Happy Monday! Huge thank you to Mod R for a week of awesome posts.
It’s a beautiful, although overcast day. I have a mountain of work ahead of me, all of which needs to be done asap. Good news, I can sit in the chair a bit longer now, and I no longer wince when I try to stretch.
We’ve received the first design of the interior chapter headings for Roman’s novella and it is too adorable for words. I wish I could show you, but I need to get all the paperwork settled. It is amazing how tasks accumulate when you take time off.
My new gallbladder-missing status has come with menu challenges. Prior to the surgery, my diet was mostly “things that might not hurt me.” Prior to that, there was severe limiting of starches because of the prediabetes. I had stuck to whole grains, fresh vegetables like cucumbers, tomatoes, and onion, cooked vegetables like brussels sprouts and cauliflower, fruit, fish, and small servings of meat.
Onion is off the table for some reason. The dietary guidance doesn’t explain why, just says limit. Cauliflower and broccoli are gas producing and counter indicated right now. Salmon, my go to fish, is fatty, and everyone says it should be approached with caution. Bacon, sausage, etc. are right out. I can’t keep leaning on oatmeal, no matter how plain or old fashioned, because there is too much starch, and I have to be really careful, as I am unmedicated for the next 30 days.
Help me, BDH. Give me some healthy breakfast ideas that don’t have fat, sugar, or simple carbs. ::looks at the list:: Maybe I should eat paper. On second thought, with my luck, I will develop termite metabolism and find some way to digest it.
I am type 2 diabetic and had my Gallbladder out last summer. My go to breakfast is raw fruit (I like apples) and toast (highest fiber content bread) with peanut butter. Raw fruit is better for you than juices or jams, the fiber slows the glucose from entering your blood stream. Adding protein and fats to your carbs also helps lower the glucose impact.
I personally didn’t have any dietary issues after my surgery. I didn’t even know that I was supposed to have issues with fatty foods post op until I was told by a client…*shrugs*. I started Ozempic a month after my surgery and it has had a bigger impact on my diet.
According to my doctor increased fiber is the solution to many diet related issues. So, if you can increase your fiber at every meal it should help you digest the fats and slow down the glucose absorption. As terrible as too much sugar is for us we still need some. The trick is to prevent your body from absorbing too much at once.
Tofu scramble? Mash up firm tofu, add (depending on taste and what herbs you are or are not allowed at present) turmeric, paprika, a pinch of black salt, a bit of black pepper, dried basil/oregano/thyme. Scramble in a flying pan/wok/skillet with a bare spritz of oil (probably could do without the oil if it’s a non-stick pan and you keep it moving. It’s great on toast if you’re allowed that. Mushrooms on the side if those work for you. Good luck!
I don’t know about the diet but if your surgery scar starts to be itchy vitamin e capsules, prick a hole in it & squeeze it on to the scar & rub it in.
Black bean tocos with low carb tortillas. I eat egg black beans w avocado but not sure that is allowed.
TVP. Textured vegetable protein, fixed, like taco meat. Yum.
My daughter just got her tonsils out and is on a very restricted diet as well. All she wants is scrambled egg whites and some applesauce on the side.
When it isn’t cold out, my go to breakfast is smoothies, usually a banana, frozen blueberries, milk, and yogurt blended.
But I figured I would add when my mulberry tree has fruit I add those in. I have read online they are a natural way of lowering blood sugar. Not sure how true it is. But it might help if you have access to them.
I remember eating eggs and oatmeal a lot when I had my gall bladder out years ago. Eggs in a tortilla, quiche and omelet with fake bacon. It took a little while before fatty food didn’t bother me.
I’m plant based so my suggestions have no dairy. Tofu scramble with compliant veggies . There are a lot of good recipes on the internet but the game changing ingredient is black salt which will give it the egg flavor. Super low fat.
Frozen fruit shake (banana or mango base for creaminess) . I use unsweetened plant milk. My favorite is forks over knives chunky monkey and you can reduce the fat from the PB by using PB powder. Just get the natural PB powder as some has added sugar. Hang in there and be kind to yourself!
I am thrilled to hear you are on the mend, and thank you for sharing with us. Take it easy and slow as you ease yourself back into what you can and can’t eat. You and your body were traumatized by the organ failing and the surgery, so you have to remind yourself that you are okay now and it is alright to go slow, even when we don’t want to do so. Also, remember, you will get better! As others have recommended, please speak with a dietician/nutritionist, so they can help you make certain that, in spite of the missing gallbladder, you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need.
I wish you the best of luck and continued good health.
