Foods That Cause Gallbladder Pain

Foods that cause gallbladder pain, like high-fat or high-cholesterol meals, do so by triggering gallstone attacks. Plus, certain dietary choices may increase your risk of developing gallstones in the first place 2.**

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High-cholesterol and fatty foods can cause gallbladder pain, and some dietary factors are linked to developing gallstones in the first place. Gallstones are associated with high intakes of saturated fats, sugar and cholesterol.

Generally speaking, fried foods, spicy foods, fatty foods and anything very high in added sugar can contribute to a gallbladder attack. If you know you have gallstones, note which foods trigger gallbladder pain attacks and do your best to cut down on or eliminate them 2. If you need to have your gallbladder removed, ask your doctor what diet is recommended during your recovery 6.

What Causes Gallbladder Pain?

Certain groups of people are more likely to develop gallstones than others, including women, older people, people with a family history of gallstones, people with obesity and people who have undergone rapid weight loss, such as from weight-loss surgery 2.**cause:

• Certain groups of people are more likely to develop gallstones than others
  
• including women
  
• older people
  
• people with a family history of gallstones
  
• people with obesity
  
• people who have undergone rapid weight loss
  
• such as from weight-loss surgery 2

Foods That Cause Gallbladder Pain

Diet for Gallbladder Sludge

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The Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center notes that certain foods are linked to gallstones, too 24. Gallstone attacks are linked to a high intake of saturated fats from meat and dairy sources, sugar and cholesterol. Conversely, consuming nuts, fiber, vitamin C-rich foods and coffee may reduce your risk of developing gallstones 2.

You may also be more likely to experience a gallstone attack after a meal high in cholesterol or fat. If you know you have gallstones, try to avoid high-fat meals 2.** Some simple swaps include lowering red meat intake in favor of lean poultry or fish, cutting any visible fat from meat before you cook it, baking or grilling your protein instead of frying it in oil and having low-fat milk and yogurt.

If you're concerned about gallbladder attacks, your doctor may be able to share a list of foods that cause gallbladder pain so you can learn what to avoid. It may also be helpful to keep a food diary and to log any gallbladder attacks for a few weeks in order to see what foods trigger them for you.

Read more: Foods to Avoid When You Have Gallstones

Gallbladder Diet Menu Ideas

• Eat plenty of fiber. According to the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research, a high intake of insoluble fiber is associated with a lower risk of needing gallbladder surgery 5.** High-fiber foods include whole-wheat pasta, raspberries, pears, popcorn, brown rice, apples, broccoli, sweetcorn and raw carrots. include:

• High-fiber foods include whole-wheat pasta
  
• raspberries
  
• pears
  
• popcorn
  
• brown rice
  
• apples
  
• broccoli
  
• sweetcorn
  
• raw carrots. 

Ideal Gallbladder Diet After Surgery

Foods to Avoid With Gallbladder Attacks

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Some people may need their gallbladder removed, which is done in an operation known as a cholecystectomy. The surgery can be done via laparoscopic procedure or through a larger incision, with a full recovery time of a few weeks. If you've had surgery to remove your gallbladder, your doctor may recommend some dietary limitations while you're recovering.

According to the Mayo Clinic, some people experience frequent diarrhea after gallbladder removal 267. To help prevent this, the clinic recommends a gallbladder diet after surgery that is low in fat and high in fiber 6. Until your digestive system settles, stick to low-fat foods that contain not more than 3 grams of fat per serving. You should also avoid foods that trigger or worsen diarrhea, including caffeine and sugar.

The Cleveland Clinic suggests eating several small meals throughout the course of each day rather than three large meals 67. Other recommendations for gallbladder diet after surgery include avoiding spicy foods, keeping a food journal in which you note any gastrointestinal symptoms and slowly reintroducing high-fiber foods to your diet 6.**