Gallbladder Issues: Foods To Avoid When You Have Gallstones

Your gallbladder plays a role in your digestive system by storing bile prior to its secretion into the gut after a meal. Gallstones, although common, can cause extreme pain and discomfort and need to be managed by watching what you eat. Here are some healthy tips when it comes to what foods to avoid to keep your gallbladder happy:

Fats and oils

Gallstones are small stones that form in the gallbladder and are made of cholesterol, bile salts and other substances produced by the liver. This means that it’s important to reduce the amount of fat you put into your body to prevent or control the pain due to gallstones.

Fats and oils are especially high in calories and can make you gain weight, which is something that should definitely be avoided if you are already suffering from gallstones.

Fried foods

When suffering from gallbladder issues it is helpful to try and reduce your intake of saturated fat altogether to try to prevent or control gallstone-related pain.

Although we all love some fried food now and again, it’s generally high in fat, cholesterol and salt whilst being loaded with calories.

Processed foods

Steering away from processed foods is a great way to try and support your gallbladder and prevent the further formation of gallstones. If you’re not sure what types of food this would include, here are some examples:

• Processed meats such as hot dogs, sausages or any meat from a can
• Cakes, cookies, doughnuts, pie
• Dairy products such as cheese, butter, ice cream

What can I eat?

Minimising the amount of saturated fat you put into your body will help to decrease the inflammation of existing gallstones and also prevent the development of new ones. So, what can you eat?

• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Whole grains
• Lean meat, poultry, and fish
• Low-fat dairy products

Diet is just one part of keeping issues at bay, maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle is also crucial. Contrary to popular belief it’s not always necessary to have gallbladder surgery, with proper management and lifestyle choices there is a good chance that your condition will not worsen.

Experiencing gallbladder discomfort and need some advice? Get in contact with us at our Birmingham HPB Clinic so we can help.