Key Takeaways
- Your gallbladder stores and secretes bile to aid with the digestion of dietary fats in meals and snacks.
- If you have gallstones or gallbladder disease, you should eat smaller meals more frequently throughout the day and include fiber-rich grains, beans, vegetables, and fruits as often as possible.
- Some people may also benefit from decreasing their fat intake at meals, as dietary fats stimulate the gallbladder to release bile and could worsen symptoms.
A gallbladder attack can be painful, and dietary changes may improve symptoms and prevent future flare-ups.
There is no official diet for managing gallbladder disease, but key nutrition tips recommended to prevent more gallstones from developing include reducing your dietary fat intake at meals, eating more fiber-rich foods, and eating smaller meals more frequently to make digestion easier.
However, cutting back too much fat from your diet isn’t necessary, and working with a nutrition expert, like a registered dietitian, can help you make food choices that align with your health goals and help you meet your nutritional requirements.
To get started, try our 7-day gallbladder diet menu plan and learn how to sign up for nutrition counseling services covered by insurance.
Book an appointment with an online dietitian
Covered by insurance.
Book an appointment with an online dietitian
Covered by insurance.
What to Eat on a Gallbladder Diet
Gallbladder disease happens when gallstones form and block the bile ducts of your biliary tract.
These tracts release bile during digestion to break down dietary fats in the stomach, and when they’re blocked, you can experience massive amounts of pain called a gallbladder attack.
Health authorities recommend following these diet tips for a healthy gallbladder:
- Eat high-fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, beans, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.
- Limit your refined carbohydrates (white breads, ultra-processed cereals, etc.) and try to eat less sugar.
- Include small amounts of healthy fats throughout the day, like a drizzle of olive oil, a quarter or half a portion of an avocado, a spoonful of nut butter, etc.
- Limit your intake of saturated and trans fats in deep-fried foods, commercial baked goods, etc.
Gallbladder Diet Menu Plan
Try our 7-day gallbladder diet menu plan below. We’ve included three main courses plus snacks to enjoy throughout the day.
However, you may feel better by having smaller, more frequent meals, and you can ask your dietitian for customized serving size recommendations.
Day 1
Breakfast
Two pieces of whole grain toasted bread, each topped with ÂĽ cup of nonfat cottage cheese, fresh raspberries, and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon and ground flax seed.
Lunch
A large shredded kale salad with roasted chicken breast, cubed sweet potatoes, unsweetened dried cranberries, fresh apple, cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion. Add a spoonful of low-fat crumbled feta cheese.
Dress with one to two tablespoons of apple cider vinaigrette.
Dinner
Roasted tofu with cauliflower and broccoli, seasoned with soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and a splash of orange juice.
Serve with brown rice and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds.
Snacks
Vegetable sticks with hummus; roasted chickpeas.
Day 2
Breakfast
Nonfat plain Greek yogurt with diced pear, ÂĽ cup of bran buds, a small handful of toasted walnuts, and a sprinkle of ground ginger.
For sweetness, add a drizzle of honey.
Lunch
Curried lentils served over brown rice. Add carrots, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and cauliflower to your curry for more vegetables and nutrients.
How a Dietitian Can Help
At Nourish, every nutrition appointment is done online and covered by insurance. You can ask questions at every visit, set goals, and review your progress.
You can also download the Nourish app for free resources for more support between visits and stay connected with your dietitian.
Dinner
Make chickpea sliders by boiling a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas for 15 minutes.
This will help soften them. After boiling them, drain and add them to a food processor with nonfat plain Greek yogurt, whole-wheat bread crumbs, two eggs, ground turmeric, yellow curry, and cumin.
Roll into a slider-sized shape and bake in a hot oven for 20-25 minutes.
Serve with a whole-wheat English muffin and a fresh green salad.
Snacks
Vegetable sticks with hummus; Roasted edamame beans.
Day 3
Breakfast
Sauté egg-whites that have been whisked with extra soft tofu.
Add tomatoes, onion, and garlic powder to your pan and cook until soft. Drizzle with one teaspoon of olive oil and garnish with fresh basil.
Serve with a slice of whole-grain bread.
Lunch
Make a hearty quinoa salad with tomatoes, fresh mint, cucumber, green bell pepper, corn, and kidney beans. For protein, add drained canned tuna or salmon.
Dinner
Grill chicken skewers with onions and peppers.
Serve with buckwheat and a shredded cabbage coleslaw dressed with a small amount of olive oil vinaigrette instead of full-fat mayonnaise.
Snacks
Vegetable sticks with low-fat Greek yogurt dip; grapes with low-fat cheese.
Day 4
Breakfast
Make a smoothie by blending extra soft tofu, mixed frozen berries (unsweetened), fresh spinach, a spoonful of low-fat plain Greek yogurt, and ground cinnamon.
Add water if the smoothie is too thick.
Lunch
A whole-wheat tortilla is topped with 3 scrambled egg whites, baby arugula, tomato, cucumber, sprouts, and salsa.
Shredded low-fat cheese is sprinkled on top.
