Eating fruit can reduce your risk of gallstones.
Image Credit: hookmedia/iStock/Getty Images The main purpose of your gallbladder is to store and concentrate bile, a digestive fluid your small intestine uses to break down fats. Gallbladder problems are fairly common in developed nations – roughly 25 million Americans have gallstones, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The health of your gallbladder can be influenced by a variety of factors, including the quality of your overall diet.
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If you have gallstones, they should be treated by a physician.
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Bananas and Your Gallbladder
Eating a balanced, wholesome diet – one that provides plenty of fiber and some unsaturated fat and is otherwise low in sugar and saturated fat – supports gallbladder health. Although bananas do contain sugar, its absorption is buffered by dietary fiber – an average-sized fruit supplies about 3 grams of fiber, or 12 percent of the recommended daily value based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
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A high fiber intake has been linked to a reduced risk for developing gallstones, and getting that fiber from fresh produce may have additional benefits: People who eat plenty of fruits and vegetables may be less likely to develop the kind of gallstones that require surgery.
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references
USDA National Nutrient Database: Bananas, Raw
Gut and Liver: Epidemiology of Gallbladder Disease -- Cholelithiasis and Cancer
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallbladder Disease
Is this an emergency?
If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the
National Library of Medicine’s list
of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.
references
USDA National Nutrient Database: Bananas, Raw
Gut and Liver: Epidemiology of Gallbladder Disease -- Cholelithiasis and Cancer
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallbladder Disease
Is this an emergency? If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, please see the National Library of Medicine’s list of signs you need emergency medical attention or call 911.
Eating fruit can reduce your risk of gallstones.
Image Credit: hookmedia/iStock/Getty Images
Image Credit: hookmedia/iStock/Getty Images
USDA National Nutrient Database: Bananas, Raw
Gut and Liver: Epidemiology of Gallbladder Disease -- Cholelithiasis and Cancer
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallstones and Gallbladder Disease
University of Maryland Medical Center: Gallbladder Disease
