Of those people infected with acute hepatitis C — in 2018, that figure was 50,300, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — many will go on to develop a chronic form of the condition. Therefore, learning about the role of healthy nutrition in liver health is crucial, especially if you are helping to care for a person managing hepatitis C. “The liver is in charge of all the nutrition in your body in terms of digestion and absorption,” says Annie Guinane, a registered dietitian with the transplant and metabolic liver clinic at the University of Chicago Medicine. “It’s really important to maintain a healthy diet to maintain a healthy liver,” she says. RELATED: The Best (and Worst) Foods and Drinks for Hepatitis C

Medication That Treats Hepatitis C

Without treatment, a hepatitis C infection can lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, or liver cancer, says the American Liver Foundation’s National Medical Advisory Committee co-chair Sammy Saab, MD, MPH, a professor in the departments of internal medicine and surgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA in Los Angeles. There is resounding good news about hepatitis C treatment: “Hepatitis C can now be cured with oral medication that’s safe, highly effective, and very tolerable,” he says. “Curing hepatitis C is within everyone’s grasp,” Dr. Saab says. The majority of patients — over 90 percent — can take an oral antiviral medication to cure their infection in 8 to 12 weeks, according to the CDC. RELATED: What Happens to Your Health if You Aren’t Treated With Hepatitis C

Tips for Good Nutrition With Hepatitis C

Diet does play an important role during hepatitis C treatment. “One of the things that makes hepatitis C worse is fatty liver (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), which accelerates the progression of liver damage and disease,” says Saab. The goal, then, is for patients to consume a healthy diet to decrease that risk of fatty liver. Prioritizing vegetables and fruit, limiting sugar and salt, and sticking with healthy sources of fat will also support and promote liver health. As the Mayo Clinic notes, fatty liver is associated with having a high body mass index, indicating overweight or obesity; insulin resistance; prediabetes; and type 2 diabetes. Diet changes are a first-line treatment for these health problems. Here are tips to consider when it comes to nutrition for a person with hepatitis C:

Build a Balanced Plate

Offer foods from all four food groups and pay attention to the basic guidelines of good nutrition. Guinane recommends people with hepatitis C follow a Mediterranean-style pattern of eating. A lifestyle rather than a temporary diet, Mediterranean eating focuses on vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, fish, olive oil, some lean meat, and limited amounts of dairy. Red meat might be eaten occasionally. “The Mediterranean diet can help with inflammation, which is helpful, as hepatitis C can cause inflammation in the liver,” she says.

Limit Sugar

Foods rich in simple carbohydrates and sugar, such as cakes, cookies, ice cream, soda, and sweetened juice drinks, can accelerate fatty liver, says Saab. Avoid or limit these as much as possible.

Consider Serving Coffee

Surprisingly, coffee might be great for the liver. “We don’t exactly know why. It may be the caffeine or it may be coffee’s antioxidants,” says Saab. If the patient is a coffee drinker, two to three cups per day can be good for their liver, but there’s no reason to start if they’re not already a java drinker. RELATED: 9 Questions You Should Be Able to Answer About Your Liver

Go Easy on the Salt

If you have advanced liver disease, Guniane says, limit your sodium intake to 2,000 milligrams (mg) per day. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs backs this up, noting this maximum is key for preventing ascites, or a swollen abdomen, as well as swelling in your limbs. Knowing which foods are high in sodium can help you determine a meal plan that fits those parameters. According to the CDC, breads, pizza, sandwiches, cold cuts, soups, chicken, and cheese are among the foods that contribute the most amount of sodium to the diet.

Choose Healthy Fats

Fats are important in the diet for energy storage, but there are good fats and bad fats. Provide healthy fats in the form of nuts, olive oil, and fish oil. Limit fats from meats, poultry, and butter. And watch out for trans fats that may be found in highly processed fried foods, cookies, and crackers.

Incorporate Fruit and Vegetables

You should consume a minimum of five servings each day. Fruit and vegetables are high in antioxidants that can help hepatitis-damaged liver cells regenerate and play an important role in both the prevention and treatment of liver diseases, suggests previous research. Guinane recommends that patients have one or two fruit and vegetables on their plate during every meal, which will help you meet this produce goal. RELATED: The Top 10 Hydrating Fruits

Reach for Complex Carbohydrates 

These foods should make up most of the diet. Serve plenty of cereals, breads, and pasta, but try to use whole grains that contain germ and bran (complex carbs) as opposed to refined grains like white rice or white bread.

Get Creative With Protein Sources

According to the American Liver Foundation (ALF), it’s important to get enough protein in the diet when being treated for hepatitis C. If that’s difficult for the person managing hepatitis, consider supplementing with protein drinks, the ALF recommends. Talk to a registered dietitian or doctor for specific recommendations based on the individual’s needs.

If the liver is already impaired from hepatitis, it is important to avoid any further damage that might keep the liver from getting better. Keep the following in mind when caring for someone with hepatitis:

Use Caution When Choosing Supplements

The best way to get enough vitamins is through a well-balanced diet, says the ALF. Too much vitamin A or vitamin D can add stress to a liver damaged by hepatitis. Be cautious about the use of any high-dose vitamin supplements, and ask your physician or dietitian if you should add a vitamin supplement, especially if you’re considering taking it in the long term.

Don’t Drink Alcohol, Especially While Taking Acetaminophen

Saab recommends avoiding alcohol if you are managing hepatitis C. “It’s like throwing gas into a fire; alcohol exacerbates liver disease,” he adds. Because it is not clear how much, if any, alcohol is safe to drink for someone with hepatitis C, the recommendation is to avoid it completely. And when alcohol is combined with acetaminophen, the popular pain-relieving ingredient in over-the-counter medicines like Tylenol and others, sudden and severe liver failure could result.

Be Wary of Herbal Remedies for Hepatitis C

Some natural herbal and botanical supplements and remedies can be dangerous for someone with hepatitis. Ask a medical professional before using one. Herbal treatments that may harm the liver at varying amounts of intake and preparations include: kava, comfrey, shark cartilage, skullcap, and valerian, says the ALF. RELATED: Why Herbal Products May Be Dangerous for Your Liver

One Last Thing About Preparing Food for Someone With Hepatitis C

If you are caregiving for someone with hepatitis, these suggestions can help you to provide your loved one with a well-balanced diet. Be sure to avoid foods and medication that may be harmful to a recovering liver, and work closely with a registered dietitian nutritionist and the doctor (likely a hepatologist like Saab). It also doesn’t hurt to get screened yourself. In recent years, the recommendations for getting tested for a hepatitis C infection have changed — and greatly broadened. The CDC now recommends that all adults ages 18 and older, as well as pregnant women during each pregnancy, get screened for hepatitis C at least once in their lives.