Gallbladder Diet

How can diet help gallbladder problems?

Diet doesn’t directly cause or cure gallbladder problems. However, there are changes you can make in your diet that may help prevent gallstones. And if you already have gallstones, you may be able to lessen your discomfort.

Gallstones are solid particles made from bile in the gallbladder. Bile can contain cholesterol. It may also contain other substances, such as bilirubin. (Bilirubin is made from the breakdown of old blood cells.) If there is too much cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile, the bile can turn into a solid form called a gallstone. Gallstones may stay in the gallbladder or they may move into the ducts that drain bile. If they block the outlet of the gallbladder or a bile duct, they can cause a lot of pain.

You may be able to limit the problems you have with gallstones if you:

• Lose weight if you are overweight. Then keep a healthy weight by watching your calories, eating a variety of healthy foods, and getting regular exercise.
• Are careful about what foods you eat.

What changes should I make in my diet?

Changing your diet won’t help you get rid of gallstones, but it may help lessen your symptoms and prevent new stones.

If you are overweight, eating a healthier diet can help you lose weight. Being overweight is an important risk factor for gallbladder disease. Controlling your weight can make it less likely that your body will make gallstones. If you decide to lose weight, be careful about how you do it. Losing weight too fast, “yo-yo” dieting, and fasting increase the risk of gallstones. It’s best to aim to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. Check with your healthcare provider about the best way for you to lose weight.

Doctors think that eating foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol and low in fiber may increase the risk for gallbladder problems or make them worse. Fatty food may make the gallbladder squeeze more. This can increase your pain if gallstones are blocking the flow of bile. Also, foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol and low in fiber contribute to obesity and diabetes. Both of these health problems increase your chances of having gallstones.

Avoid or eat less of the following foods:

• fatty red meat
• whole-milk and whole-milk products, like butter, cheese, and ice cream
• fried foods
• refined sugar and other refined carbohydrates, which are often in cakes, pies, and cookies

Avoiding these high-calorie and refined foods can also help you have and keep a healthy weight.

Try to eat a variety of healthy foods:

• Eat more fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Get more protein from vegetables, such as soybeans and soybean products.
• Eat lean meat, fish, and poultry.
• Eat and drink low-fat milk products, like skim milk and low-fat yogurt, rather than whole-milk products like butter cheese.
• Eat foods that contain monounsaturated fats, such as olive or canola oil, peanuts, tree nuts, and omega-3 fats (found in canola oil, flax seed, walnuts and fish oils, for example).
• Get enough vitamin C. Food high in this vitamin are citrus fruits (like oranges), strawberries, broccoli, leafy greens, and potatoes.

Some studies suggest that drinking caffeinated coffee every day can lower the risk of gallstones. The caffeine in coffee is thought to help bile move through the gallbladder and help it empty. This could lower the cholesterol in the bile. Drinking other caffeinated drinks, such as soda or tea, has not shown the same benefit.

Be sure to exercise regularly. It helps you get to and keep a healthy weight. Regular exercise may also help reduce cholesterol in the gallbladder and bile ducts. This may also help prevent gallstones.

Do I need to follow a special diet after gallbladder surgery?

After gallbladder surgery, you can usually eat a regular diet “as tolerated” when you go home from the hospital. Always follow your healthcare provider’s diet order. There may be particular changes you need to make in your diet after surgery.

There are differences in how people tolerate going back to a regular diet after surgery. The diet described earlier for prevention or management of gallbladder symptoms is also a good one to follow after your gallbladder is removed.