Breakfast for Cirrhosis – Breakfast is the most important meal of the day
It is the one meal that never should be skipped. The word itself a compound word: break and fast. While you are sleeping, your body is fasting from food. Your liver is busy processing and storing sugars, proteins, and other nutrients. Breaking your night time fast with nutritious food is a smart way to start your day!
Keep in mind that a cup of coffee is shown to reduce the risk of liver cancer. This breakfast list saved my life and it can help you too!
Here’s where to find hundreds of low sodium recipes for food that is safe for your liver.
Protein Shake – A premixed or powder shake is an awesome and quick pick me up. Your body will give you that Ahhh feeling of mental clarity with no brain fog, and no jitters! I mix mine with a little coffee, almond or rice milk, or even water in a pinch.
Oatmeal – You cannot beat a good bowl of oatmeal. I like whole oats most of the time. If there has been a recent endoscopy, banding, or just plain nausea, I use the quick oats. In those cases, I eat it plain and thin. You can load it up with sliced bananas, walnuts, or blueberries. The list is endless and includes brown or coconut sugar, and cinnamon. Try raisins, or other dried fruit. I add frozen berries sometimes too!
Smoothie – Speaking of frozen berries, I hope you have an blender. I’ve worn a couple out, and they are awesome! Pour in your favorite milk, some fresh or frozen berries, a scoop of protein and hit the button.
Eggs – I try to keep some boiled eggs in the fridge for snacky mornings. But when you have the time, cook them your favorite way in a little olive or coconut oil. I eat them well done or scrambled. By cooking extra, I can stick a few in a zipper bag for sandwiches later. Sometimes I add cheese to make it nice and melty. Jazz them up with some no sodium herb and seasonings! I’ve got the scoop on which proteins are best for the liver here.
Toast – Toast and jam can give you everything you need. I get all crazy about toast and use a lot of different toppings. You can try an olive oil type margarine, no salt butter, coconut oil or nut butter. I kind of base this on how well I’ve been eating. Higher fat foods like butter are okay in moderation and there is no substitute for toast with butter. Other toppings that you might enjoy are honey, cinnamon and sugar or stevia. Lay an cooked egg on top with cheese. The possibilities are endless!
Cold cereal – You can eat it, but be choosy. Watch out for hidden sodium and high sugar content. I like All Bran, Shredded Mini-Wheats, and a healthy cheerio type. I also love Captain Crunch and Honey Smacks – Digg em. I’ve paid a high price too. For those of us with end stage, or varices, we have to really choose how often we indulge in those types of food. Sugar Puffs or Cadios from the health food store are a little more boring, but you can indulge more!
Juice – Juicing is always a treat for your body. Choosing carrots, apples, and beets is an easy CAB juice. Get fancy when you can and throw in all colors of fruits or vegetables. Adding green powder packs in the probiotic and vitamins!
French toast – My famous high protein healthy French toast recipe is still a family favorite. I make a big batch on weekends. This allows me to carry some to work for breakfast on the go.
Bacon or meat – Who doesn’t love bacon? There are low sodium brands that are pretty darn good and you can always eat turkey bacon.
Bran Muffin – I have a dozen good bran muffin recipes. Some are as easy as making a bowl of cereal. The batter keeps and is great with fruit tucked in before baking. Adjust the recipe for no sodium and you have a great breakfast bread.
Wake up your mind slowly with good thoughts.
Wake up your spirit with loving words.
Wake up your body with liver loving food.
Make breakfast a part of your morning routine! Jump start your metabolism for the day. Process proteins better. Breakfast can help with that.
It can also contribute to your weight loss plan. It is sure to stabilize your blood sugar.
With a hot mess for a liver, nutrition is my best ally. It is yours too Friends. Xoxo Karen:)
What are your favorite breakfast foods? Do you eat breakfast every morning?
Click on my protein link here.
