Table 3 The observations and conclusions of the included literature

[18]

After 3 months, the improvement rate of fatty liver grading in the observation group was 52.0%, which was higher than that in control group (22.9%) (P < 0.05)

Combined drinking of tartary buckwheat and sea buckthorn vinegar can effectively improve the fatty liver grading of MAFLD patients. It is not considered that combined drinking of Tartary buckwheat and sea buckthorn vinegar can help reduce the blood glucose, blood fat and liver function of MAFLD patients

[19]

Ninety days of Tai Chi soft ball combined with Hawthorn tea can significantly reduce the content of ALT, AST, TG, TC, LDL-C and FBG in NAFLD patients (P < 0.01) and increase the level of HDL-C (P < 0.01). This effect is better than that of the control group (P < 0.05)

Hawthorn tea combined with people’s recreational, economical and effective Tai Chi soft ball exercise for fat reduction, weight control and disease prevention; the benign intervention effect is very obvious

[20]

The HDL-C, LDL-C, TG and TC levels in experimental group were better than those in control group, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). The total clinical effective rate of the experimental group was 93. 33%, which was higher than that of the control group (76.67%), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05)

A long-term, large dose of hawthorn can reduce blood lipid levels and improve clinical efficiency in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver caused by high fat diet

[21]

At the end of the study, serum levels of ALT, TC, LDL-C and FBG in the group receiving a ginger supplement were significantly decreased compared to placebo

The ginger supplement may be used as a complementary therapy along with existing therapies to reduce insulin resistance, liver enzymes and inflammation in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver

[22]

Compared with placebo, cardamom capsules significantly increased HDL-c levels and decreased TG and LDL-C levels and the grade of fatty liver (P < 0.05)

Cardamom capsules supplementation improved the grade of fatty liver and lipids among overweight or obese NAFLD patients

[23]

At the end of the study, the Turmeric group showed a significant reduction in liver enzymes (AST before 26.81 ± 10.54 after 21.19 ± 5.67, P = 0.044, ALT before 39.56 ± 22.41, after 30.51 ± 12.61, P = 0.043) compared with the placebo group. The serum levels of TG, LDL and HDL were significantly decreased in the turmeric group as compared to baseline, and there was no significant change in placebo group (P < 0.05)

This study suggests that daily consumption of turmeric (and its active phenolic ingredients as curcumin) supplementation could be effective in management of NAFLD and decreasing serum level of liver transaminases

[24]

Ginger supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in ALT, γ-glutamyl transferase, and inflammatory cytokine levels, the insulin resistance index and hepatic steatosis grade in comparison to the placebo

Twelve weeks of two grams of ginger supplementation showed beneficial effects on some NAFLD characteristics

[25]

Significant decreases in BMI and waist circumference were observed in the subjects in CHI and TUR + CHI groups, compared with those in the PLA group (p < 0.05). Serum levels of HDL-C were considerably increased in the TUR and TUR + CHI groups (p < 0.05 vs. placebo). Turmeric supplementation alone and plus chicory seed led to significant reduction in serum levels of TG/HDL-C and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in TUR and TUR + CHI groups in comparison with the placebo (p < 0.05)

Turmeric and chicory seed supplementation can be useful in the management of NAFLD risk factors

[26]

Serum levels of glucose and insulin and the homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance vales were significantly decreased in the turmeric group (by 1.22%, 17.69% and 19.48%, P = 0.039, P = 0.013 and P = 0.001, respectively) compared to the placebo at the end of the study

Turmeric consumption may be useful in the management of risk factors in NAFLD patients

[27]

Turmeric consumption decreased serum levels of glucose and insulin, the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance values, and leptin levels (by 1.22, 17.69, 19.48 and 21.33%, respectively, p < 0.05 for all) over 12 weeks compared with those variables in the placebo group

Turmeric supplementation improved glucose indices and serum leptin levels and may be useful in the control of NAFLD complications

[28]

In the treatment group (P < 0.05), significant decreases in FBG,TC,TG, ALT, AST levels were seen, but there was no significant change in serum high-density lipoproteins levels (P = 0 .122). In both groups, low-density lipoprotein levels decreased significantly (P < 0 .05)

The study suggests that taking 1500 mg cinnamon daily may be effective in improving NAFLD characteristics

[29]

Intake of purslane seeds with the low‐calorie diet led to a significant decrease in serum concentrations of FBG (− 3.52 ± 10.45 compared with 3.03 ± 9.01 mg/dl, P = 0.017), TC (4.33 ± 34.04 compared with 23.48 ± 29.47 mg/dl, P = 0.032), and LDL‐C (− 4.35 ± 22.65 compared with 11.82 ± 16.08 mg/dl, P = 0.004) after intervention

Compared with that in the control group, purslane seed consumption with adherence to a low‐calorie diet had beneficial effects on FBG and LDL‐C levels in patients with NAFLD but did not affect other glycemic, lipid profile, and oxidative stress parameters

[30]

In the treatment group, significant decreases in leptin (− 0.27 ng/ml, 95% CI =  − 0.65, − 0.10, p = 0.040) and malondialdehyde (− 1.01 ng/ml, 95% CI =  − 1.89, − 0.14, p = 0.023) levels and a significant increase in total antioxidant capacity

(0.34 μmol/L, 95% CI = 0.08, 0.61, p = 0.011) were observed compared to the placebo group

In the present study, 12 weeks of 100 mg of saffron supplementation indicated beneficial effects on the serum levels of some inflammatory, oxidative stress, and adipokines biomarkers, but it had no significant effect on serum concentrations of liver enzymes and anthropometric and body composition measurements