Below is a suggested meal plan for people with gallstones, divided into individual meals throughout the day. Each meal adheres to the principle of eating low in fat, high in fiber, and limiting cholesterol to reduce pressure on the gallbladder.
Breakfast
Oatmeal porridge cooked with skim milk + 1 ripe banana. Alternatively, you can substitute with whole-wheat bread + ½ hard-boiled egg + mixed vegetable salad with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
Suggested drinks: warm water or diluted artichoke tea.
Morning snack: 1 container of plain yogurt + a small handful of walnuts/almonds. Alternatively, you can substitute with an apple or a glass of roasted bean/rice water.
Lunch
Brown rice + pan-fried salmon (without oil) + zucchini soup with shrimp + broccoli stir-fried with a little olive oil. You can also substitute with tofu in mushroom sauce + water spinach soup with minced meat. Dessert: one grapefruit segment.
Oatmeal porridge cooked with skim milk is a suitable food for people with gallstones.
Afternoon snack
1 glass of unsweetened carrot-apple juice, or ½ slice of whole-wheat bread with low-fat cheese.
Dinner
White or brown rice + steamed chicken breast with ginger + pumpkin soup with shrimp + mixed vegetables stir-fried with a little olive oil.
Alternatively, you can have fried mackerel in tomato sauce + jute leaf and crab soup + boiled water spinach. Dessert: ripe papaya or banana.
What foods and drinks can help dissolve gallstones?
To help dissolve gallstones, you should eat foods rich in soluble fiber such as oats, beans, green vegetables, and fresh fruits; and supplement with healthy fats from olive oil and omega-3s in fatty fish. Note: diet is only a supportive measure and cannot replace diagnosis and treatment at a medical facility.
Foods rich in soluble fiber
Soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol levels – the main component of gallstones. As fiber passes through the digestive tract, it binds to bile salts containing cholesterol and is excreted, forcing the liver to use new cholesterol to synthesize new bile salts.