Well, I stopped eating breakfast years ago, just tea for me, so I can’t really help you there😅 but asparagus are in season 😀
I like a yam with brussel sprouts or asparagus and hummus. Blueberries as a side. I make my own hummus without oil.
My go-to, feeling crappy breakfast is scrambled eggs with a little green onion (scallions in your neck of the woods) sauteed first in the pan and then incorporated into the scrambled eggs, with a little fruit on the side (lightly sauteed pineapple is lovely – the light cooking tames down the enzymes in the pineapple). I normally saute with a small amount of butter in a non-stick pan but, in your case, I would suggest that a small amount of healthy oil such as canola or sunflower oil would be easier on your system. Use just enough to give you a light coating of the bottom of the pan and heat the onions or pineapple.
When I had mine removed, I was thankfully able to consume milk without issue. I lived on boiled eggs and milk based drinks (i.e. I would make strawberries blended in milk, coffee flavored milk, etc.) for a while. I slowly reintroduced most foods back, but learned to chew sooo much longer before I swallowed. And I limit my liquid intake during meals to cut back on the immediate vacuation issues. It gets better with time, but I basically eat chicken and fish now. Red meat is out for me. Everyone is different. Some folks can go back to eating whatever they want. Some never can. Colostrum has helped me a bit, but diet is still a struggle.
I am diabetic and try to stick to low carb, low fat. for breakfast I usually have non fat cottage cheese and celery sticks or cucumber slices. You can also add some blueberries or strawberries in place of veggies.I also can have carb master yogurt with a small amount of cherrios, not alot, just enough to give it some crunch. Bananas in moderation. They are low glycemic index and gentle on stomach. Salads, but beware of sugar and carbs in salad dressings. Scrambled eggs are high protein too.
Shakshuka is a dish made of lubricated tomatoes with egg. It is an Arabic dish that I like for breakfast as a German diabetic. It saturates at least half a day and comes very close to my need for a proper meal. Take a look at Chef John, he has an easy-to-following recipe on YouTube
Sardines eggs and sauerkraut together may not sound tasty but is surprisingly good. If you can have sweet potatoes with it, that makes a dynamite meal.
I would recommend different varieties of cooking eggs. They are good
and recommended for after having gall bladder surgery. You should
try different types of fish.
Instead of salmon our go to fish is steelhead trout from Costco. We also love cod. For breakfast, think smoked fish. Also we like eggs baked in a sweet potato or avocado halve.
Second steelhead. It’s basically a less fatty salmon.
If you are having trouble finding food to work with your new reality, try to make an appointment with a nutritionist (thru your local hospital/referral from your endocrinologist). With your combination of pre-diabetes and post-op gallbladder, your insurance should pay for it (and im sure you have met your deductible after surgery). They can help you get from where you are to where you need to be, and are great for navigating a radical diet change. Good luck!
In the Pat Conroy cookbook (which is excellent reading) he cooks asparagus spears and tops them with soft boiled eggs and bacon….I use frozen asparagus tips, over easy eggs and a piece of prosciutto to make a quick meal…so no prosciutto for you but maybe you can find something else to top it?
Not a breakfast suggestion but lately I’ve been making a simple beans and greens…basically cannelini beans, chicken broth, spinach and some pulled chicken breast. There are lots of recipe variations with kale, swiss chard etc. That is another quick meal.
Hope those help. Wishing you comfy naps, good yarn and friends and family to take care of you!
Fruit smoothies. Use low fat yogurt, mixed frozen or fresh fruit. Fast, cheap and yummy. If you need to sweeten things, artificial sweeteners like Sugarlike are safe for your gallbladder free situation.
Mayo breakfast frittata and zucchini fritters. I can email you the recipes, if desired.
Egg whites scrambled have no fats. Non-fat yoghurt and cottage cheese with or w/o berries or other fruit. Lean chicken(no skin) prepared however you like it, sautéed ( in the merest spritz of olive oil) fresh green beans with a squeeze of lemon but only after you take the pan off the burner. Sweet potatoes are much lower in carbs than white potatoes because they have so much fiber—you can subtract the number of grams of fiber from the number of cars; that will give you the true, much lower carb number. And don’t forget pasta made from lentils andor red kidney beans. Very low in carbs and quite high in protein. Good luck on this new “adventure” in eating. After the first month you can return to eating fats, “good fats/‘ like olive oil and avocado oil, without unpleasant consequences, or so my doctor has told me. Blessings as you teturn to robust good health.
