If you have been diagnosed with any gallbladder disease and are looking for natural ways to manage the condition, this post is for you. The question why are beets good for your gallbladder gets answered.
I’d gone for a checkup after excessive pain woke me up. I frightened my husband; apparently, I gave an “animalistic groan,” but I quite honestly think he’s exaggerating. In the waiting room, when I heard “Linda Torres” I was expecting to be told, “It’s nothing serious.”
I thought I’d be given stomach meds for the pain I had been experiencing and get back to my part-time job and running after my two boys.
What is a gallbladder?
After some bloodwork and an ultrasound, the results were in. I had gallstones, and the doctor said my gallbladder needed to go.
We can’t go further unless I explain what a gallbladder is. If you’re like me, you may have entirely forgotten what various organs were until they started acting up. According to WebMD, it is a pear-shaped organ located on the right side of our stomachs and right below the liver. Its purpose is to hold bile the liver makes. The bile gets released into the small intestines after we eat to help digest fats and some types of vitamins.
Can one get sick because of their gallbladder?
As with any organ in the body, things can go wrong with the gallbladder.For me, it was a gallbladder attackthat let me know something was wrong. These come about when bile cannot get through to the intestines properly or at all because of blockage.
Side note: I know you came to read about beets, but stay with me for a tiny bit longer.
In my situation, the blockage was due to gallstones that formed when bile crystalized and formed solid massesin the gallbladder. When you have gallstones, it is known as cholecystitis. If you skipped right by that name, I understand. That was what I had, but there are varying types of gallbladder diseases.
For those who do, however, options are typically surgery to remove it. It is “no big dealâ€; the liver sends the bile to the intestines. However, given that most people, me included, are not keen on surgeries, you’ll probably look for alternatives.
Why are beets good for your gallbladder?
image courtesy; pixabay
Now that you understand the workings of a gallbladder, I’ll explain why I turned to beets. If you are health conscious, then you know beets are considered a superfood. It helps manage with inflammation, blood pressure, diabetes, digestion, and even dementia. Your gallbladder benefits from beets because of betaine. Though this is a chemical the body produces naturally, with gallstones, you need all the help you need.
Betaine protects one’s liver and also stimulates the flow of bile to digest the fat we talked about. When you have too much cholesterol, this process becomes hard. Another thing about beets is that they are said to reduce cholesterol as well and aid in digestion.
To get the full benefit, I found that fresh beet juice does the trick. However, are pickled beets good for your gallbladder? The answer is yes; picking retains nutrients from the beet. The reality is also not everyone can access fresh beets.
Why I had to turn to beets
I wanted to understand I had gotten to this point. After talking to the doctor and doing some research, there was only one culprit to blame: food. The reason I say that is there has been no history of gallstones in my family, and I don’t have sickle cell, both of which are contributions.
After getting married and having kids, I let go of some of the healthier lifestyle choices I had when I was younger. I enjoy cooking wholesome food, but with work, it just becomes easier to grab fast food on my way home. As a result that is how I ended up having cholesterol gallstones.
Final thoughts
So if you ask me “why are beets good for your gallbladder?â€my answer is because they have helped me manage the gallbladder disease naturally. I was also aware it would not work alone, so I had to make some lifestyle changes. Thankfully, that “animalistic groan†I made hasn’t happened since, and the gallbladder attacks are few and only triggered by fatty food. Even then, this simple beet recipe I like patches me back up.
People also ask
What is the best recipe for a gallbladder beet juice?
You can make beet juice and add a whole bunch of other things. Celery, pineapple, apples, carrots, lime, spinach, apple cider, cilantro and ginger roots are also other things I throw in. There’s no rulebook for this, but one beet is usually enough.
What foods should you avoid when you have a gallbladder attack?
You can check out here what foods to avoid when you have issues with your gallbladder.
Can you have beet supplements as a replacement?
I found beet supplements fantastic for travel when I haven’t had time to make juice. I haven’t tried a whole lot but I am currently taking this one based on reviews. It’s working fine so far.
Can you take beets after gallbladder removal?
The answer is yes. The purpose of beets is to stimulate the flow of bile from the liver. That happens with or without the gallbladder.
