A gallstone attack can be very painful; your diet can play a crucial role in how often you develop gallstones and how severe a gallstone attack can be. Your doctor may recommend a special diet and may also prescribe medications to help alleviate pain and other related symptoms, as well as decrease the size of the gallstones.
Foods High in Cholesterol
Large amounts of built-up and stored cholesterol in your gallbladder can cause the development gallstones and make the symptoms of a gallstone attack worsen. Foods high in cholesterol include egg yolks, whole-milk dairy products and organ meat. Typically, the bile in your gallbladder will dissolve and break down cholesterol, but when you consume too much cholesterol, the bile salts in your gallbladder have a hard time breaking down and dissolving cholesterol. This causes the cholesterol to become hard and form gallstones.
Fatty Foods
Fatty foods such as ribs, snack cakes, potato chips, cream and butter can bring on a gallstone attack, while increasing the amount of pain and symptoms associated with a gallstone attack. Trans fats and saturated fats also contain significant amounts of cholesterol. Read labels to ensure the foods you choose are either free or low in these types of fats. Hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated fats also contain quite a bit of cholesterol, making these foods undesirable while you're suffering from a gallbladder attack.
Low-Fiber Foods
If you're suffering from a gallstone attack, avoid foods that are low in fiber. Low-fiber foods include raw or canned fruit without skin membranes, cereals with less than 1 g of fiber per serving, yogurt, milk and fish. Include plenty of fiber in your diet while suffering from gallstones as fiber aids in digestion.
Acidic Foods
Avoiding acidic foods can help alleviate or reduce symptoms associated with gallstones such as heartburn and regurgitation. Vomiting often accompanies gallstones, so consuming acidic foods can cause the vomit to burn your throat even more than it normally would. Acidic foods can include a wide variety of foods from acidic fruits, such as grapefruit and oranges, to tomato-based foods such as pizza, spaghetti or marinara sauce. Spicy foods, such as hot wings or chili, can also be included in this category as they can sometimes cause indigestion or make indigestion worse.
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