What's the matter with your gallbladder?

It turns out the “low-fat” era may have left one organ sitting idle — and it’s not happy about it.

Jolinda Rockett Oct 23, 2025

You probably don’t think much about your gallbladder — until it starts complaining.
But this little green pouch tucked under your liver does a lot more than we give it credit for.

The Gallbladder According to Chinese Medicine

In traditional Chinese medicine, the gallbladder is the “decision maker” — the one that acts on the liver’s plans.

Sounds mystical? Sure. But if you find yourself overthinking, second-guessing, or stuck in indecision, a traditional acupuncturist might tell you your gallbladder energy is out of balance.

Now let’s switch lenses — from energy to anatomy.

What It Actually Does

The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile made by the liver.
When you eat, it squirts that bile into your small intestine.

Bile’s job?
To neutralize stomach acid and emulsify fats — turning them into tiny, absorbable droplets so you can take in the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Without enough bile, your body can’t properly absorb these nutrients, no matter how clean or “healthy” your diet looks on paper

Life Without a Gallbladder

If you’ve had yours removed (a cholecystectomy), don’t panic — your liver still makes bile.
It just drips it directly into your digestive tract instead of storing it first.

Within 4–6 weeks, most people adapt. You might notice changes in digestion during that time — especially with fatty foods — but the system learns fast.

Why the Gallbladder Starts Struggling

In a word: forsaken.

The gallbladder needs to be useful — and it has a very specialized job in the process of digestion.
When we go on low-fat diets, it sits around collecting bile with nothing to do

Over time the bile thickens, hardens, and forms stones — those tiny marbles that grow and cause bloating, nausea, and pain. When bile tries to flow past those stones, it hurts a lot. Surgery seems to be the only answer.

(Yes, it’s possible to clear stones without removing the gallbladder, but that’s rarely done.

How to Bring It Back Online

If you’ve been low-fat for years, don’t dive straight into bacon and butter.
Add fats back gradually. Give your gallbladder time — about 4–6 weeks — to remember its job.

Use natural fats your body recognizes:

• Butter or ghee

• Tallow

• Olive oil

• Avocado

And ditch industrial seed oils (canola, soybean, corn, safflower).
They oxidize easily, burden the liver, and deplete antioxidants like vitamin E.
You’ll find them in almost every packaged food — another good reason to cook more at home.

Power Moves for Better Digestion

• Raw dairy: easy-to-digest “pre-emulsified” fats.

• Fermented foods: help recycle bile salts and feed good gut bacteria.

• Bone broth: provides glycosaminoglycans — compounds that literally lubricate digestion.

If you’re adjusting to more fat and notice some digestive protest, you can temporarily use bitters, ox bile, or betaine HCl to smooth the transition.

Fat vs. Carbs — and the Bigger Picture

For most people, higher-fat, lower-carb eating keeps insulin steady and supports healthy bile flow.
It’s not about keto or strict macros — just giving your body the raw materials it needs to digest and absorb.

You may still need medication depending on your condition, but using the information above, you shift your baseline — and improve how your body systems work together.

The Takeaway

If you want to absorb your nutrients, you need bile — and bile needs fat.
Eat the right kinds, add them back slowly, and let your body re-learn the rhythm of real digestion.

Your gallbladder will thank you...