Diet and Food Guidance for Jaundice

Diet supports the liver while it recovers but does not cure jaundice. Follow any specific diet your doctor gives.

What helps

• Small, frequent, light meals if you feel sick
• Plain home-cooked food such as rice, dal, khichdi, chapati, cooked vegetables and fruit
• Enough protein, such as dal, eggs, curd or milk, unless the doctor restricts it in advanced liver disease
• Plenty of clean fluids, such as boiled water, coconut water and oral rehydration solution
• Clean, well-cooked food and safe drinking water, which prevent hepatitis A and E

What to avoid

• Alcohol, completely
• Very oily, fried and heavy food while nauseous
• Street food, uncooked food and unsafe water
• Herbal supplements, tonics and traditional powders unless your doctor agrees
• Raw shellfish
• Strict fasting or extreme diets

Common myths

There is no need to avoid all turmeric in food, but turmeric supplements and herbal liver tonics have caused liver injury in some people. There is no proof that sugarcane juice or other single foods cure jaundice, and unhygienic juice can add infection risk.

Special situations

• With advanced liver disease, the doctor may restrict salt, protein or fluids.
• With gallstones or blocked bile ducts, a low-fat diet may ease symptoms until treatment.
• With diabetes, keep blood sugar under control.
• Breastfed newborns with jaundice should be fed often, 8 to 12 times a day.

Ayurvedic dietary advice

Ayurveda suggests avoiding hot, spicy, sour and fermented food and favouring light, cooling, freshly cooked meals. This is traditional guidance.

Key point

Eat light, clean, home-cooked food, drink safe fluids and avoid alcohol.

Before your appointment

Note when the yellow colour began and the colour of your urine and stools. List all medicines, herbs, supplements and alcohol use. Mention fever, itching, abdominal pain, weight loss, recent travel, injections, transfusions, tattoos and contact with others with jaundice. For a baby, note birth date, feeding pattern, wet nappies and the mother's blood group. Ask about tests, the likely cause and which signs need urgent care. Call 112 for confusion, bleeding or severe pain with fever.