Click on the Sample of Daily Liver Loving Diet here
Click on the Low Sodium Food Shopping List here
If you have Hepatitis C or Cirrhosis, you need to keep your metabolism going with small meals. After Fasting all night, eat breakfast for cirrhosis to get the protein you need in a low sodium, liver loving diet.
pics via foodsforlonglife.com, silk,
38 thoughts on “Breakfast for Cirrhosis”
The days are going fast to start my treatments. Thank you for having your website .I Pray A Lot and have Faith, nervous a bit.dont quite know what to expect but my Health will start by eating right.
Thank you,
Debbie M
Debbie,
Thank YOU for your kind words. I’m glad to help.
It’s normal to be nervous. I think everyone is, especially at the beginning. I never got used to giving myself injections. It got easier in some ways, but when they had to reduce the interferon, I had to measure them and was always afraid of messing up.
One thing that I did get over the fear of was the side effects. Hopefully you won’t have many, but once you get in the mental routine of knowing what to expect, you just do what needs to be done to get through treatment. Pamper yourself, sleep when you need to, drink lots of water, and your body will heal.
I can say with certainty, that even though my liver was a mess, if I can do it – anyone can. Be sure and get plenty of support. You will need a lot of reassurance and your friends who have been there are always glad to supply that.
I’m praying for you. Your faith will grow and sustain you through each day. Let me know if you need anything.
xoxoxo Karen:)
I have cirroisis I’m finding it hard to know what to eat I was prediabetic as well but I beat that so I’m not prediabetic anymore but but living on fresh fruit and salad is very hard for me I’m finding myself very hungry at times I don’t no what to eat anymore please help Thank you
Hi!
First of all Congrats on beating that prediabetic condition. Just by doing that, you’ve told me a lot about your will and determination.
Many times, fruit and veggies don’t cut it for most of us. We end up eating constantly and never feeling full. That’s one of the reasons that I recommend getting that balance of protein and fat.
We’ve been told that fat is bad our whole lives. In fact, we need fat in order to stay healthy. Fat is what carries the flavor in our food, so we WANT to eat more. We just have to choose the right fats that are good for our liver.
I use avocado oil for cooking, and make snacks with coconut oil and nut butter plus chocolate. I honestly will walk through the house with a big spoon of nut butter. I eat it slowly of course.
All this to say, start your day with healthy carbs and be sure you’re getting plenty of protein and fat in your diet. This mornings breakfast was 2 slices of turkey bacon and an 2 eggs scrambled in avocado oil and 1 tab of butter. I wasn’t hungry for a few hours. I hope this is helpful for you.
Of course if you’re still losing weight, this might sound discouraging. You can lose weight by satisfying your hunger with protein and healthy fats.
Thanks for writing. It feels good to connect with people who read my stuff. I’m betting that many others have the same question. I may take this and make a blog about it. Let me know how I can help.
Great question and CONGRATS!
xo Karen
Can I eat muffins and cold cereal with almond milk. Honey bunches of oats
Angie,
Sorry for being so late. That sounds like a wonderful breakfast. Almond milk is a great choice. I practically live on cold cereal. Many times it is fortifed with protein. Protein helps nourish you for healing.
Thank you for writing. Stay safe and eat healthy. So very wise. I think it’s why I was healthy enough to beat COVID.
xoxo Karen.
Thankyou so much for your useful, information it’s a god send having read, I no longer dread my morning brekfast & now enjoying yours kindly kevin
Kevin,
Thanks for the kind note. I’ll think of you when I’m chowing down on my oatmeal and protein in the mornings. Honestly, it has kept me going ALL these years. Coming up on 11 years and still refuse the high sodium and high fat portions.
Sending all my best to you. x
xo Karen
PS Do you ever eat the frozen mixed fruit straight from the bag? Makes a nice snack when you’re looking for something sweet.