Smoothies can be fun- if you’re looking for a healthier treat that tastes naughty, get 3-4 slightly overripe bananas (makes them sweeter), and break them into one inch chunks. Throw them in a baggie and freeze overnight.
When you’re ready, chuck the bananas in your blender, and pull out some peanut butter powder (pbp is genius! No saturated fats when it’s powdered! It’s like the looks for less show, but with taste;), vanilla Greek yogurt (or vanilla frozen yogurt if you’re living dangerously), milk/almond milk, and some Dutch processed cocoa powder.
Put a heaping spoonful of pbp over the bananas, and top with a tablespoon of Dutch cocoa (these guys are to taste, so you may have to play around with proportions…actually, this whole recipe is to taste- it’s something I came up with after my son decided chunky monkey smoothies were awesome, and I decided I could make a healthier version that was easier on the pocket book…).
Throw a couple of scoops of vanilla yogurt (or vanilla frozen yogurt if you’re living dangerously)on top. Pour enough milk/almond milk in to mostly cover your bananas, pop the top on and blend that puppy up (no real puppies were harmed in the making of this smoothie). Taste and see if you need to adjust anything. It’s like a peanut butter cup and a banana had a baby that grew up to be a healthy milkshake. I do confess to using a little bit of Hershey’s syrup upon occasion;)
This recipe makes multiple servings since I have a teenage boy who brings friends over, so you will need to reduce ingredients if it’s only for one or two people;) Hope this helps! Best wishes. I quite enjoy the fun of the BDH. Thanks for fostering it. Feel better!
So sorry to hear you’ve been unwell. My go to breakfast is one cup of wild rice cooked with 3 cups of water and a little salt for 45 mins then add 4 to 6 medjol dates diced with 350 (i do one tin which is more) mls of coconut cream/milk and cook a further 20 mins. I have as a snack food too sometimes. Delicious hot or cold. A digestive aid is imperative with no gall bladder to help digest the foods you eat. Al the best. I adore your books.
I had my gall bladder removed several years back. It can be difficult to figure out what foods agree and what foods don’t. have you tried protein shakes? Some are pretty tasty. Wishing you a fast and safe recovery!
As a post gallbladder gal myself, I eat mucili (yogurt and applesauce used to soften, Greek yogurt/unsweetened) for breakfast. Eat meats limited:2 oz max. And lean heavy into low gas /low fat food the mucili provides protein, fiber, and some nat sugars to get going in the am.
Try hard boiled eggs. Minimum starch and fats. If you can tolerate the taste, raw asparagus and raw okra work well for veggies.yes, I actually like those. NO mayonnaise of any kind! The blueberries in your breakfast, as well as strawberries are great, and contain about all the non-complex sugars you need.
!!!!
“Breakfasts don’t have fat, sugar, or complex carbs”
Do you maybe mean… “simple carbs?”
I come from a diabetic family- complex carbs are a diabetic ‘s friend.
It is the simple carbs are our sworn enemies!
a Diabetic’s friend would include: quinoa, barley, brown rice, (whole grains in general in moderation are fabulous)
Sweet potatoes too!
as for salmon with LESS fat:
coho salmon and pink salmon.
White fish can be great too if you are avoiding particle kinds of fats.
Veggie friends that aren’t on the FODMAP list (the group of veggies/gas that cause gas)
onions produce a lot of gas, that might be why they are off the list.
Breakfast ideas:
hard boiled eggs (that aren’t fried)
Lean fish
MANY (as different variety as you can) with exception to the FODMAP.
-Scrambled eggs sauteed with red bell peppers placed in between 1-2 corn tortillas (complex) and topped with ⅛ sliced avocado.
– egg and banana pancakes 🙂 with cinnamon and vanilla
Stir fried sweet peppers, add scrambled egg for piperade, wilted spinach with a poached egg on top, wilted spinach with toasted pine nuts, soup is super for breakfast, there are more grains than oats, poached mushrooms, kedgeree and my particular favourite is leftover whatever you had the night before.
Baked egg white and potato cups with roast red peppers like they serve at Starbucks. I blend up mostly egg whites, a scoop of cottage cheese with spices and pour over some diced pre cooked , spinach and roast bell peppers in a silicone muffin pan. Bake on 375 for around 15 minutes. Sometimes I add a pinch of cheese. I keep them in the fridge and warm them in my toaster oven for a few minutes.
I hope you continue to heal and your energy levels return to normal. I think the fatigue after surgery is awful. I have no recipes to offer because all of the ones I would list like frittatas, omelettes, greek yogurt are already listed above. But I do want to say thank you for all the wonderful ideas and recipes listed here. I intend to try some of them even though I still have my gallbladder.
