abnormalities, such as a buildup of fat in the liver which can cause cirrhosis. Therefore, for hepatitis C patients, it is important to avoid foods that contain saturated fats. These include fast foods, cookies, meat, and dairy products.