According to liver and gialty experts on Liverpool Doctor, people with liver disease - especially hepatitis, cirrhosis or fatty liver - need to be especially careful when using betel leaves in their daily diet.
1. Lotus leaves - both beneficial and harmful
Lotus leaves contain many essential oils and antioxidants such as alkaloids and flavonoids, which help fight inflammation and reduce joint pain. However, these compounds make the liver work harder to metabolize and excrete. For people with impaired liver function, eating too much betel leaves can lead to a buildup of toxins.
2. Using the wrong dose puts pressure on the liver
According to nutritionists from Healthline, regular consumption of betel leaves in high doses (over 100g/day) can cause side effects such as liver heat, acne, or increased liver enzymes. People with liver disease who eat stir-fried dishes and grill a lot of fat with betel leaves will further damage liver cells because both fat and essential oils must be treated at the same time.
3. Not to be used on an empty stomach, not combined with alcohol
A common mistake is to use betel leaves as a sharp drink or a dish on an empty stomach - this causes the liver to become overly irritated. In addition, combining betel leaves with alcohol (in pickled dishes) further increases the risk of acute liver inflammation. For people with liver disease, they should only eat very small amounts, less than 2 times/week and cook thoroughly.
Recommendation:
People with liver disease should prioritize cool, easy-to-dical vegetables such as pennywort, amaranth, and Malabar spinach. The use of folk remedies requires guidance from medical experts to avoid counterproductive effects.