Thank you
I don’t understand you say eat all these things but my liver doctor disagrees..Juice is all sugar, protein brings on ammonia which includes eggs, butter in moderation? not at all, no fat period..Powder protein shakes?? are you nuts!!?? When you are at end stage these foods will give you nothing but pain, gas pains and the protein should be from veggies or fruits only, fresh or frozen..I showed your diet for cirrhosis to the Advance Liver Doctor and she was horrified you would tell a cirrhosis person to eat protein mix shakes or butter even in moderation like you stated…
Esther,
First of all, let me say that I love your name. It has always been one of my favorites. Second, Girl – you have got me beat all to heck with nutrition! I have to give you applause for avoiding juice, eggs and no fat! I’m pretty good. I had to search high and low in my fridge last night to find my olive oil margerine to have with my toast. It was a little bowl I purchased at Christmas and is still half full. So when I say I don’t indulge that much – I mean really!
One of the things I always encourage readers to do is talk to their doctor and nutritionist. You’re smart to have done that. They are the ones who know the condition of your liver and how well the rest of your body is compensating. My transplant doctors know every single item in my kitchen. I’m the one who takes the labels of my protein drink in to have it approved first.
On that note: My drink is chia, hemp, and chickpea based. It has no propriety blends so I know exactly what is in it. At this stage of the game, it is about 1/2 my daily intake of protein. See, I was malnourished. When a doctor sent me info regarding malnutrition and how it is causes a cirrhotic patient to waste away, I knew that I had to eat more… and better! All of that with my doctors reccomentations.
I’m sorry if it seems that I am advocating a high fat diet, and also that it causes you such painful stomach problems. We are all so individual which is why our doctors have to be involved. I have varices in my stomach and have to be cautious about them bleeding,so I eat a little bit all day just like a person with ulcers would.
Please follow your doctors advice and do exactly as they instruct you. My doctor now only checks me every 6 months for tumors and says with my reduced MELD score that I can keep my liver going for a long time. That is certainly my goal for YOU and for all of us.
Many of my readers have had transplants or are waiting for one. They each have to eat whatever their body will tolerate. Many use Lactulose to help absorb ammonia due to severe liver damage. They know that my reccomendations are a broad stroke and not written in stone. I hope you will receive it the same way.
My heart is with you dear one. I hope you keep in touch. I would love to know more about your diet and how you are doing. I find your zest for following the rules very inspiring! You probably have some great nutritional tips up your sleeve!
xoxo Karen:)
Thank you for adding this comment.
Hello! Thank you for writing in. Karen works very hard to share her experience with HCV, liver cancer, then liver transplant. She pays for this site on her own. The cost of running this site is paid for by Karen. As you may see, there are no ads.
I am Dee, a volunteer and help her as we try to help people that can’t find help.
Take Care!
My dad is in end stage liver failure and finding foods that he will eat is extremely difficult! Thank you for your blog, he’s newly diagnosed and rapidly going down hill and finding your blog has been comforting for me- and helpful as I pass along recipes to my mom to make in hopes daddy will actually eat today. I pray you are doing well and again I thank you for your site! God Bless!
Oh sweetie, I am so sorry to hear this. Improving his diet could help him. I hope you can get him to drink water as that helps the liver work. When Karen was first diagnosed with cirrhosis, she limited her diet a lot until she could figure it out. She ate a lot of oatmeal 🙂
There are a lot of diet tips on this blog, I hope you have found them. Up in the upper right hand corner of the main page there are lots of liver loving diets, tips, even some things from fast food. She just updated her blog about her liver transplant in case you would like to read about it I am giving you the address. https://www.ihelpc.com/going-back-to-bed-after-transplant/#comment-198204
Take care of yourself, Dee
Hello Karen,
Really enjoy reading your blogs! You are very helpful and creative towards helping people with similar issues so thank you very much. My main question is that my liver is quite inflamed from hep and im just wondering if coffee ( caffeine ) is safe for me while my liver is still in this state, Ive tried it once and it really hit me hard then later that day felt quite foggy… I haven’t been diagnosed with cirrhosis yet , though it is only early days 4months since being infected. Any help is really appreciated
Hello there! There is evidence that coffee is good for your liver in that it can help with scarring and fibrosis. You could search for that. But….if you feel sick after drinking it I would not drink it. It is possible it is not helping you. One thing you want to do is drink lots of water, cut out red meat, processed food and salt as much as possible. Chicken and fish are ok.
