Table 1 Basic characteristics of the included literature

Liu Mengyue [18] 2022 China

RCT

T:12/18

C:10/20

98 adult patients with MAFLD, medical examination center

I: 50 patients

C: 48 patients

Age:

I: 44.44 ± 12.08

C: 40.84 ± 9.30

Intervention:

Tartary buckwheat + sea buckthorn vinegar drink

Provider:

Researcher

Time:

3 months

Monthly group online health education

a, b, c, d, e, f, g

Before/after 3 months

Liu Luming [19] 2012 China

RCT

T:34/16

C:27/21

87 adult patients with NAFLD, College physical examination center

I: 45 patients

C: 42 patients

Age:

Unreported

Intervention: The experimental group drank 1 serving of hawthorn tea every day and practiced 36 type tai Chi soft ball for 40 min every day

Provider:

Researcher

Time: 90 days

Type 36 Tai Chi soft force ball

a, b, c, d, e, f, g

Before/after 3 months

Tao Zhenghui [20] 2021 China

RCT

Unreported

60 adult patients with NAFLD,

Hospital

I: 30 patients

C: 30 patients

Age:

I: 41.00 ± 2.33

C: 40.00 ± 2.30

Hawthorn, 60 g, in 2000 ml of water; boil and drink tea daily

Provider:

Researcher

Time:

3 months

Conventional therapy

a, b, c, d

Before/after 3 months

Roya Rafie [21] 2020 Iron

RCT

Unreported

46 adult patients,

Outpatient Department of the gastroenterology clinic

I: 23

C: 23

Age:

I: 50.04 ± 10.26

C: 47.95 ± 9.24

Capsules of ginger (1500 mg/day)

Provider:

Researcher

Time: 12 weeks

capsules of placebo (1500 mg/day)

a, b, c, d, e, f, g

Before/after 12 weeks

Milad Daneshi-Maskooni [22] 2019 Iron

RCT

T:27/16

C:27/17

87 adult patients were enrolled general clinic

I: 43

C: 44

Age: 30–60 years,

Two cardamom capsules 500 mg 3 times daily

Provider:

Researcher Time: 3 months

Identical placebos (starch)3 g

a, b, c, d, e

Before/after 3 months

Maryam jarhahzadeh [23] 2021 Iron

RCT

T:19/13

C:19/13

64 adult patients were enrolled at a hospital

I: 32

C: 32

Age:

I: 44.12 ± 8.35

C: 38.56 ± 10.43

Supplemented with Turmeric (2 g/daily)

Provider:

Researcher

Time:

8 weeks

Identical placebos (starch)

a, b, c, d, e

Before/after 8 weeks

Mehran Rahimlou [24] 2016 Iron

RCT

T:11/11

C:9/13

44 adult patients were enrolled at a hospital

I: 23

C: 21

Age:

I: 45.45 ± 2.31

C: 45 ± 2.14

Capsules of ginger (2000 mg/day)

Provider:

Researcher

Time:

12 weeks

Identical placebos (starch)

f, g

Before/after 12 weeks

Aida Ghaffari [25] 2019 Iron

RCT

T1:10/11

T2:9/12

T3:14/8

C:13/8

44 adult patients were enrolled at a hospital

TUR: CHI: TUR + CHI: PLA = 21: 21: 22: 21

Age:

TUR: 42.5 ± 6.93

CHI: 41.0 ± 8.61

TUR + CHI: 41.5 ± 7.68

PLA group: 40.3 ± 9.26

TUR: 3 g/d turmeric;

CHI: 9 g/d of powdered chicory seed;

TUR + CHI: turmeric and chicory seed

Provider:

Researcher

Time:

12 weeks

Identical placebos (starch)

a, b, c, d, f, g

Before/after 12 weeks

Aida Ghaffari [26] 2017 Iron

RCT

T:11/10

C:8/13

44 adult patients were enrolled at a hospital

I: 21

C: 21

Age:

I: 42.09 ± 7.23

C: 40.38 ± 9.26

3 g of turmeric

Provider:

Researcher Time: 12wekks

Placebo

e

Before/after 12 weeks

Roya Navekar [27] 2017 Iron

RCT

T:10/11

C:8/13

44 adult patients were enrolled at a clinic

I: 21

C: 21

Age:

T: 42.09 ± 7.23

C: 40.38 ± 9.26

Six turmeric capsules daily

Provider:

ResearcherTime: 12 weeks

Placebo

e, f, g

Before/after 12 weeks

Faezeh Askari [28] 2013 Iron

RCT

T:11/12

C:11/11

45 adult patients were enrolled at a clinic

I: 23

C: 22

Age:

T: 44.8 ± 8.5

C: 45.4 ± 8.2

Capsules of cinnamon (1500 mg/day)

Provider: ResearcherTime: 8 weeks

Two placebo capsules (wheat flour)

a, b, c, d, e, f, g

Before/after 12 weeks

Alireza Gheflati [29] 2019 Iron

RCT

Unreported

54 adult patients were enrolled at a clinic

I: 27

C: 27

Age:

I: 40.07 ± 9.52

C: 39.81 ± 8.84

20 g/day of purslane seeds + low‐

calorie diet

Provider: ResearcherTime: 8 weeks

The low‐calorie diet

a, b, c, d, e

2W/4W/8W

Farnaz Kaviani Pour [30] 2020 Iron

RCT

T:21/17

C:22/16

72 adult patients were enrolled at a clinic

I: 36

C: 36

Age:

I: 43.42 ± 10.62

C: 42.05 ± 8.27

100 mg saffron

Provider: ResearcherTime: 12 weeks

Placebo

f, g

Before/after 12 weeks