Have a wonderful day.
It’s early in California and I haven’t had my coffee. Pre-cooked diced potatoes also go in the cup, and I said mostly egg-whites because I will add a whole egg or two depending on the size of the batch I am making.
Do you like bland Indian food? Try idlis – rice+blackgram lentils ground, fermented and steamed into these fluffy white oval shapes. Delicious, zero fat, healthy, protein-filled. You can eat them with a coconut chutney.
So sorry for all the dietary challenges! I understand! I’m both Gluten Intolerant and need to follow a FODMAP diet. From your listed items, it sound like you have joined some of us in FODMAP land.
There are several sites out there for good recipies. Here’s one from the BBC. https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/low-fodmap-recipes
I make variations of egg bakes with allowed veggies and small portions of meats. Good spices make all the difference and variable combinations are vast. I’ve found pre-made egg white wraps, substituting that for quesadillas, as wrapping for sandwiches etc.
I’ve also been leaning in on a scoop of collegen in my coffee and whey shakes with frozen fruit as protein can be challenging some days with many beans and lentils on the no-go list too.
If you try a Mediterranean type of standard eating style, I think you might be able to eat most they recommend.
Most important advice:
Buy a couple interesting different really best extra virgin olive oils, and a couple of good mild vinegars that you like;
get a lot of fresh garlic and oil poach the garlic till soft and fragrant and mash it. Just these three, with salt and maybe white pepper or white miso paste will be an incredible base of flavours to build on.
Fresh herbs like mint and basil and coriander/cilantro are all health and digestive supportive.
Fish and Meats:
White large-ish fish, seafoods like calamari/octopus, and small fish like sardine, all these are great tastes as well as unfatty.
(Soft poached eggs, fish on the side with toated wholemeal bagels, are a favourite too.)
An Air Fryer is also a item that is good for reduced fat yumminess. Cook anything from grilled asparagus to thick juice steak. Get a good recipe book though, as the times often differ than you might expect.
Oven – Easiest recipe – parchment packages:
Slice vegetables like zucchini, cabbage, eggplant, broccoli, carrots etcetera, or just everything you like, add a splash of extra virgin olive oil, the sliced meat, or whole fillet of fish of your choice, then just gather and tie all together in a parchment paper bag, and back on a sheet pay for maybe 20-30 minues in a medium oven (170C).
Let sit for a couple of minutes, if you can wait, so you don’t get steam burns when you cut the paper open.
Seriously yummo.
when i find myself craving french toast, i scramble eggs with a little milk, a little vanilla extract, and a little cinnamon. it gets me the flavor i want without the bread…
I always cook up the extra egg mixture from making French toast…. my son loved it! I now make French toast with a hearty whole wheat bread. carbs, yes but at least they’re complex carbs and it’s more filling so you eat less.
I had my gall bladder out ( now like 17 years ago) and your body will adjust. I don’t eat a lot of fried foods but if I have French fries or fried clams one in a while, I am fine, same with meat.
onions are alliums, they may be worried bc it is a blood thinner.
For breakfast, an omelette , maybe with veggies,should be fine. Try whole eggs, you can use whites, but honestly the amount of fat you are talking about is minimal. Turkey bacon is another possibility, again it isn’t loaded with fat.
Everyone is different, but I found that I could eat modest amounts of fat and was fine not long after. what I did was try something in a small amount , if I didnt have a problem added that to my diet.
with fish, fish like cod are low fat but have protein, same with clams and oysters. boiled shrimp might be okay.
beans are really gonna be a try it and see thing.
again I am not an MD or a dietician, just talking what I experienced w my gall bladder. Food is not fuel and I think you can have things you enjoy in moderation to keep it from being boring. if I have had a meal that has fats, like fried foods, or meat, I will eat lightly the next meal, have a salad or whatnot.
if you like cheese, part skim cheeses worked for me.
again how this helps.
Green smoothies are always a hit with my family, made with frozen fruit and spinach, banana, and water. You could add in greek yogurt or kefir for the protein. I’m also a huge fan of almond flour cake if you’re looking for the feeling of a starch, without the grain. I can’t find the exact recipe I’ve used, but it’s very similar to this one- https://healthyrecipesblogs.com/almond-flour-cake/
and very customizable.
fat free or low fat yogurt with fresh fruit. It’s actually my go to lunch.
I hate to add to your food complications, but be careful of cottage cheese, it’s high in sodium. For what it’s worth, I typically start my day with an ounce of almonds and an apple, along with some skyr if possible.
