Download Dietary Advice for Gallstones

Dietary Advice for Gallstones
If you have gallstones, you should try to:

Reduce your weight if you are overweight

Reduce your intake of fat if eating fatty foods causes pain.
You do not need a very low fat or fat-free diet.
You should not cut out any entire food groups from your diet, eg, dairy products.
Ways to eat less fat

Use a small amount of low fat spread instead of butter or margarine.

Only use spread if it is really necessary.

Eat less mayonnaise and salad cream including low fat varieties.

Cooking oils are all full fat. Use in very small quantities or not at all.

Buy lean meat. Remove any visible fat. Take skin off poultry.

Try to have more fish based meals (not fried with chips!).

Limit chips to once a week - use oven chips or thick cut home-made chips that have been
well drained.

Grill, bake, steam or microwave rather than frying foods.

Try some of the low fat cheeses available. Use less - grating it makes cheese go further, or
use a strong flavour cheese.

Try skimmed or semi-skimmed milk, especially if you use more than ½ pint per day.

Eat less pies, sausage rolls & pasties.

Eat fewer crisps, chocolate, cakes and biscuits.
Omega 3 fish oil capsules may help prevent the formation of gallstones
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Eat more foods high in starch and fibre

Have a starchy food such as bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes or rice at every meal.

Use a wholegrain breakfast cereal such as Weetabix, Shredded Wheat or Bran Flakes.

Aim for a mixture of at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables per day.

Try wholemeal or granary bread instead of white.

Eat skins on potatoes.

Replace white pasta and rice with brown/wholemeal varieties or try mixing them half and
half.

Add beans, peas and lentils to stews and casseroles to replace some of the meat.
You need to have about 4 pints/2½ litres of fluid a day for fibre to have its beneficial
effect.
If you are trying to lose weight:
In addition to eating less fat…..…

Add less sugar to food. Do not add it to tea and coffee. Use artificial sweeteners if
necessary.

Use sugar-free/ diet/ low calorie/no added sugar soft drinks.

Have sugar-free jelly, low fat rice pudding, instant mousses or diet yoghurts as desserts.

Use syrup, jams and honey sparingly. Choose reduced sugar or pure fruit varieties.

Increasing your activity can help maintain weight loss.
If you are not trying to lose weight:

Eat more starchy foods eg, bread, potatoes, rice, pasta and cereals.
and remember ……

Maintain a varied diet.

Eat regular meals.
Dietary Advice for Gallstones (03.11)
Produced by Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust Dietitians
Chichester Dietitians, The Lodge, St Richard’s Hospital, Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, West Sussex PO19 6SE
Tel:
01243 831498
Fax:
01243 831497
E-Mail:
[email protected]
Disclaimer: The information given in this diet sheet is accurate at the time of going to press. The mentioning of a particular support group, website or product does
not constitute an endorsement by the Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Trust. The Trust is keen to know if this document/leaflet gives you the information you need
in a way that is easy to understand. Please tell us if you think we can improve it, by calling the numbers above or e-mailing.
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