Low Calorie Diets for Gallstones

According to information from the Mayo Clinic, gallstones are hard objects formed by the crystallization of digestive fluids such as bile. Gallstones can vary widely in size and severity, ranging from as tiny as sand to as large as a golf ball. While diet cannot protect you against gallstones that have already formed, dieting can help to prevent the emergence of future gallstones.

Gallstones Diet Generally

• A low-fat, low-calorie diet is the best solution for preventing gallstones. According to both the Mayo Clinic and Dr. Howard LeWine, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, gallstones occur most often in individuals who are at an unhealthy weight (or who gain or lose weight too quickly). Consuming a low-fat diet reduces the risk of complications from existing gallstones by preventing them from becoming stuck in the bile duct.

Specific Recommendations

• Consume a diet that contains no more than 20 to 25 percent of your daily calories from fat to prevent complications from gallstones. To ensure that you do not trigger the creation of additional gallstones through weight loss that is too rapid, aim for a modest caloric deficit--consume between 1,600 and 1,800 calories per day while dieting to prevent gallstones. The majority of this food should come from low-fat sources such as low-fat dairy, lean meats, poultry and seafood. Base your general diet around plant sources of nutrition such as fresh fruits, grains and vegetables. Supplement this with moderate amounts of lean protein and a small amount of healthy unsaturated fat from oils, nuts and seeds. Keep a daily food tracker listing the foods and the total calories you have consumed to maintain control over your diet, and aim to lose roughly one to two pounds a week to further reduce your risk of developing gallstones.