If you like Indian food I suggest checking out the youtube videos Headbanger’s Kitchen. He has a lot of quick, easy keto inspired recipes. And you can get a laugh even if it turns out that these will not work for you.
https://www.youtube.com/@HeadbangersKitchen
Those are very tough food restrictions: I am so sorry. Fingers crossed that you are able to tolerate more foods asap. I have no new suggestions, but would like to add to some earlier suggestions, if I may.
As noted in several posts above, quinoa can be used to make a porridge and it is higher in protein and certain other nutrients than most grains (I know that technically it isn’t a grain, it is a pseudocereal, but most people refer to it as a grain). Naturally, quinoa contains saponins which are bitter-tasting. Here in the UK the varieties grown are selected for being low-saponin and how quinoa is processed for consumption removes most saponins: I assume that this is the same in the US. However, I am very sensitive to bitter flavours (and saponins are a gastro irritant for some people) so I do soak quinoa before cooking, which might be a helpful practice in your case at present, if you want to try quinoa porridge.
I think that there were also a couple of references from BDH members above about chilling carbohydrate foods to reduce their effect on blood sugar, i.e. developing resistant starch which is processed in the gut differently and is very good for gut bacteria. I also have pre-diabetes and had previously done a deep dive on the available literature on resistant starch. As a result, I do limit the starches I eat. I do eat potatoes, grains, rice, or pasta once a week and I slightly undercook them, chill them (usually with some homemade flavouring/dressing with olive oil, just because that is the oil I tend to use) in the fridge for 12-24 hours and eat cold/reheated/cooked as part of a different dish.
In addition, I also slice, freeze and then toast one bread-based breakfast a week (I make sourdough at home, because everyone else in our house eats bread at every meal and they are fussy and want home baked bread). Having two starch meals a week like this seems to be the right fit for me.
But…. resistant starch does not entirely remove blood sugar spikes (it can reduce them, but it is appears to be very personal as to the extent that this works). Also, gut bacteria loves resistant starch. So… given that you are already having problems with gas, it is possible that resistant starch might make this worse in the short term. We are all individuals and YMMV but it might be better to wait a little longer before adding-in (or re-introducing) resistant starch to your diet.
I’m also struggling with multiple food restrictions due to current ulcer, two minor gall bladder attacks last year, and sugar sensitivity (blood glucose flirted with pre-diabetes one time only, but sugar intensifies my other inflammatory issues). Also have to avoid red meat, possibly due to tick bite. Plus I’m allergic to tree nuts, so a lot of suggestions are right out for me.
Listen to all suggestions, smile sweetly, and then work out what works for your individual metabolism. For instance, several posts mention glycemic index, but GI for any individual depends upon how efficiently your individual gut flora process different foods. So the only experimentally established GI for your own gut flora will be the one that you experimentally establish for yourself, if you have the means to test before and after.
And on the carbs: balance, balance, balance. Fiber and protein.
The only oils I can tolerate, in small quantities or balanced with a ton of fiber, are olive, peanut, cacao, butter, and fish. Anything else runs straight through. I miss avocado and sesame immensely; coconut was always out due to allergy. So all oils are not alike for all individuals, another experiment for another day. Poaching or steaming are the methods least likely to cause problems with fish or poultry.
My own daily breakfast is a heaping (volume) ounce of old-fashioned oats with a level ounce of ground flax, a heaping ounce of dried fruit, and a heaping tablespoon of peanut butter. Cover with a cup of water and nuke for two minutes. That balance works for my system and schedule. You could vary with substitutes like quinoa for the oats, fresh fruit, chopped peanuts or whatever legume your system will tolerate, and/or milk or plant-based milk.
Point being, all the suggestions in the comments are good, and will work for some people. Unfortunately there’s no way to tell in advance which will work for you. I agree with the suggestion to consult a nutritionist if you get stuck. We’re all obviously in good company.
Side note: I can cheat once in a while. Like, holiday dinner. But I have learned the hard way to refuse leftovers unless I can freeze them, because if I cheat again the next day, even in a small way, I’m doomed.
Also, due to ulcer, I can’t have any allium or citrus unless it’s massively diluted. Ginger, same. Casein, lactose, and gluten are also out (casein for many years, lactose and gluten since covid).*sigh*
Some folks have told me however that the red meat allergy from tick bite sometimes goes away after 6-8 years. I live in hope.
