Diet chart
Diet chart for jaundice and acute hepatitis
In jaundice from hepatitis A or E, the liver heals on its own over a few weeks, and the body needs enough calories and protein to recover. Boiled-only, fat-free or no-haldi diets are myths that cause weakness. What matters most is clean water and food, no alcohol, and no medicines or herbal remedies your doctor has not prescribed.
Track today with the food diary →
Key goals
- Normal, balanced home food with enough calories and protein
- Small, frequent meals if appetite is low or you feel nauseous
- Plenty of clean, boiled or filtered water
- No alcohol, and no herbal remedies or medicines your doctor has not prescribed
A sample day
Pick one option for each meal. Portions are for an average adult; adjust them to your hunger and weight.
VegEggNon-vegWestern
- Water or coconut water; tea if you feel like it
- A banana or a few biscuits if you feel nauseous
- Poha, upma, idli or dalia with curd
- A boiled egg with toast or roti
- Oats porridge with fruit Western
- Papaya, banana, orange or apple
- Coconut water, chaas, or ORS if you have vomiting or loose motions
- Roti or rice, dal, a simple sabzi and curd, with normal oil and spices
- Fish curry or chicken soup with rice or roti
- A small bowl of khichdi or poha, or a fruit
- Clear vegetable soup
- Khichdi or curd rice, or roti with dal and sabzi
- Chicken soup or fish curry with rice
- A glass of milk or a bowl of curd if you feel hungry
Daily targets
- Protein
- 0.8–1 g per kg of body weight (about 48–60 g, 60 kg)
- Fibre
- at least 20 g
- Fat
- under 60 g
- Vegetables
- 3 or more katoris
- Fruit
- 2–3 servings
- Water
- 8–12 glasses
- Fried food
- none
- Sugary food and drinks
- at most 1 a day
- Salty food
- at most 1 a day
- 5 or more small meals a day
Choose more
- Normal, balanced home food with enough calories
- Dal, curd, paneer, eggs, fish or chicken for protein
- Fruits and vegetables
- Plenty of clean, boiled or filtered water
- Small, frequent meals if appetite is low
Cut down
- Alcohol, completely, for at least 6 months after recovery
- Herbal remedies, 'liver tonics' and medicines not prescribed by your doctor
- Street food, cut fruit and water from unsafe sources
- Very oily, fried food while you feel nauseous
Good to know
- There is no need to avoid haldi, oil or salt used in normal cooking
- Boiled-food-only diets cause weakness and slow recovery
- Sugarcane juice is fine only if it is clean; it has no special healing power
- Confusion, drowsiness, bleeding, or jaundice still getting worse after two weeks needs urgent care
If you also have
Diabetes
Poor appetite can make sugar fall if you take diabetes medicines or insulin. Eat small, regular meals, check sugar more often, and ask your doctor about adjusting doses.
High BP or heart disease
Keep salt normal to low; there is no need to stop salt completely in jaundice.
Kidney disease
Follow your nephrologist's limits on protein, potassium and fluids, and take care with dehydration if you are vomiting.
Pregnancy
Hepatitis E can be severe in pregnancy. Any jaundice in pregnancy needs to be seen by a doctor the same day.
Age over 65
Older adults can become dehydrated quickly with a poor appetite. Keep fluids up and seek care early.
Track today's food
Tap what you have eaten. The diary compares your day with the chart, shows what is missing and suggests what to eat for the rest of the day.
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Common questions
Can I eat oil and haldi in jaundice?
Yes. Normal cooking amounts of oil, haldi and salt are fine. Fat-free and boiled-only diets cause weakness.
Is non-veg allowed in jaundice?
Yes. Eggs, fish and chicken cooked at home are good protein sources once you can eat. Avoid rich, oily restaurant food while you feel nauseous.
How long should I avoid alcohol after jaundice?
At least 6 months after recovering from hepatitis A or E, and for good if you have hepatitis B or C or liver damage from alcohol.
When to see a doctor
See a doctor within a day or two for any jaundice. Go urgently for confusion, drowsiness, bleeding or high fever with chills, or if you are pregnant.
Other diet charts
General guidance for adults, not a personal prescription. Food values are estimates for a typical home serving. If you have kidney disease, are pregnant, or have been given a specific diet by your doctor, follow that advice.