Eating leafy greens - particularly spinach - and nuts could alleviate the symptoms of liver disease, according to new research.
Scientists believe that eating foods which are high in vitamin E could reduce the symptoms of liver disease which has been brought on by obesity.
Dr Danny Manor, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio, US, said: "The implications of our findings could have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people who are at potential risk for developing obesity-related liver disease in their lifetimes."
Dr Manor and his team studied a group of mice that were in the advanced stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis.
Known as NASH for short, this is a common complication of obesity characterised by fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver.
It is most common in people who are obese, have type 2 diabetes, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
It is the most severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and is a major cause of tissue scarring, known as cirrhosis, which leads to liver failure and may progress to liver cancer.
Vitamin E had been shown by recent studies to alleviate some symptoms of NASH in human patients, suggesting that there is a link between vitamin E levels and liver disease.
To test this hypothesis, the team studied mice which were deprived of vitamin E.
As expected, they observed increased fat deposition and other signs of liver injury in the mice.
Scientists believe that eating foods which are high in vitamin E could reduce the symptoms of liver disease which has been brought on by obesity.
They say this confirms the relationship between vitamin E deficiency and liver disease.
The precise effects of vitamin E on health have previously been difficult to ascertain, although its antioxidative properties were suggested to offer some protection from a variety of well-known conditions including heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's.
Dr Manor added: "These findings may have a significant impact on public health as the vast majority of adults do not consume the amount of vitamin E recommended by the National Institute of Medicine."
