What Should I Eat After My Gallbladder is Removed?

While having your gallbladder removed can alleviate a lot of the pain you may have been feeling, it is not a simple one-and-done experience. Just having gallbladder surgery won’t completely fix your dietary issues so that you can go on eating whatever you want. In truth, many of the foods that triggered pain before your gallbladder removal surgery may still be bothersome afterwards, and even different foods can cause you trouble after your surgery. Because there are so many different food choices out there, it’s important to know which ones you can eat without any trouble and which ones you might want to stay away from after your surgery.

Best Foods To Eat 

You’ll find that your post-surgical diet will look healthy, and that’s because it is! Many of the foods that cause initial gallbladder pain and issues after surgery are unhealthy for you. Because of this, you want to think about eating healthy. That means eating foods that are high in fiber, such as beans, nuts, oats, grain, and fruits and vegetables. Some fruits and vegetables that are particularly good for your post-surgery diet (which should start four weeks after gallbladder surgery) include:

• Potatoes
• Spinach 
• Avocados
• Broccoli 
• Brussels sprouts
• Kale
• Blueberries
• Raspberries

Additionally, lean meats are a good choice to eat after your gallbladder has been removed. Chicken, turkey, and fish (such as salmon, trout, and cod) meat are much better dietary choices than red meat.

Immediately after your surgery, you will want to maintain a liquid diet for the first few days.  Following that, over the next three to four weeks, you can start adding solid foods to your diet slowly. It is important that you eat five to six small meals throughout the day early on, rather than three large meals.

Foods To Avoid 

Choosing the wrong food to eat after your gallbladder removal can cause stomach and bowel troubles (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea) and make you feel bloated. In certain cases, eating the wrong kind of food after your surgery can cause pain in your stomach. These problems happen when the stomach is irritated by spicy and fatty foods. Because of this, you will want to stay away from processed foods that are high in fat. Beyond staying away from foods high in fat, you will want to watch out for spicy foods, as these can wreak havoc on your stomach. Dairy products (such as whole milk, ice cream, and butter) can also cause problems for your digestive system after your gallbladder removal. Additionally, meats like beef, veal, lamb, and pork (including bacon!) should be avoided, as these tend to be high in fat.

For more information about gallbladder surgery, please contact Patrick Moore MD, FACS by calling 951-477-5700.