Good luck to you, thanks for writing
Greetings All
I have had Hep C for over 40 years. I didn’t take any medicine. The Dr. said it was a mild case. I never thought about it till now.
I just responded to your other post. Over 40 years and just now at stage 3 or 4. You’re doing ok. Have they checked for varices or ascites? I cover all of this. If you click on the checkered flag on the right side of the website, it gives you a list of topics.
You’ve got a lot of thinking to do about treating. I hope that you are able to find the support you need from your doctor and family. Let me know if I can help. xo Karen
I was told recently I have cirrhosis. Stage 3-4. I eat pretty good. Woking on changing some things. Been vegan off and on for 20years. They want me to take Harvony. Not sure of the spelling. I Don’t do meds. Trying not to be depressed.
Dang. The Hep C Virus is not going to go away by itself. The medications are scary though. The newer ones aren’t as bad. I was on the first antivirals. I will admit that there are lasting side effects. Many who are using the new ones aren’t having as many. Here’s the deal: kill the virus and your liver gets a break instantly!
I was like you. Pretty healthy, cycling, running, eating very little meat. My liver got soo bad that I had to get rid of HCV. I was dying. You don’t say your age, but your doctors can guide you. Have you read Lucinda Porter’s blog? She is a nurse who took Harvoni and is dong great. There are hopeful stories out here hunnyo. Keep me posted. I check in frequently. xoxo Karen
Get on Harvoni as soon as you can. I had HepC for 42 years, since 14 years old. I tried all the Interferon combination therapy’s in the 90’s and didn’t respond to them. Also the side effects were awful. After one month of Harvoni the virus was gone and my liver panels are normal to this day (17 months now). They kept me on for the maximum 24 weeks just to make sure the virus wasn’t hiding out in other organs or bone marrow. I had NO issues with side effects. I’m on Nadalol (beta blocker) to keep portal hypertension down and that causes more side effects (drowsiness) than Harvoni.
Take it!!!!! I DID IT AND EVEN THOUGH I felt tired i no longer have hep c. Dealing with Cirrhosis from it. A lot of HE BRAIN FOG. IM 36 WITH 3 KIDS AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO EAT MY DOC SAID FOLLOW MEDERTERRANIAN DIET. I catch myself eating poor Foods because I just don’t know I need more specifics not just a broad description I need like when you wake up eat one boiled egg something that will stop the brain fog
Hello and Thank you for stopping by. Yes! I’m so happy that you are getting your brain and your life back. I’ve just written about that diet last week. I hope it helps you.
Happy Happy days are ahead for you and your 3 kiddos. I hope that you are getting the support that you need. Please always reach out and chat here if there is anything I can offer.
Thanks so much,
xo Karen Hoyt
I am a very small person. I don’t weigh 100lbs. I just can’t imagine taking the same dose of medicine for a 300lb. man. I don’t understand that.
You are so very right. I say the SAME thing! I always talk to my doctors about dosage. With the HCV medications, I feel like we get it kind of rough. We are afraid to not take enough. The virus is in a concentration in our blood stream no matter what.
I took the full dose and cleared. So I won’t complain after the fact. I hope you are able to get the dosage right for yourself. xoxo
Much love and thanks,
Karen
My husband was recently diagnosed with advance liver disease – cirrhosis. Interestingly, he had zero symptoms until he got sick in Dec. with a horrible, dry cough that lasted for almost 3 months. In two months, he developed ascites and had a bleed three weeks ago. I am very worried (he’s only 49) about his liver health, but also his mental health. He has been admitted to the hospital twice in the last 4 weeks. The first time he got out, he felt great! This second time (last week), he is weak and has lost weight. We are in the stages of super low sodium cooking. Should he be drinking Ensure or boost to get his strength back? He is also experiencing severe cramping at night. Any suggestions?
Girl, I so regret not getting back to you sooner. I know what you’re going through because that’s my story. I had zero symptoms until my bleed out and ascites too.
My ebook spells it all out. If you can’t afford it right now, send me an email and I’ll forward you a copy. It is more than just recipes, it’s about the whole “will to live” mindset that can help him get back to strength.
