Do you know what fruits are good for people with gallstones?

Gallstones not only cause uncomfortable pain but also affect the patient's quality of life.

Diet plays an important role for people with gallstones (gallbladder stones) because it directly affects the formation and development of gallstones. Patients need to have a suitable diet to control the symptoms of the disease.

Choosing the right foods, especially beneficial fruits, plays an important role in controlling and supporting the treatment of this disease.

The importance of diet for people with gallstones

Gallstones are crystal-like deposits that develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ that stores bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver. The gallbladder's main function is to store bile, which helps the body break down fats.

Most people with gallstones have no obvious symptoms. However, the longer the stones remain in the gallbladder, the more likely they are to become a problem. This is when the gallstones move and become stuck in a bile duct, causing abdominal pain, possibly accompanied by nausea, indigestion or fever.

Stones can also block the common bile duct, which carries bile into the small intestine, and the hepatic duct, which carries bile away from the liver. Blockages in the bile duct cause the bile duct to become inflamed and infected. Blockage of the common bile duct, which joins the pancreatic duct in the small intestine, can lead to pancreatitis.

Factors that increase the risk of gallstones

Since the gallbladder's main function is to store bile, which helps the body break down fatty foods, when we eat, the gallbladder releases its stored bile into the cystic duct. From there, the fluid passes through the common bile duct and into the small intestine to mix with food.

Research shows that the main components of bile are cholesterol and bile acids. Normally, the concentration of bile acids is high enough to break down the cholesterol in the mixture and keep it in liquid form. However, if a person has a high-fat diet, this balance can be upset, causing the liver to produce more cholesterol than the bile acids can handle.

As a result, some of the excess cholesterol begins to solidify into crystals, known as gallstones. About 80% of gallstones are called cholesterol stones and are formed this way. The remaining 20% are made up of calcium mixed with the bile pigment bilirubin, known as pigment stones. Sickle cell disease and other blood disorders where red blood cells are destroyed can often lead to pigment gallstones.

Because diet has an important impact on gallbladder health, gallstone patients, in addition to following the doctor's treatment instructions, need to follow a scientific diet: eat enough nutrients, balance, increase fiber-rich foods, eat moderate fat, low cholesterol to reduce the risk of forming and developing stones, contributing to increasing treatment effectiveness and improving symptoms of the disease.

Fruits should be prioritized for people with gallstones

1. Fruits rich in vitamin C

Oranges, tangerines, lemons, kiwis, strawberries, pineapples, and papayas are fruit groups rich in vitamin C - an essential vitamin that helps reduce cholesterol levels in bile and improve gallbladder health.

Research from Germany shows that regular vitamin C supplementation can reduce the risk of gallstone formation by 50%.

Another study of more than 13,000 people also confirmed that vitamin C deficiency increases the risk of gallbladder disease, with women at higher risk due to physiological factors.

Therefore, ensuring your daily diet includes enough vitamin C will help prevent gallstones from getting worse and limit cholecystitis.

2. Avocado

Avocado is considered a "superfood" for people with gallstones thanks to its ability to provide abundant potassium - an important mineral that helps balance electrolytes and maintain body moisture.

Avocados help reduce dehydration - a factor that promotes bile concentration and facilitates the development of stones. Avocados are rich in unsaturated fats, which help stimulate the liver to produce bile without putting pressure on the gallbladder. This fruit is also good for the heart and increases metabolism in the body.

3. Blueberries

Blueberries are fruits that contain powerful antioxidants such as anthocyanin, quercetin and vitamin C, which help protect liver cells from damage caused by free radicals. In addition, the high fiber content in blueberries aids digestion, promotes bile metabolism and reduces cholesterol absorption from the intestines, reducing the risk of stone formation.

Consuming blueberries every day can help balance bile and reduce gallbladder inflammation, one of the dangerous complications of gallstones.

4. Watermelon

Watermelon has a high water content, which helps maintain the body's water balance and effectively stimulates bile secretion. Watermelon also contains lycopene and antioxidants that help protect the liver and prevent cholecystitis.

5. Apples

Apples are a source of pectin - a soluble fiber that helps reduce cholesterol absorption in the intestine, thereby reducing cholesterol in bile, helping to prevent stone formation.

Apples contain lots of vitamins A, C and minerals like potassium and magnesium which help boost liver function; help control weight, reduce the risk of obesity - a common cause of gallstones.

Fruits you should limit or be cautious of with gallstones

Although many fruits are good for gallbladder health, some can be irritating or unsuitable for people with gallstones:

Pineapple and green mango: Although rich in vitamin C, they are highly acidic, which can overstimulate the gallbladder, leading to pain and discomfort.

Green bananas: Difficult to digest and can cause bloating, affecting the patient's digestive process.

High sugar fruits such as lychee and longan can increase blood sugar and may indirectly affect bile metabolism.

Therefore, you should always monitor your body's reaction when eating new fruits and consult your doctor or nutritionist to have the most suitable menu for your medical condition./.

(Vietnam+)

Source: https://www.vietnamplus.vn/ban-co-biet-nhung-loai-hoa-qua-tot-cho-nguoi-benh-soi-tui-mat-post1069512.vnp