Foods high in choline can help during the festive period.
Unless you happen to be a reindeer, you’re unlikely to emerge from the Christmas period fitter than when you started. ’Tis the season for large amounts of food and drink, and the upshot of over-indulging is that your liver can take a pounding.
However, according to research in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, eating foods high in choline, such as beef liver and pork ribs, can protect your liver from taking too much of a kicking during the festive period.
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Drinking too much alcohol can lead to fatty liver, which in turn can lead to liver damage and/or diabetes. The nutrient choline, meanwhile, keeps your liver lean. One of its key roles is to transport fat from the liver to other areas of your body, where it can be put to better use.
Related: Why you shouldn’t be ‘running off’ calories this Christmas
Vegetarians can get their hit of choline from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, while egg yolk is also extremely rich in choline. It goes without saying, of course, that the best way to look after your liver during the festive period is to drink in moderation. But eating foods high in choline is a good idea if you tend to get a bit over-excited on the sherry.
Related: 6 ways to minimise the effects of alcohol on your running
5 food high in choline:
Egg yolk – 682mg (choline per 100g)
Beef liver – 426mg
Pork – 140mg
Prawns – 153mg
Broccoli – 40mg
