Diet and nutrition after your liver transplant

After your liver transplant, you may need to adjust your diet to keep your liver healthy and functioning well and to prevent excessive weight gain. You should maintain a healthy weight, which can help prevent infections, high blood pressure and other complications. Your nutrition specialist (dietitian) and other members of your treatment team will work with you to create a healthy-eating plan that meets your needs and complements your lifestyle.

Your dietitian will provide you with several healthy-food options and ideas to use in your eating plan. Your dietitian's recommendations may include:

  • Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day
  • Eating lean meats, poultry and fish
  • Eating whole-grain breads and cereals and other grains
  • Having enough fiber in your daily diet
  • Drinking low-fat milk or eating other low-fat dairy products, to help maintain enough calcium
  • Maintaining a low-salt and low-fat diet
  • Following food safety guidelines
  • Avoiding alcohol
  • Staying hydrated by drinking adequate water and other fluids each day
  • Avoiding grapefruit and grapefruit juice due to its effect on a group of immunosuppression medications (calcineurin inhibitors)

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July 11, 2013