Gallstones and Diet: What the Evidence Actually Shows

Key Takeaways

• Diet influences gallstone risk and symptoms, not stone dissolution.
• Lower-fat, higher-fiber dietary patterns are most consistently supported.
• Cleanses and “natural dissolving” claims lack reliable evidence.
• Post-surgery dietary tolerance usually improves over time.
• Persistent or severe symptoms require medical evaluation.

Understanding Gallstones and Digestion

The gallbladder is a small organ that stores bile and releases it into the small intestine, where bile helps digest fat. Gallstones are solid deposits—most often made of cholesterol or pigment—that can form in the gallbladder.

Many people with gallstones never develop symptoms. When symptoms do occur, they are often related to gallbladder contraction during digestion.

High-fat meals stimulate the gallbladder to contract. If gallstones are present, this contraction can move a stone into a bile duct, where it may become stuck and trigger pain or complications.

What Diet Can and Cannot Do

What Diet Can Do

• Dietary patterns influence gallstone risk and symptom likelihood.
• Diet changes may help reduce symptom flare-ups in people who already have gallstones.
• Lower-fat, higher-fiber eating patterns are commonly recommended by medical authorities for gallbladder health.
• After gallbladder removal, diet adjustments—especially lower-fat choices—can help reduce digestive symptoms such as diarrhea or nausea during recovery.

What Diet Cannot Do

• There is no high-quality evidence that diet dissolves existing gallstones.
• Claims about “cleanses,” “flushes,” or lemon water dissolving gallstones are not supported by reliable medical evidence.

Dietary Patterns Linked to Gallbladder Health

High-quality evidence from medical institutions and peer-reviewed research supports the following pattern-level guidance:

• Lower-fat diets are associated with fewer gallbladder symptoms and fewer attacks.
• Higher-fiber diets are linked to a lower risk of gallstone formation.
• Diets emphasizing whole foods and limiting refined carbohydrates and added sugars are associated with reduced gallstone risk.
• Lean protein sources (including fish and poultry) are commonly included in gallbladder-friendly dietary guidance.
• Plant-based proteins are appropriate options within a balanced diet.

These recommendations focus on overall dietary patterns, not individual “good” or “bad” foods.

After Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy)

After the gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly into the intestine rather than being stored.

Evidence shows:

• Some people experience temporary difficulty digesting fatty foods.
• Lower-fat meals may reduce diarrhea, nausea, or abdominal discomfort in the short term.
• Most people gradually tolerate a wider variety of foods and can return to a regular diet within weeks.

When to See a Doctor

Medical evaluation is recommended if symptoms are ongoing or worsening.

Urgent medical care is needed if any of the following occur:

• Severe upper-right or upper-middle abdominal pain
• Pain that does not improve
• Fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)
• Pale or gray-colored stools

These symptoms may indicate complications such as bile duct blockage or infection that require prompt treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions

APA Reference List

American College of Surgeons. (2022). Cholecystectomy: Surgical removal of the gallbladder. https://www.facs.org/media/sskdidat/cholecys.pdf

Cleveland Clinic. (2021, July 28). Gallbladder: What is it, function, location & anatomy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21690-gallbladder

Dahmiwal, T., Zade, A., Tote, D., Reddy, S., & Sudabattula, K. (2024). Dietary considerations in cholecystectomy: Investigating the impact of various dietary factors on symptoms and outcomes. Cureus, 16(5), e61183. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.61183

Di Ciaula, A., Garruti, G., Frühbeck, G., De Angelis, M., de Bari, O., Wang, D. Q.-H., Lammert, F., & Portincasa, P. (2019). The role of diet in the pathogenesis of cholesterol gallstones. Current Medicinal Chemistry, 26(19), 3620–3638. https://doi.org/10.2174/0929867324666170530080636

MedlinePlus. (2024, September 30). Gallbladder removal – laparoscopic – discharge. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000117.htm

National Health Service. (2025, July 3). Recovering from gallbladder removal. https://www.nhs.uk/tests-and-treatments/gallbladder-removal/recovery/

National Health Service. (2025, August 11). Gallstones. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/gallstones/

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017, November). Symptoms & causes of gallstones. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones/symptoms-causes

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017, November). Diagnosis of gallstones. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones/diagnosis

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017, November). Eating, diet, & nutrition for gallstones. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones/eating-diet-nutrition

Naseri, K., Saadati, S., Asadzadeh-Aghdaei, H., Hekmatdoost, A., Sadeghi, A., Sobhani, S. R., Abhari, K., Bahrami, A., Rahimi-Sakak, F., Jamshidfar, N., & Zali, M. R. (2022). Healthy dietary pattern reduces risk of gallstones: Results of a case-control study in Iran. International Journal of Preventive Medicine, 13, 66. https://doi.org/10.4103/ijpvm.IJPVM_455_19

Nordestgaard, A. T., Stender, S., Nordestgaard, B. G., & Tybjærg-Hansen, A. (2020). Coffee intake protects against symptomatic gallstone disease in the general population: A Mendelian randomization study. Journal of Internal Medicine, 287(1), 42–53. https://doi.org/10.1111/joim.12970

Zhang, Y.-P., Li, W.-Q., Sun, Y.-L., Zhu, R.-T., & Wang, W.-J. (2015). Systematic review with meta-analysis: Coffee consumption and the risk of gallstone disease. Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 42(6), 637–648. https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.13328