What to eat after gallstone surgery?

After surgery for gallstones (cholecystectomy), some people often have loose, watery stools. For the most part, diarrhea lasts no more than a few weeks to several months. In fact, there's no one specific post-cholecystectomy diet that you should follow, but there are a few things you should consider.

1. What is cholecystectomy?

Cholecystectomy is a procedure to remove the gallbladder located just below the liver. The gallbladder collects and stores bile, a digestive fluid produced in your liver.
Cholecystectomy is a common surgery and it carries only a small risk of complications. In most cases, patients can go home the same day of cholecystectomy.
Cholecystectomy is performed laparoscopically through four small incisions to insert surgical instruments and remove the gallbladder. Doctors call this laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Phẫu thuật nội soi cắt túi mật — Cắt túi mật là một phẫu thuật phổ biến và chỉ để lại nguy cơ biến chứng nhỏ.

2. How does the diet change after gallstone surgery?

Without a gallbladder, bile flows freely into your small intestine, where it cannot break down food as efficiently as it does in the gallbladder. While you can live without a gallbladder, you may need to make some changes to your diet to stay healthy.
For the most part, you will need to limit or avoid high-fat, high-fat processed foods that are difficult for the body to digest. You may not need to give them up forever. A few months after the procedure, you can slowly add some of these foods back into your diet.
Continue reading to learn exactly what you should be eating, what you should be aware of, and what you can do to speed up your recovery from your cholecystectomy.

3. Foods to avoid after gallstone surgery

There is no one-size-fits-all diet after cholecystectomy. In general, it's best to avoid fatty, greasy, processed, and high-sugar foods.
Consuming these foods after gallbladder removal will not cause serious health problems. However, it can lead to painful bloating and diarrhea. This is partly because bile that flows freely into your intestines acts like a laxative.

3.1. Fatty meat

Processed or high-fat meats can wreak havoc on your digestive system after having your gallbladder removed.
These meats include: High-fat steak or red meat, whole or ground beef, pork, bacon, sausage, lamb.

3.2. Milk Products

Milk can also be difficult for your body to digest without a gallbladder. Try to avoid or limit your consumption of: Milk, especially whole milk; fatty yogurt; fatty cheese, butter. When stopping dairy products that aren't right for you, choose other dairy products like unsweetened yogurt to supplement.

sữa — Sữa có thể khó tiêu hóa đối với cơ thể bạn khi không có túi mật.

3.3. Convenience food

Processed foods often contain a lot of added sugars and fats. This makes them last longer but also hard to digest and doesn't provide much nutrition.
Try to stay away from: Cakes, cookies, cinnamon rolls, sugary cereals.

3.4. Caffeine and alcohol

Caffeine contains an acidic component that can make your stomach produce more acid and digest it faster. This can cause stomach upset and lead to discomfort after cholecystectomy.
Limit or avoid foods and beverages that contain caffeine: Coffee, tea, soft drinks, energy drinks, caffeinated snacks, chocolate.

4. What to eat after gallstone surgery?

4.1. Foods rich in fiber

Fiber can help improve digestion in the absence of bile concentrate. But don't overdo it right after surgery, as it can also cause gas.
These are healthy sources of fiber and many nutrients, such as calcium, B vitamins and omega-3 fatty acids: Beans, potatoes, oats, breads, rice and cereals, dried nuts ( almonds, walnuts, cashews), especially vegetables and fruits.
Since you are recovering from surgery and need more fiber, try to incorporate as many nutrient-rich fruits and vegetables into your diet as possible.
Some of the following foods are good sources of the antioxidant vitamin A, fiber, immune-boosting vitamin C, and many phytonutrients to support your body's recovery: Cauliflower, cabbage, cotton broccoli, kale, tomatoes, avocado.

Chất xơ có thể giúp cải thiện đường tiêu hóa trong trường hợp không có mật cô đặc.

4.2. Lean meat or meat substitutes

If you're in the habit of eating a lot of meat, the cholecystectomy diet may sound intimidating. But you don't have to cut out all meats. Just choose lean meats or plant-based proteins, such as: Chicken breast, salmon, herring, halibut, legumes, tofu.

4.3. Healthy fats and low-fat, fat-free foods

Try to avoid heavy oils, especially when cooking. You should try to limit as much oil as possible. You can try low-fat foods, such as: Mayonnaise, yogurt, sour cream, butter cream.

4.4. Some more diet tips

In addition to changing your diet, you can also try the following tips:
Don't start with solid foods right after surgery: Introduce solids back into your diet slowly to prevent Avoid digestive problems. Eat several small meals throughout the day: Eating too much food at once can cause your stomach to become bloated and bloated. So break up your meals throughout the day. Try eating five to six small meals a day and a few hours apart. Snack on nutrient-dense, low-fat, high-protein foods between meals. Be careful not to eat more than 3 grams of fat in one meal. Substitute basic ingredients in recipes like using apple sauce instead of butter when you bake or make an egg substitute with flaxseed and water. Stay fit: Regular exercise and keeping a healthy weight can help with digestion.

Please follow the website: Vinmec.com regularly to update other useful information.

XEM THÊM:

Bài viết này được viết cho người đọc tại Sài Gòn, Hà Nội, Hồ Chí Minh, Phú Quốc, Nha Trang, Hạ Long, Hải Phòng, Đà Nẵng.