Your gallbladder is a small organ located just below your liver. The liver is responsible for producing bile, which your gallbladder collects and stores. Bile is necessary for the digestion of fats and is released into the upper small intestine in response to food — primarily fat. Certain foods, such as eggs, can cause a gallbladder attack, which is inflammation of the gallbladder, and gallstones. If your diet causes problems with your gallbladder, tell your doctor right away.
Gallbladder
Your gallbladder can become inflamed and your diet can make the inflammation worse. Certain foods, such as high-fat or high-cholesterol foods, can cause inflammation or aggravate your gallbladder. You can also develop gallstones as a result of eating a high-fat or high-cholesterol diet. You may experience pain shortly after eating a meal with these types of foods, which is a response that your gallbladder uses to let you know that those foods caused inflammation and irritation.
Eggs
Eggs are high in cholesterol, according to Thomas Behrenbeck, M.D., Ph.D. with the Mayo Clinic. Eating a diet that contains high-cholesterol foods can raise your cholesterol levels and risk of gallbladder disease. Your liver produces cholesterol on its own naturally. Since your body makes enough cholesterol on its own, additional cholesterol from your diet is unnecessary. The University of Maryland Medical Center reports that eggs, especially, may irritate your gallbladder. The recommended daily intake of cholesterol is less than 300 milligrams per day, if you’re a healthy adult. If you have high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, diabetes or certain other medical conditions, your doctor may limit your cholesterol intake to less than 200 milligrams per day. A single large egg has approximately 213 milligrams of cholesterol, according to MayoClinic.com. All of the egg's cholesterol is in only the yolk. Egg whites, on the other hand, contain no cholesterol and provide a healthy source of other essential nutrients.
Alternatives
Aside from using only egg whites, other options are available such as egg substitutes. Certain egg substitutes are made with only egg whites and are cholesterol-free. This can help you save time if you’re trying to make a quick breakfast before work so you don’t have to crack and separate egg whites. Just measure out how much you need for one serving of eggs and whip up your favorite breakfast, such as scrambled eggs or an omelet.
Considerations
Just because eggs are high in cholesterol doesn’t necessarily mean having an egg will cause a gallbladder attack, but it could. Your body may not respond the same as another person’s who has gallbladder disease or gallbladder complications, such as gallstones. If eggs do seem to bother you after eating them, avoid them altogether or switch to only egg whites or a cholesterol-free egg substitute. Ask your doctor about the rest of your diet, as eating foods high in fat, especially trans fats and saturated fats, can trigger gallbladder attacks, too.
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