Can I Eat Mashed Potatoes With Gallstones?

Gallstone disease affects 10% of the adult population in the United States. If you have gallstones, you don’t need to avoid potatoes. If mashed potatoes is one of your favorite dishes, just eat in moderation. That said, avoid chips and french fries as they are high in saturated fats. Potatoes are healthy and safe to eat when cooked in a specific way to suit your diet. The factors that make you more susceptible to gallstones are obesity, diabetes, high-fat diets, smoking, rapid weight loss, and pregnancy.

Gallstones are cholesterol crystals that are formed and carried in the bile. Studies have shown that some nutrients play a vital role in the development of gallstones or cholelithiasis.

Gallstone disease is one of the most common conditions that require surgical treatment. A person is more prone to developing it with increasing age.

Among the 40 -70-year-old age group, this disease seems to be more prevalent in females, with a female to male ratio of 4:1.

What is gallstone disease?

The function of your gallbladder

The gallbladder is a part of your digestive system that collects and stores bile. Bile consists of bile salts, cholesterol, and other substances that help digestion by breaking down fats.

The gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine when food enters it through the stomach.

The bile ducts can sometimes become blocked by gallstones. It is the duct that connects the stomach to the intestine.

This blockage can cause pain, nausea, vomiting, and bloating. The stone may also cause reduced or obstruction of bile flow to the intestine.

The gallbladder has a vital function to aid proper digestion but is not absolutely necessary to the human body. Therefore sometimes, it is suggested to get it removed surgically if it causes your symptoms to worsen.

Causes of gallstones

When there is an imbalance of the salts and other chemical substances in the bile, it causes gallstone formation inside the gallbladder.

Although it’s not clear what causes the imbalance in the first place, doctors think that it is due to:

Excessive cholesterol in your bile
Too much bilirubin in your bile
Incorrect emptying of the gallbladder

What can I eat with gallstones?

Most people having gallstones are advised for surgery by doctors. Leading to the surgery, you must eat as healthy as possible and lose weight if you are overweight.

While losing weight, it is crucial to do so gradually and steadily. 1-2 lbs. or (0.5- 1 kg) per week is considered a safe weight loss range.

A low-fat and healthy balanced diet will help you reduce the symptoms associated with gallstone disease.

Avoid any foods that trigger the onset of pain till you have the surgery and get your gallbladder removed.

There is no specific diet to treat symptoms of gallstones or to prevent it on the whole. But if you eat a low-fat and high-fiber diet, it will help alleviate symptoms tremendously.

A healthy balanced diet should consist of

Fruits and vegetables: 3-5 portions a day.
Starchy carbohydrates: Wholegrain or high fiber bread, chapatis, rice, pasta, and potatoes.
Dairy products: Milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese of the low-fat variety.
Meat, fish, and eggs: Stick to lean white meat and no more than 2 egg yolks a day.
Beans, pulses, and soy protein as an alternative to meat.
Unsaturated fats: Such as olive oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil.
High fiber: Fruits and vegetables, beans, pulses, pasta, rice, oats, and potatoes.
Water: At least 2 liters a day in the form of plain water or herbal teas.

Limit items like sugars, processed food, high-fat foods, butter, ghee, meat, cheese, biscuits, and pastries.

Some practical tips to follow while cooking

Measure your oil while cooking: no more than one teaspoon per person.
While cooking meat, use some water to deglaze the pan instead of adding more oil.
Remove the skin and fat from meat, and choose leaner cuts.
Bulk your meals with vegetables, legumes, and pulses instead of adding more meat.
Use spray oil for cooking and wipe off excess oil.
Avoid frying food. Bake, steam, boil, grill, or roast instead.
Make your salad dressings using yogurt, lemon, and herbs instead of store-bought ones.
Skim excess fat from the top of casseroles and broths.
Avoid take-outs and prepackaged foods, and try to cook your meals as much as you can.
While grocery shopping, buy food that contains less than 17.5 grams of fat per 100 grams. Anything more than that is high in fat and should be avoided.

Why taters are a healthy option for gallstone disease

Research has shown that not all starchy foods are unhealthy.

Especially potatoes, since they’re a rich source of carbohydrates. In addition, it is a fat-free source of vitamin C, fiber, and potassium.

The resistant starch present in potatoes helps you burn fat. It is satiating and acts as an economical energy source compared to other green leafy vegetables of the same portion size.
Even though they have a glycemic index, they are low energy density food. That means even if you eat a lot of potatoes, you consume fewer calories.
Despite their high GI value, potatoes are a healthy food providing fat-free sources of carbohydrates along with a significant amount of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
One medium-sized potato provides you with only 110 calories. It has 4.5 grams of protein, 870 milligrams of potassium, 5 grams of fiber, 2 grams of iron, and 15 milligrams of sodium
Avoid fried potatoes, chips, and french fries as they have saturated fats and high amounts of carbohydrates and, may worsen your symptoms.
As long as you eat potatoes by boiling, baking, roasting, grilling, and mashing them. Also, when you don’t add too much oil, butter, or fat to it. It should not be a problem.

How can you prevent gallstones?

Yes, you can prevent gallstones. Studies have shown that regular exercise and a healthy diet, along with the following, can reduce your risk of developing gallstones.

A study in the United States, conducted over a period of 10 years, showed that more than 13,000 adults with higher vitamin C levels in their blood had a lower chance of gallstone formations.
Another research has also shown, a reduced risk of gallstone disease with moderate to high coffee consumption. It involved more than 200,000 people who drank 2-6 cups of coffee a day and had a reduced risk of gallstone disease.
A high fiber diet is also associated with lowered risk of gallstone disease.
Drinking less alcohol may also prevent gallstones. You must not consume anything more than 14 units (equals 6 pints of beer and 10 glasses of wine) of alcohol a week, as it can be detrimental to your liver and overall health.
Don’t lose weight rapidly and starve yourself, and don’t eat below 1000 calories, as it can exacerbate your symptoms.
Skipping meals can also increase the risk of gallstones.

Gallstone treatment options

Your doctor will determine your treatment depending on your symptoms and reports of diagnostic testing. Treatment options include.

Surgery

Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. It is performed by inserting a tiny camera and special surgical tools inside your abdomen to remove the gallbladder.

Doctors also call this laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Your stomach may feel a bit uncomfortable and larger post-surgery from the gas used during surgery (among other things).

Medications

Certain oral medications prescribed by your doctor can help dissolve gallstones. This option is for people who cannot undergo surgery.

FAQs

What foods are bad for gallbladder attacks?

The foods to be avoided at all costs during a gallbladder flare-up are highly processed food, high-fat dairy, butter, processed meats, sodas, fatty fish, avocados, and refined flour products.

Can you eat potatoes with gallstones?

Yes, you can. It is beneficial to your health when eaten in moderation.

You can bake, boil, steam, roast, and grill them. Avoid frying potatoes and having chips and French fries.

Takeaways

There is no specific diet for gallstone disease. You have to be mindful of what you consume when you have it.

The above-mentioned information can help you during gallstone attacks and before and after gallbladder removal surgery. In addition, there are limited treatment options for gallbladder disease.

To avoid surgical removal of the gallbladder, we must practice healthy lifestyle habits and eat a gallbladder-friendly diet.

Always consult with a doctor about specific complaints and a tailor-made treatment method for your symptoms.