Dinner
Baked lemon and dill salmon served with boiled wheat berries and fresh Greek salad.
Add one to two tablespoons of dressing.
Snacks
Roasted chickpeas; Apple slices with nut butter.
Day 5
Breakfast
Whole-wheat flour pancakes with eggs, low-fat milk, and baking soda.
Top with blueberries and ground flax seeds.
Lunch
This Mediterranean-inspired tuna salad consists of drained canned tuna, one tablespoon of olive oil, one teaspoon of lemon juice, diced sundried tomatoes (drain the oil first), capers, shallots, celery, fresh basil, and parsley.
Season with black pepper and serve with a whole-wheat English muffin or baked whole-grain crackers.
Dinner
Make a turkey meatloaf by combining ground turkey, flax egg (combine ground flax with water and stir until it has a raw egg consistency), whole-wheat panko crumbs, dijon mustard, dried parsley, fresh shallots, and garlic powder.
Bake meatloaf in a hot oven for at least 25 minutes or until cooked.
Serve with cooked squash and a fresh green salad on the side with one to two tablespoons of white wine vinaigrette.
Snacks
Low-fat cottage cheese with pineapple chunks; Vegetable sticks with hummus.
Day 6
Breakfast
Whole-grain toasted bread with a quarter of an avocado (mashed), fresh tomatoes, diced red onion, fresh cilantro, a squeeze of lime juice, and a tablespoon of low-fat crumbled feta cheese.
Lunch
Black bean soup with tomato, bell pepper, carrot, red cabbage, onion, and garlic.
Add low-sodium broth, bay leaves, and low-sodium Italian seasoning for flavor. Garnish with fresh parsley and grated aged parmesan before eating.
Dinner
Grilled shrimp skewers served with pineapple and tomato salsa.
Add a side of grilled vegetables (asparagus and eggplant pair well with this dish), and serve with cilantro-lime quinoa.
Snacks
Baked peach halves with nonfat Greek yogurt and cinnamon; Roasted edamame beans.
Day 7
Breakfast
Oatmeal boiled in water, low-fat milk, or an unsweetened plant-based dairy alternative.
Top with a dollop of low-fat plain Greek yogurt and diced apple with ground cinnamon and nutmeg.
Lunch
Lettuce wraps stuffed with leftover grilled shrimp, diced cucumber, tomatoes, red peppers, and low-fat shredded cheese.
Add a spoonful of hummus and sprinkle red chili flakes on top (optional).
Dinner
Baked pork loin served with sweet potato medallions and roasted broccoli.
Serve with a mixed green salad with one to two tablespoons of homemade dressing (keep it simple with olive oil and balsamic vinegar).
Snacks
Low-fat cottage cheese with peach slices; Vegetable sticks with low-fat Greek yogurt dip.
Can Diet Help with Gallbladder Attacks?
Modifying your diet can’t cure gallbladder disease or make gallstones disappear.
To achieve permanent relief, many people will require gallbladder removal surgery.
However, modifying your food choices by eating more fiber-rich foods and healthy fats may benefit your overall health and gallbladder.
In addition to modifying your food choices, it may also be helpful to spread out your meals and snacks throughout the day so that you consume smaller portions more often.
This can minimize the strain on your gallbladder during digestion and decrease the chances of experiencing an attack.
Book an appointment with an online dietitian
Covered by insurance.
Book an appointment with an online dietitian
Covered by insurance.
Foods to Avoid with Gallbladder Disease
Ultra-processed foods with high amounts of saturated and trans fats should be limited while managing gallbladder disease.
These types of fat are often referred to as “unhealthy,” as they’re harder for your body to metabolize and can have other unwelcome side effects, such as increasing your LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol).
Specifically, try to limit your intake of these foods:
- French fries.
- Fried potato or corn chips.
- Donuts, cupcakes, muffins, coffee cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, and other pastries.
- Whole-fat dairy products, including ice cream and cheeses.
- Hot dogs, sausage, salami, bacon, and other deli meat.
- Frozen pizzas and lasagnas.
- Coconut milk and coconut oil may be too high-fat for some people to tolerate.
You might see some of your favorite foods on this list (who doesn’t like french fries?).
By working with a dietitian, you can learn how to include them, or modified versions, in moderation.
For example, your dietitian can teach you to make baked sweet potato “fries” instead of deep-frying.
Tips for Meal Preparation
Here are some general tips to make meal prepping easier:
- Try to be consistent each week by designating one or two days for grocery shopping and meal prepping.
- Start small by only prepping snacks for the week. You may also prepare meals for the week as you get more efficient.
- Try freezing ingredients you can’t finish before spoiling (like a large squash).
- Save your favorite recipes and reuse them throughout the month instead of “reinventing the wheel” each week.
- Invest in proper Tupperware to make it easier to store prepped food safely.
Takeaway
Nutritional changes can’t cure gallbladder disease but may help you manage symptoms and prevent future flare-ups.
Working with a registered dietitian can make it easier to follow a diet plan that reduces gallstone symptoms and helps you feel your best.
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