If you have tick-induced allergy to red meat, you can now buy pork fromOne company at high cost that has been modified to be tolerated. Special occasion pricing. Either this American life or radiolab has a fascinating webcast on this. I think it was radiolab. Anyway, it has the company. Also the science behind the allergy which I had never heard of. It is fascinating stuff, although also terrifying. But if you miss meat, there is one viable option. It is genetically modified though, if that bothers you.
Can you have yogurt, like Oikos Triple Zero? I love the vanilla and a dietician I saw said it’s one of the best you can eat. I would buy the large containers and mix in fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and/or raspberries, whatever I could find fresh. I also added granola, but you may not be able to have that.
I too am about to have to rethink my diet as my cholesterol is still high even on medication (seems to be genetic as hubby eats the same stuff and his is fine). Tell a southerner that they have to restrict their diet and watch them panic.
I ended up having my gall bladder removed similarly to you, except I was exactly one month post caesarian section to bring my daughter into the world. My favorite breakfast food consisted of egg whites with a small amount of grated carrot, spinach, and onion powder with a slice of toasted whole grain sour dough bread (low sugar) with very light butter. One company makes an egg white “muffin” (no bread) with veggies in the frozen healthy food section of the grocery store that is microwaveable. Hope this helps.
What about 0% or 1% cottage cheese? My dad eats it before anything else in the morning to offset the sugars.
have you tried/are you taking ox bile bile acid salts? my gi was talking about the possibility of taking my gallbladder and we discussed this. he’s been gallbladder free for 30 years with very little adjustments to his diet with daily use of the bile acid salts. he uses double wood supplements ox bile 1000 mg once a day, just ordered off of Amazon. you should give it a try and see if it helps. still be careful, maybe add foods back in in small quantities to see how you do. 🥰🤷♀️
Ref my Mediterranean cooking recommendation, my food choices tend to be savoury.
Hence why most of what I suggested might come across as unusual for breakfast.
Another breakfast favorite for me is to boil a pot of chicken or fish stock, add in a few slivers of chicken or fish, some greens like spinach, pak choy or sliced broccoli, maybe some sweet potato or bean noodles, crack a whole egg or whipped egg, with some fresh herbs, no more than a couple of minutes all up, then pour into a huge bowl. Healthy, delicious, filling, and satisfying.
I make the Sourdough Granola from King Arthur Flour, and modify the recipe to include my favorites (extra pecans, flax, pumpkin seeds, etc). Using sourdough discard reduces the sugar requirement. If you don’t have sourdough starter, they do sell it.
I second the thoughts on branching out beyond typical ‘breakfast foods’. Though eggs are always a pleasure, and never boring because of the different ways to cook them. Frittatas can be done any different style.
I was prediabetic (genetics, apparently, as I was only 150lbs at the time) and anemic and the thing that helped me kick all that within just a few months was going low carb and high protein. We eat a lot of meat (beef and lamb specifically) and vegetables and it has made the world of difference. At the beginning when I was healing my gut issues that were a partial cause, I had lots of egg drop soups and broth-heavy foods. Light in fat, easy on your digestion, but absolutely packed with vitamins and nutrients to help you heal with ease. But also you feel comfortably full. Adding an egg, greens, chicken, whatever suits you, is an easy customization. Makes a very nice breakfast imo. I graduated to steaks and burgers + eggs for breakfast eventually and they make me feel super powered for the day! I hope you feel better!
I mix AG1 and protein powder for breakfast every morning because it’s one of the only things I can tolerate for breakfast with chemo.
Problem with gallbladder diets are that they are very bland.
I would try a protein shake. I use Premier, available at Costco.
Soft boiled eggs, Canadian bacon, yogurt are lots of protein and less fat.
you can have pancakes made with oat flour, or chickpea flour: they are actually very good..with a bit or ricotta, cottage cheese, jam. or with prosciutto or avocado and an egg… also mais tortillas and beans. you ‘ll be a true citizen of the world ☺️
I would take it easy and bland for a few weeks, but I very much doubt your system is as delicate as most articles make it sound. Bile is still being produced by your liver and my understanding is that over time your common bile duct will start to act like a mini-gallbladder. Try small amounts of whatever you like. Everything in moderation. Your life is not over. In fact, you can use this opportunity to try out and find some wonderfully new recipes! (Within a few months of having my gallbladder out, I was eating most everything I had been).
I find it so odd that different doctors/areas recommend so many different things post procedures. When I had my gallbladder removed several years ago a few months after having my daughter, I didn’t get any such restrictions.
Trial and error taught me that it took a few months before my body could handle anything fatty and now, it doesn’t bother me much most of the time.
