Is It Okay to Eat Seafood if You Have Gallstones?
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Is It Okay to Eat Seafood if You Have Gallstones?

Is It Okay to Eat Seafood if You Have Gallstones?
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Most people who have gallstones are unaware of them, as these small, pebble-like lumps of hardened material often don’t cause symptoms.

 If you have gallstones, you should be able to eat seafood.

But if your gallstones are causing problems or you’ve recently had gallbladder removal surgery, you may need to pay attention to the type of seafood you eat and how you prepare it.

What Are Gallstones?

Your gallbladder is a small organ below your liver that collects, stores, and concentrates bile, a thick substance your body needs to help you digest fat. Bile consists of cholesterol, bilirubin, water, acids called bile salts that play the most critical role in breaking down fats, and some trace minerals.
If your bile contains too much cholesterol or bilirubin or too few bile salts, your bile can crystallize and form stones. Gallstones affect about 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. population, or around 25 million people. Approximately 1 million of these individuals will receive a diagnosis, and only 1 in 4 of those with a diagnosis will require treatment. If you have gallstones that need treatment, this often involves surgical removal of the gallbladder.

Diet and Gallstones

If you already have gallstones, avoiding fatty foods can help you prevent gallbladder pain.

As your body releases bile to digest fat, your gallbladder doesn’t have to release as much bile if you consume less saturated fat. Fiber helps the body clear excess fat and should be part of the diet.

You might also benefit from sticking to a low-fat diet if you have gallstones that cause steatorrhea, or greasy, foul-smelling, pale stools that may float.

 This may occur if gallstones have caused inflammation in the pancreas, a gland in the digestive system that produces enzymes that work with bile.

After gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy), you might benefit from restricting fat intake for a few months while the body gets used to not having this store of bile anymore.

No general guidelines apply to a post-cholecystectomy diet, and evidence hasn’t shown a significant relationship between general fat intake and the improvement of symptoms after surgery.

A healthy diet and regular physical activity can also prevent the formation of gallstones. Overweight and obesity can contribute to gallstones by potentially increasing the amount of cholesterol in your bile and leading to oversize, inefficient gallbladders. But rapid weight loss can also increase your risk.

Specific Foods to Avoid if You Have Gallbladder Problems

It’s best to avoid the following foods if you have gallbladder issues.

  • Butter and lard
  • Fried foods
  • Full-fat dairy, including cheeses, yogurts, and milk
  • Salty foods
  • Red meat, particularly high-fat cuts
  • Processed meats, such as deli meats
  • Condiments with a lot of sugar, such as ketchup
  • Ultra-processed foods, including cereals
  • White bread
  • White pasta

Can You Eat Fish When You Have Gallstones?

Fish can also make a healthy addition to your diet, and you can eat many fish even if you have gallstones.

But the amount of fat can vary depending on the type of fish you choose and the way you cook your fish. While fish contain fats, they have less than other types of meats, such as red or processed meats. Many seafood options also provide omega-3 fatty acids, which may have a protective effect against the formation of gallstones.

White fish such as cod, flounder, haddock, pollock, and tilapia are low in fat.

 Oily fish, which include salmon, sardines, and trout, contain more fat.

 If your gallstones are not causing problems, you should be able to eat all types of fish.
But if you experience symptoms after gallbladder removal, you may need to avoid or limit the consumption of foods with more than 3 grams (g) of fat per serving for a week after the procedure. As many types of fish have different amounts of fat per serving, check the nutrition label to confirm that it’s low-fat (less than 3 g) before eating it.

Also, avoid fried fish and any fat served alongside fish, such as butter or tartar sauce. Consider steaming, poaching, boiling, or grilling fish instead of frying it. Also, prepare fish at home whenever possible, as eating out or ordering takeout can make choosing lower-fat meals more challenging.

Can You Eat Shellfish When You Have Gallstones?

Shellfish includes shrimp, crab, lobster, and scallops. Shellfish is naturally low in fat, making it a good choice in your diet for gallstones, whether you're experiencing problems or not.

For example, a 3 ounce portion of cooked lobster provides less than a gram of fat,

 as does the same portion of shrimp.

 If you need to limit your fat intake due to problems with gallstones or recent gallbladder surgery, avoid fried shellfish and any fat such as clarified butter that people sometimes eat alongside it. This can help limit saturated fat intake, which may in turn reduce the risk of future gallbladder attacks.

The Takeaway

  • If you have gallstones, seafood can generally be part of your diet. Consider the cooking method and type of seafood, especially after gallbladder removal surgery.
  • White fish, such as cod or tilapia, are low in fat and typically a safer choice for individuals with gallbladder issues. Oily fish, such as salmon or trout, may be safe if gallstones aren’t causing problems, but it may not align with a low-fat post-cholecystectomy eating plan.
  • If you have gallstones, opt for healthier seafood preparation methods, such as grilling or steaming, and limit fried options and fatty accompaniments like butter to protect your gallbladder and overall health.
  • Moderate evidence suggests omega-3 fatty acids in seafood might protect against gallstone formation, but you should discuss diet changes or symptoms with a healthcare provider to personalize your approach and manage risks effectively.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. Definition & Facts for Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. November 2017.
  2. What To Eat (and Avoid) When You Have Gallbladder Issues. Cleveland Clinic. March 31, 2025.
  3. Dietary advice for patients with gallstones. Cambridge University Hospital.
  4. Steatorrhea. Cleveland Clinic. August 15, 2022.
  5. Dahmiwal T et al. Dietary Considerations in Cholecystectomy: Investigating the Impact of Various Dietary Factors on Symptoms and Outcomes. Cureus. May 27, 2024.
  6. Definition & Facts for Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. November 2017.
  7. Fish and shellfish. National Health Service. November 14, 2022.
  8. Can you recommend a diet after gallbladder removal? Mayo Clinic. March 8, 2025.
  9. Crustaceans, lobster, northern, cooked, moist heat. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
  10. Crustaceans, shrimp, cooked. U.S. Department of Agriculture. April 1, 2019.
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Yuying Luo, MD

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Yuying Luo, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine at Mount Sinai West and Morningside in New York City. She aims to deliver evidence-based, patient-centered, and holistic care for her patients.

Her clinical and research focus includes patients with disorders of gut-brain interaction such as irritable bowel syndrome and functional dyspepsia; patients with lower gastrointestinal motility (constipation) disorders and defecatory and anorectal disorders (such as dyssynergic defecation); and women’s gastrointestinal health.

She graduated from Harvard with a bachelor's degree in molecular and cellular biology and received her MD from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine. She completed her residency in internal medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where she was also chief resident. She completed her gastroenterology fellowship at Mount Sinai Hospital and was also chief fellow.

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