6 Foods That Help With Gallstones

Certain foods are very useful for both prevention and treatment of gallstones. In general, eat a high-fiber diet to help clear gallstones. 

When the diagnosis of gallstones is made, it is very important to change your diet. It is not a serious problem, but you should follow your doctor’s recommendations to avoid complications. Certain foods can  counteract gallstones . Learn more about it in this article.

It is also best to seek help from a nutritionist to tailor the diet specifically to your needs.

What are gallstones?

1. Whole grain cereals

Eating a high-fiber diet will help eliminate fats and shrink gallstones. You should eat a serving of whole grains at least once a day because the fiber they contain  helps drain excess bile. 

We particularly recommend the following foods:

• Wheat bran
• Whole grain rice
• oats

2. Buckwheat

Buckwheat is also very effective in preventing or treating gallstones. This can also reduce body fat, because this pseudo-grain is rich in soluble fiber.

Buckwheat also contains  vitamins B and E and is an excellent source of various minerals. If you love bread, you should go for recipes with buckwheat!

3. Citrus fruits in the treatment of gallstones

Citrus fruits stimulate the excretion of bile and work against gallstones, so they should not be missing in your daily diet.

In addition, the juice of the citrus fruits contains pectin, which is also very beneficial in eliminating gallstones.

However, avoid industrially produced juices!

• It is best to  consume the whole fruit to get the most out of all fiber. The peel also contains important nutrients! Buy organic citrus fruits.

• If you only drink the juice from the fruit, sugar spikes could result, which will have a negative impact on your health.

4. Foods containing lecithin

The bile contains substances such as lecithin or phospholipids, which prevent the formation of stones. If there is too little of it, the risk of gallstones forming increases.

It is therefore advisable to include foods in your daily menu that  contain lecithin in order to prevent or reduce gallstones.

The following foods contain lecithin:

• nuts
• soy
• lenses
• Chickpeas
• Peas

Try to include two of these foods in your diet each day. Small portions are sufficient as they are high in carbohydrates and can promote weight gain.

5. Artichokes to prevent gallstones from forming

Artichokes are also very effective at preventing gallstones from forming because  they improve liver and gallbladder health  as they are rich in cynarin.

This substance stimulates the production of bile and improves the functioning of the liver.

Artichokes may not be on your menu, but you should change that because they can do a lot for your health! Here is a very simple recipe:

ingredients

• 1 small artichoke
• 4 cups of water (1 L)

preparation

• Wash the artichoke well.
• Then cut into small pieces and soak in water all night.

• The next day, remove the artichoke and drink the water during the day.

6. Grapes and blueberries

Grapes and blueberries are rich in resveratrol, a substance that has a strong antioxidant effect and is also very effective for gallstones.

If you are already undergoing treatment,  the resveratrol can also speed up the healing process. 

• It’s best to eat half a cup of fresh grapes or blueberries every day.
• If that’s not possible, you can drink half a glass of blueberry or grape juice.

How can you prevent gallstones?

If you already have gallstones, your doctor will give you several recommendations to help resolve the problem.

If you’ve been told that gallstones are forming, here are some things to consider:

• Don’t skip any of the main meals.
• Avoid being overweight.
• Cut down on unhealthy fats!

Don’t forget to follow your doctor’s recommendations!