What foods to eat with gallstones

You can lower your risk of gallstones by following a healthy eating plan and getting regular physical activity to help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

Experts recommend the following to help prevent gallstones:

• Eat more foods that are high in fiber, such as
  • fruits, vegetables, beans, and peas.
  • whole grains, including brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread.
• Eat fewer refined carbohydrates and less sugar.
• Eat healthy fats, like fish oil and olive oil, to help your gallbladder contract and empty on a regular basis.
• Avoid unhealthy fats, like those often found in desserts and fried foods.

You can lower your risk of gallstones by eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight.

Talk with your health care professional before you make any changes to your eating plan. Losing weight too quickly may cause health problems. Very low-calorie diets and weight-loss surgery can lead to rapid weight loss and raise your risk of gallstones. Learn more about weight-loss, dieting, and gallstones.

This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.

Fatty, sugary, processed foods are the worst foods to eat when your gall bladder is acting up. Eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and legumes will help reduce the frequency and severity of your gallbladder attacks.

Diets high in fat and cholesterol may contribute to the development of gallstones. 

The best foods to eat that may help minimize gallbladder pain include:

• Low fat foods
• Minimally processed foods
• Plant-based proteins (beans, lentils, chickpeas, quinoa)
• Vegetables and fruits
• Sprouted nuts and seeds
• Whole grains
• Legumes
• Lean meats and fish

Foods that may trigger gallbladder attacks include:

• Fatty foods
• Fried foods
• Dairy products
• Sugary foods
• Eggs
• Acidic foods
• Carbonated soft drinks

Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are small stones that form inside the gallbladder. They can range in size from tiny specks to as large as the entire gallbladder, up to 6 inches long. Most are smaller than 1-inch. 

There are two types of gallstones:

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ located under the liver that stores bile, a fluid that helps the body break down fat in food.

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A gallbladder attack occurs when a gallstone blocks a bile duct, resulting in severe, stabbing pain in the belly that can last several hours. Medications may be tried first, but they can take months to years to dissolve the stones, and gallstones often return.

Symptoms of a gallbladder attack include:

• Severe, stabbing belly pain  
• Abdominal tenderness
• Back or shoulder pain
• Chest pain
• Fever or chills
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Pain after eating 
• Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)
• Tea-colored urine and light-colored stools

REFERENCES: Medscape Medical Reference

How do you flush out gallstones?

Gallstones can’t be flushed out of your system. However, following a healthy, balanced diet, low in fat and high in fibre, can ease your symptoms. If your gallstones are causing you frequent or severe symptoms, there are treatments available including gallbladder removal surgery, endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP) to remove gallstones or medication to dissolve your gallstones (although medication is not usually very effective). 

Are eggs bad for gallstones?

No, eggs are not bad for gallstones as they are high in protein but low in fat. 

What fruit is good for gallstones?

Eating a range of fruits as part of a healthy, balanced diet is good for gallstones, particularly fruits rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits. 

Can I eat bananas with gallstones?

Yes, you can eat bananas with gallstones as they are very low in fat and contain vitamins C and B6 and magnesium, which are all good for your gallbladder. However, don’t overdo it as bananas also contain a fair amount of sugar. 

Is yoghurt good for gallstones?

You can eat dairy products, including yoghurt, as part of a gallbladder-friendly diet. However, opt for low-fat options. You can therefore get the benefits, protein and calcium, without eating too much fat. 

Can I eat mashed potatoes with gallstones?

As mashed potatoes are usually made with a lot of butter ie contain a lot of fat, it is better to have it in small amounts or choose to eat your potatoes in a different way that uses less fat eg boiled or baked. 

Can lemon juice dissolve gallstones?

No, drinking lemon juice doesn’t dissolve gallstones. 

What can I drink with gallstones?

It is important to stay hydrated if you have gallstones by drinking at least two litres of fluid every day, such as water or herbal tea. However, you should avoid drinking alcohol as this can worsen your symptoms.

Can you poop out gallstones?

Yes, small gallstones can pass out of your body in your stools. However, larger gallstones may get stuck in your bile duct and you may therefore need medical treatment. 

Remedies for gallstones

In most cases, small gallstones can pass through the body without any treatment or medication. However, if you’re experiencing pain, your doctor may recommend surgery to remove the gallbladder. 

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the most common surgery for gallstones. Your doctor makes several small incisions to insert a narrow tube and remove the gallbladder. Open cholecystectomy involves larger cuts to the abdomen to remove the gallbladder and may lead to a longer recovery time. 

If your doctor thinks you shouldn’t have surgery—due to a medical condition or otherwise—they may recommend medication instead. Chenodiol and ursodiol can dissolve cholesterol stones. They may need to be taken for months or years to fully dissolve the stones.

Foods to eat for gallstones

While surgery is the most common treatment for gallbladder stones, milder cases may be treated through diet and lifestyle changes. These changes can also reduce the likelihood that the gallstones will return. 

Studies show that people who follow a healthy diet have a lower risk of gallstones or gallbladder disease. Knowing which foods to eat and which to avoid may help resolve symptoms and reduce the risk of gallstones returning. Some of the foods which may help with gallstones include:

Fruits and vegetables

A diet high in fruits and vegetables can help improve the health of your gallbladder. Foods that are high in fiber, Vitamin C, calcium, or B vitamins are essential to a healthy gallbladder. Some fruits and vegetables to incorporate in your diet are: 

• Citrus fruits
• Bell peppers
• Leafy greens 
• Tomatoes 

Fiber 

Fiber is known for promoting digestive health. It may also help the movement of food through the gut and lower the production of bile, which can reduce the risk of developing gallbladder disease. 

One study found that a high fiber diet led to lower production of biliary sludge for people who are losing weight rapidly. Biliary sludge, which may build up when people fast or lose weight quickly, increases the risk of gallbladder disease. Foods that are high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains.

Low-fat dairy 

Reducing fat can also help prevent gallstones. Low-fat dairy, like milk or cheese, can help reduce the amount of fat in the diet. 

Milk alternatives, including almond milk, oat milk, or soy milk, can also be substituted for whole milk. 

Lean protein

While red meat and dairy are good sources of protein, they can also be high in fat, which puts stress on the gallbladder. 

Low-fat proteins, like poultry, fish, nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, and soy products, can offer lean protein without the added fat. One study found a link between vegetable proteins and lower risk of gallbladder disease.