What Not to Eat After Gallbladder Removal

The gallbladder helps with the digestion of food. Bile emitted from the gallbladder is used to break down the food in the digestive system so the body absorbs nutrients. When the gallbladder is taken out, watch what you eat and stay clear of foods high in fats.

After Surgery

After gallbladder surgery, you will be given mostly a liquid diet as liquids are easy on the digestive system. A low-fat diet is recommended during recovery as when the body lacks bile, it cannot adequately digest fats.

High Fat Foods

Without a gallbladder, bile is not as readily produced, and the liver can become overburdened when dealing with large amounts of any fats, especially saturated fats and hydrogenated fats. Avoid fatty or fried foods and red meat. Stay away from fast food and convenience foods, such as prepackaged and processed foods that include cut-up chicken, boxed meals, and frozen foods as they often are deceptively high in fat. Foods to avoid include other high-fat foods such as pastries, egg yolks, cream, butter, cheese, non-dairy creamers, ice cream, and gravy.

Other Foods

Spicy foods can present a digestion problem after gallbladder surgery. Try to avoid zesty vegetables including cabbage, cucumbers, and onions. Also, keep the use of oils to no more than 3 tsp. per day.

Back to normal

Soon you will be able to go back to a normal diet as long as you eat within reason. Having a healthy and balanced diet will not cause any problems. If you are not indulgent and avoid overeating foods that can cause discomfort, you will have no trouble eating without a gallbladder.