It's common to think of a healthy diet as being low in fat, but new evidence shows that switching to a diet high in the right fats may be the best eating habits for people with fatty liver.

In a randomized controlled study, data were collected from 165 individuals between the ages of 18 and 78 years with type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, the results of which were presented at the International Liver Conference (ILC) 2022.

During the study, 110 participants were asked to stick to a low-carb, high-fat diet for six months, while 55 participants stuck to a low-fat diet, and all participants were told not to lose weight or restrict calories, but to eat until they were full.

The results showed that participants who were eating a low-carb, high-fat diet got 61% of their calories from fat, which corresponded to a quart of olive oil per day.

The results also indicated that the participants really had to change their way of thinking a lot, because it was difficult for them to start eating all those fats, especially since it was believed for decades that fats weren't good.

However, contrary to what many believe, the study authors found that a low-carb, high-fat diet "improves diabetes control and reduces fat in the liver," according to researcher Camilla Dalby-Hansen, who presented the findings at the conference.

Although the study participants ate the same number of calories they used to until they were full, they lost 5.8% of their body weight, according to the researcher, who noted that "if you have liver fat, you benefit from eating fat."

As for the ideal choices for liver-friendly fats, doctors suggest eating avocado, nuts, and salmon, as well as olives and olive oil.