Most of us don’t really pay much attention to our gallbladder unless it acts up. For most people, their focus is on their heart, lungs, and digestive system, but gallbladder? Not so much. The only time that we remember this part of our body is when it suddenly causes us pain to which we become frantic about researching on how to help our gallbladder work once more.
The gallbladder sits under the liver where its function is to produce bile to aid in the digestion of food. Once gallstones form due to your gallbladder malfunctioning and your high fat diet, you might feel sharp pain in this area when inflamed. Fortunately, you can prevent this by trying to follow a diet that is designed to assist your gallbladder to work properly. Here are a few tips that you need to know to follow this diet easily.
Eat foods that are high in fiber content. The first thing that you need to do when you want to make your gallbladder work efficiently is to consume 30 to 40% of fiber per day. Fiber is known to prevent gallstones from forming which is important if you want to avoid the pain and discomfort that comes with it. The good news is that there are many sources of fiber today such as legumes, seeds, sprouted beans, and nuts. Throw in fruits and vegetables in the bunch and you’ll definitely meet your daily requirements for fiber.
Add lean protein to your diet. Another tip when it comes to gallbladder diet is to add lean protein to your meals. This type of protein reduces the stress on your gallbladder while delivering important nutrients for it to function properly. Choose turkey, chicken, bison, organic protein powder, and even grass-fed beef for your source of lean protein. Ask your butcher to give you the best cuts so that you will be able to get the most benefits from them.
Try apple cider vinegar. Vinegar is also recommended when you’re trying to keep your gallbladder working. Although you can use any type of vinegar, apple cider vinegar comes higly recommended because of the malic acid present in it. Studies show that malic acid can break down gallstones easily so that your body will be able to flush them out from your system.
Have some artichokes and beets. If you are wondering what else should go into your gallbladder diet, add beets, artichokes, as well as dandelion greens. One reason behind this is that these foods are known for their detoxifying properties and can help promote better bile production in order to break down fats that are forming in your gallbladder. Try making veegetable smoothies if you are not too keen on adding them to your meals just yet.
Add potassium-rich foods. Foods that are high in potassium like bananas, avocados, tomatoes, leafy greens, and even sweet potatoes are worth adding to your gallbladder diet because they promote better gallbladder function. They can also prevent gallstones from forming and the best part is that they contain various nutrients that can also boost your overall health.
Drink lemon water in the morning. You’ve probably heard about the benefits of drinking lemon water in the morning for weight loss. Well, it can also help your gallbladder in the long run too because you are helping flush out the toxins in your body so that your gallbladder will work 100%.
When it comes to protecting your gallbladder against gallstones from forming, these foods are worth adding to your diet. Avoiding high fat foods and going for healthier options instead will make your gallbladder grateful to you for sure.