Do you feel like it has to be breakfast food at breakfast? If you aren’t bound by your own ideas of what breakfast should be, I’d go with some shaved turkey, a sliver or two of cheese and maybe some fruit. Or eggs. Can’t go wrong with eggs. Especially with a slice of sourdough toast and some everything bagel seasoning.
I had to have my gal bladder removed when I was six weeks pregnant and I developed diabetes while pregnant. Here is the combined diet for break fast my doctor recommended.
While grain toast with peanut or for me a peanut allergic person- soy butter the brand WOW butter, and a diabetic protein bar that tasted surprisingly like a lemon bar dessert- they offer multiple flavors. Drinks first thing tended to be water or light on sugar tea.
My biggest recommendation is I would buy a testing kit and make a journal. Test an hour before you eat in the morning then about two to three hours after, repeat for all meals, then once before bed. It will show you your natural highs- mine was early in the morning which seemed bizarre as it was BEFORE I ate anything and I learned white flour tortillas were the biggest spike for me- even more then southern sweet tea or a soda which has sugar obvi.
Since most starches are sugars a diabetic meal plan can help and stick to lean, skinless meats for the gallbladder. White fish is safe but salmon does sadly have to be limited. Beans are a good thing though they can make gas early on for some folks. Avoid fried foods if you can and lean in on safe oils ike extra virgin olive oil and use as little as possible if you can. Fajitas were a go to for my family. Walmart sells leans breast fajita seasoned meat cooked without oil ready made from their rotisserie chicken breast and if you add just a tiny bit of oil to cook the bell peppers and onion powder instead of straight onion *** ( onion is on the list as it’s harder to digest without a gal bladder and in general is problematic- BUT the more reduced the acid or juices the safer it is so onion powder can still give you the taste even if you can’t enjoy the delicious onion.) Then add the chicken cook till heated and you have fajitas. You can have VERY controlled amounts of whole grain brown rice and corn or whole grain shells. We ate it a lot as I was recouping. Most diabetic diets are safe and salad is a good go to veggie. Just be careful with your dressing.
Plain Yogurt? There’s a peanut powder that you can mix with water (very low oil) then put on celery?
I’m so sorry. <3
Cloud bread with various toppings is my go-to breakfast. I can make a big batch and store them in the freezer, then toss them in my toaster in the morning. There are recipes all over the internet for them, but they are basically whipped egg whites, then you fold in a mixture of the yolks beaten together with a bit of cream cheese and whatever herbs/spices you like. Then bake. If you don’t want to make them yourself, there is a brand called Cloudies you can find is the freezer section of most mega-mart type stores. Depending on what herbs I put in the latest batch (or grated cheese, I’m a sucker for cheese), I will even eat them plain out of the toaster. I also make savory meringues leaving out most of the sugar and using cream of tartar to help them hold together and eat them with pretty much any fruit. I used to make those for my mom when she had a diverticulitis attack and was desperate for food with texture.
I had a similar experience recently- my kidney doc showed me a list of dietary ‘recommendations’, and I smart-assed a quip “what’s left, cardboard?” She didn’t miss a beat, and said “but you can have all the cardboard you want!”. I still miss salt, I really do.
Dashi soup makes a nice breakfast, you can add an egg to it or have one alongside it. I liked it with pickled veggies, or white Kimchee. (It’s not spicy, but it is still delicious)
Any kind of soup is nice for breakfast. Chicken with celery, parsley, and thyme; Dashi can be combined with poached white fish. I even made a sweet potato hash that turned out well. It pairs great with almost any protein.
Can you eat tofu? I can’t, but that might be an optional addition to soup or stir fry.
Rice noodles are not super carby. I’ve been using them in ramen a long time. Glass noodles that are made from yam are also good for soups.
There are noodles made of konjac root that are no carb, but those are an acquired taste. (Hubby doesn’t care for them, so we use the other kinds.)
That’s all I can think of off the top of my head that hasn’t been mentioned yet.
Happy to hear you’re on the mend. As a woman with health issues too, I understand the frustration of dietary restrictions, especially since I love food. I’ve also been on Atkins and Weight Watchers so I’m used to looking at nutrition labels.
Since regular hydration drinks are a mouthful of yuck. I”ve been drinking low-sodium V-8, for it’s hydration. It’s especially low carb/low sugar for juice, and 8 oz is a serving of vegetables.
Low fat cottage cheese with fruit is good for breakfast, lunch or snack.
What about Canadian bacon, turkey bacon or Morning Star Farms breakfast links (not sure if they contain onion) as lean protein options?
Protein drinks are great for breakfast, too. My preferences are Atkins or Premier Protein. Costco has the best price for the Premier Protein if you like it enough to buy it in an 18 pack.