Night cramps – Calm magnesium powder 2 tsp before bed. Magnesium oil spray pump also. Both at health food stores.
Boost and ensure are good. You might watch out for whey protein as they can create nausea. I drank a lot of boost…. Love it!
The protein will help him keep his muscle mass.
Don’t give up on him. He can come back and needs love and support. Thanks for being such a caring wife.
xo Karen
I just found out that I’m going to have to have a Liver transplant possible this year not real looking forward to it but if it’s going to help me out then I will do I’m a 48 year old male and I’m scared to death thank you so much for the breakfast ideas they will really work out real good
Hay you!
Sorry for being so late. I hope that you are still doing well. This diet will keep you going before, during and after transplant. Keep me posted on your health journey!
xo Karen
Im not sure yet about having boiled egg in patients with cirrohsis.I just give it to my mum every other day.But still im afraid of giving her egg.
I’ve never heard of the fear of egg unless it is something your dietician or doctor has recommended. I have a friend who never eats eggs of any kind because she is only a plant eater.
I use eggs as an easy source of protein. They are great in a scramble with greens and onions. Also, slice some avocado on it and you’ve got a good meal. A boiled egg with avocado on a salad can be very nourishing for your mom too.
Please let me know how she is doing. OK!
xoxo Karen
xo Karen
Hi it’s Charlene Watts again I’m having alot of pain now it doesn’t seem to matter what I eat it still cause me pain when I eat very little as it is of more healthy foods like a boiled egg ,wheat bran cereal a tossed salad and skinless chicken and salmon or oranges I really don’t understand this could you help me please Thank you
Charlene,
I’m concerned that you might be having an allergic reaction or irritable bowel problems. Sadly, many people are not able to eat fresh greens or even grains. Weren’t you able to do with a pumpkin protein in your shake? Have you tried powdered rice protein with some almond milk?
I’m concerned that you’re going to lose too much weight and not be nourished. Keep me posted and stay so safe dear one.
xo Karen
I was diagnosed with non-alcoholic fatty liver recently, I also have upper right abdomen pain and seem to have diarrhea easily after I eat almost anything. I am overweight, am pre-diabetic, and they considered me to have metabolic syndrome. It all started with ovarian cysts, uterine fibroids, and irregular periods. Do you recommend fasting for different periods of time for liver health ? Thanks I’m advance
Hello and thank you for stopping by to connect.
It sounds like you have so much going on and I hope you are doing well – being several months since you posted. Now that you have the female stuff taken care of, I wonder if your metabolism is getting better or worse? Did you get a hysterectomy? Sorry to be nosy but I also had problems with that and now know that it can affect your liver health. xo
As for fasting, I’m not a fan. We did that back in the late 70s and early 80s. I have not since. My husband and I looked at intermittent fasting and chose not to go that route. He felt it wouldn’t help him, and it could harm me. Now if you are doing it for discipline reasons, you can always have liquid type protein drinks in the morning. In all of my research, I’ve learned that our body wants food in the morning to “break fast” and we should get some carbs and protein in to start our day off.
Would you please stay in touch and keep me posted on your progress.
xo Karen
Is your information useful for someone with cirrhosis from alcohol use? My sweet hubby (72 yo) has this diagnosis after his surgeon discovering ascites during a hernia repair. Long story I don’t need to go into (he has stopped the alcohol consumption), but here we are. His hepatologist has recommended 100g protein/day for him and suggested Glucerna to help him get enough. He has lost weight (some is from the paracentesis and diurectic he is on) and particularly muscle mass. If I understand, you recommend spreading the protein out over the day in small meals instead of a lot at one meal. Feeling more positive after some reading here – the dietary thing is definitely something we can do!
Hello and yes. Absolutely this will work for someone who has or is still using alcohol. I’m late responding, and ask you to please forgive.
I’m so sorry to hear about your husband. I think that you are a dear to be reading to help him. The muscle mass loss is very common. The fact that he is taking the doctor recommendations is awesome. I hope that you will keep me posted. Please take the time to let me know how he (and you) are doing.
All Best Love,
xo Karen