What Are the Benefits of a Vegan Diet on the Gallbladder?

How your body properly digests food and protects itself from chronic diseases depends in part on the food you consume. Each of your internal organs is a muscle that must be used frequently and properly in order to function. Just as running helps strengthen your legs, eating nutrient-rich foods strengthens your digestive system. The gallbladder, which aids in fat digestion, depends on an adequate diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol to maintain capability.

Function of the Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ below the liver. Its primary role is to secrete bile in response to the consumption of fatty food. Bile salts are first formed from cholesterol in the liver, prior to being sent to the gallbladder for secretion. After a meal, bile is released into the small intestine to break down dietary fats for digestion and excretion.

Gallstones

The function of the gallbladder can be inhibited when gallstones form, which can occur for a variety of reasons. Normally, the concentration of cholesterol in bile is at its limit of solubility, so any enhancement in concentration causes it to crystallize and form a gallstone. Diets high in saturated fat augment the liver’s synthesis of cholesterol, increasing the incidence of gallstones. This puts excessive strain on the gallbladder, and it is eventually unable to properly secrete bile into the gut for the digestion of fat. In the presence of gallstones, the gallbladder is usually removed. As it is not a vital organ, the body is able to operate without it and still release bile into the small intestine.

Veganism

Veganism is defined as consuming no animal products: meat, dairy, eggs or honey. Thus, a vegan consumes little to no cholesterol, as the highest sources of saturated fat are found in animal products. Vegetable sources of fat are primarily monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. A well-balanced vegan diet should contain many legumes, grains, fruits and vegetables, resulting in a high consumption of fiber.

Benefits of a Vegan Diet

Non-starch polysaccharides or fiber come from fruits, vegetables and grains -- foods commonly found in a vegan diet. Raw fruits and vegetables are the best sources, as cooking food decreases its fiber content somewhat. The body is unable to digest fiber and only bacteria found in the large intestine can break it down. Fiber benefits the digestive process by binding to bile salts in the gut after they are secreted by the gallbladder. This prevents the re-absorption of bile back into the liver, thus lowering overall body cholesterol. In addition, because vegans have significantly less intake of saturated fat, the result is plasma cholesterol concentrations approximately 20 percent lower than that of meat eaters, which prevents cholesterol build-up and gallstone formation.