The gallbladder is a tiny, pear-shaped organ located underneath the liver. It helps the liver by collecting bile and releasing it into the small intestine to aid digestion. Its size leaves it prone to inflammation and gallstones, and about 2,000 Americans die every year from gallbladder cancer.
You must do everything you can to keep this little organ happy and functional. Here are 10 nutrition tips to take care of your gallbladder and stay healthy!
Drink Plenty of Fluids
Water and other healthy fluids help the gallbladder release bile and prevent it from building up. Adult men and women have different recommended daily fluid totals:
- Adult men: 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) per day
- Adult women: 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) per day
Keep in mind that these numbers account for all fluids you consume throughout the day. That includes water, coffee, other beverages, and even liquids from food. Drinking eight glasses of water per day will help you reach the recommended total with little issue.
Stick to Healthy Fats
Understanding the difference between healthy and unhealthy fats will do wonders for your gallbladder. Unsaturated fats primarily come from plant-based foods and are very good for you, while saturated fats are over processed and difficult to digest. Stick with foods high in unsaturated fats, such as these nutritious options:
- Nuts – peanuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, pecans
- Seeds – pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds
- Avocados
- Corn
- Fish
Unsaturated fat has two subcategories. Monounsaturated fats consist of one bond between fatty acids, while polyunsaturated fats have between two and six bonds. These fats have several amazing benefits for your gallbladder and body:
- Improve blood cholesterol levels
- Reduce inflammation
- Stabilize heartbeat
Inflammation is one of the most common gallbladder ailments, so a healthy dose of unsaturated fats in your diet can help maintain its size and shape.
Choose Lean Alternatives
On the other hand, saturated fats should largely be avoided. Too many saturated fats raise cholesterol to unhealthy levels, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke. The gallbladder has a hard time digesting them, which might lead to gallstones. You will find high amounts of saturated fat in these foods:
- Fatty meat
- Cheese
- Full-fat dairy products
- Butter
- Sweets
- Processed foods
- Coconut oil
Conveniently, most of these foods have better alternatives. You can buy lean cuts of meat and low-fat dairy products. Replace butter with one of the oils we mentioned earlier. Instead of having cookies and cakes, try a healthier snack like apples with peanut butter. Processed foods are becoming more difficult to avoid, but getting healthy requires creativity.
Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
This advice applies to everyone, but fruits and vegetables especially help the gallbladder because of their high vitamin C and E levels. Vitamin C boosts collagen production, strengthens blood vessels, and supports the immune system. It also acts as an antioxidant, keeping your digestive tract clean and eliminating toxins.
Vitamin E is another antioxidant that prevents inflammation throughout the body, including the digestive system. The gallbladder benefits from all of these functions. While all fruits and veggies have exceptional levels of vitamins C and E, a handful of power foods have higher levels of both vitamins:
- Berries
- Kiwis
- Cantaloupe
- Broccoli
- Baked potatoes
- Citrus fruits
On top of high vitamin content, fruits and vegetables contain lots of water and fiber, which fill you up and help move digestion along smoothly.
Eliminate Fried Foods
You should wholeheartedly avoid fried foods in your diet. They’re usually high in saturated fats before preparation, but frying them adds a new layer (literally) of unhealthiness with additional calories and salt. Excess saturated fats, calories, and salt can cause heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and other complications.
We usually prepare fried foods in vegetable oil, which triggers more unhealthy fats when cooked and can cause inflammation. Do your gallbladder a favor and cut fried foods from your diet as much as you can.
Cook With Olive Oil
Instead of using vegetable oil, cook with olive oil instead. Olive oil has a solid amount of unsaturated fats, which helps your gallbladder empty, as we mentioned earlier.
You should make olive oil the staple cooking ingredient of your diet. It’s much healthier than these options:
- Butter
- Canola oil
- Peanut oil
- Soybean oil
- Sesame oil
- Sunflower oil
If you can’t get your hands on olive oil, avocado and coconut oil are good choices too.
Have a Bit of Alcohol With Dinner
Drinking a glass of wine or beer with your dinner can have some surprising health benefits. Studies show that alcohol increases HDL or “good” cholesterol levels and lowers the risk of gallstones and gallbladder cancer.
However, moderation is the key. Don’t make a habit of drinking every night. Twice a week is more than enough.
Don’t Skip Meals
Your gallbladder releases bile every time you eat, so it’s essential to maintain a consistent eating schedule to keep the gallbladder from filling up too much. When bile builds up, it raises cholesterol to unhealthy levels and causes inflammation, which can harden into gallstones. Inflammation and gallstones are two of the leading causes of gallbladder cancer.
Eating regularly throughout the day keeps the gallbladder active and stable. It also benefits the entire body, giving you timely nutrients and preventing any vitamin or mineral deficiencies.
Lose Weight Slowly
Consistent eating also encourages methodical weight loss, which is much better for your body than sudden weight loss. When your body drops a lot of pounds in a short timeframe, the gallbladder doesn’t release bile as efficiently and can accumulate excess fluids. Aim to lose a maximum of two pounds per week through diet and exercise. Your gallbladder and other digestive organs will thank you for it.
Consider Medical Treatments
When all else fails, you can turn to medical treatments. If you suspect your gallbladder has a serious condition, go to the hospital for an abdominal ultrasound and blood test. If they identify a large stone or infection, you will likely need a cholecystectomy or gallbladder removal surgery. Without the gallbladder, bile will simply pass from the liver directly into the small intestine.
You can also try gallbladder medications to dissolve stones or fight infections. However, it may take months or years for the treatment to run its course. A cholecystectomy or diet change are the best bets for your long-term health.
Help Out Your Gallbladder
Although humans can technically survive without the gallbladder, it lightens the liver’s workload and assists in digestion by releasing bile at the right times. You can make the gallbladder’s job easier through a well-balanced diet that includes unsaturated fats, vitamins, plenty of fluids, and consistent eating. You can even throw a glass of wine into the mix.
Just remember: a proper diet only works to its full potential along with an active lifestyle. Get up and get moving!
