Preventing gallstones

From the limited evidence available, changes to your diet and losing weight(if you're overweight) may help prevent gallstones.

Diet

Because of the role cholesterol appears to play in the formation of gallstones, it is advisable to avoid eating too many foods with a high saturated fatcontent.

Foods high in saturated fat include:

• meat pies
• sausages and fatty cuts of meat
• butter, ghee and lard
• cream
• hard cheeses
• cakes and biscuits
• food containing coconut or palm oil

A healthy, balanced diet is recommended. This includes plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (at least five portions a day) and wholegrains.

There's also evidence that regularly eating nuts, such as peanuts or cashews, can help reduceyour risk of developing gallstones.

Drinking small amounts of alcohol may alsohelp reduce your risk of gallstones. However, you shouldn't regularly drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week as this can lead to liver problems and other health conditions. Regularly drinking any amount of alcohol can increase the risk to your health.

You should control your weight by eating a healthy diet and taking plenty of regular exercise.

However, avoid low-calorie, rapid-weight-loss diets. There's evidence they can disrupt your bile chemistry and increase your risk of developing gallstones. A more gradual weight loss plan is recommended.