To evaluate the results of patient's early eating after hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Subject and method: From May 2021 to April 2012, 123 patients with HCC underwent hepatectomy. Sixty patients took diet postoperative flatus-pass (Stage 1: conventional diet group); 63 patients took early diet postoperative 6 hours (Stage 2: early diet group. Comparison between the two groups: Patient characteristics, flatus-pass time, nausea, vomiting, admission days, postoperative day (POD) 1, 3, 5, 7 profiles of albumin, prothrombin, total bilirubin, GOT, GPT, and postoperative complications. Result: Flatus-pass time and postoperative admission days were shorter in the early diet group compared with the conventional diet group, statistically significant (p<0.05). Total bilirubin levels were lower at POD#3 and 5 in the early diet group; GOT and GPT levels were higher at POD#1 but lower at POD#3, 5, and 7. There were no significant differences in albumin, prothrombin, and postoperative complication rates. Conclusion: Early diet group has better gastrointestinal motility recovery, liver function recovery, and shorter postoperative admission days; no difference in nutritional recovery and postoperative complication rates compared to the conventional diet group.