La Tortilla Factory low-carb flour tortillas are great for a wrap or a burrito.
Fairlife 2% Milk is the best dairy milk ever! 8oz = 120 cal/4.5g fat/ 6g carbs/6g sugars (no added sugars) and 13 g protein.
I hope this helps, and best wishes for a speedy recovery.
what about turkey or chicken sausage or turkey bacon? Low fat high protein. With a slice of Ezekiel bread and some berries.
I’ve dealt with tons of dietary restrictions and one thing that has helped was to redefine my idea of breakfast foods. Now I eat more things that look like lunch or dinner. lol
1. Hummus and veggies
2. Salads with hard boiled eggs, chickpeas (I can’t do other beans, but there’s lots of options for others for protein), and whatever else I wanted.
3. Roasted root vegetables. A favorite of mine is butternut squash, kale, and apples. I also added ground chicken or turkey, which I cook separately.
You can use turnips or rutabaga in place of potatoes in things like hashes or hash browns for a lower glycemic index.
5. Veggies and brown rice. I eat a lot of fried rice for breakfast, but soy sauce would be super high in sodium. Can you use coconut aminos? It’s a soy sauce substitute with less sodium.
6. Breakfast sausage made with ground turkey or chick
7. Literally dinner leftovers because I’m lazy.
I am delighted to hear that you are feeling better and bummed for you that you now have to entirely rethink your diet. Hang in there! I am amazed at the wonderful suggestions! I think we have a cookbook in the making here :-). I haven’t seen cooked millet or cooked amaranth suggested for breakfast yet, I believe both are appropriate for diabetes. Both have a pleasantly sweet and nutty taste.I will also eat cooked quinoa for breakfast. Bob’s Red Mill is a brand that is usually easy to find but you can can more exotic types of these grains if you search. I add seeds, fruit, spices, and sometimes a milk (I like pea protein milk-Ripple- and Flax Milk). I can eat butter but sometimes I will add some mild olive oil instead for healthy fat. Seeds are my go to to crunch up the cooked grains (pumpkin, sunflower) but you might have fun exploring other seeds (Sacha Incha is one I like). Go Raw Spouted Apple Cinnamon Granola might be ok for the pre-diabetes, sweetened with dates and apples, and has sprouted seeds.
Can you see a dietitian? They would be able to help.
Hi Illona! A good breakfast idea could be grated apple with cinnamon, a few walnuts and seeds, and some topping like lime juice. If your body does okay with carrot, grate that in there too. It is surprisingly delicious. Basically, you can move all of your normal oatmeal toppings to it that you can still have. I’d also recommend some honey. Cinnamon is good for blood sugar control so I’d use as much as you can enjoy the taste of.
I would also strongly suggest looking at this wonderful herbal blend: https://www.vitalityherbsandclay.com/products/bloodsugar-balance
Their products are life savers. The owner and formulator is a true gem with inexpensive consults if you are interested.
I am diabetic and I control it by diet alone. Eggs are your best bet and I sometimes side it with Canadian bacon and small serving of fruit. Omelets are my go to because of all the flavor you can add like spinach/goat cheese/jalapeno.
I do a kale, cucumber, parsley avocado, lemon juice, cayenne smoothie everyday for breakfast and lunch. It is 24 ounces so it takes me till 2 pm to finish it. You can of course add protein powder or flax seeds or whatever. I have been trying to watch my blood sugar so it’s been working. I do add a teaspoon of honey but that’s not a must. So glad you are feeling better 🙏
A recent family gave for us is Thai basil chicken egg burritos! We make the chicken from this recipe: https://damndelicious.net/2019/01/22/thai-basil-chicken-bowls/
Add some scrambled eggs and stuff it into a low-carb tortilla. Don’t skimp on the basil!!
Also, have you tried Wasa crackers? They are a low carb fav for me. Great with cheese, or egg salad, or pretty much anything. I like spreading laughing cow cheese on them!
Amaranth instead of oatmeal (I didn’t see it mentioned)
I like the taste better – a bit nuttier and an interesting texture – and it also has more protein so it lasts longer for me as a breakfast. Oatmeal doesn’t tend to hold me long.
I’ll usually add a bunch of cinnamon, maybe a bit of cardomom, allspice etc. Then either unsweetened cranberries afterwards or cook it with frozen cranberries in the water, and chopped pecans or other nuts. Basically any variation you’d use on oatmeal works fine.
I make a big pot of it and then freeze breakfast portions for something easy and fast.
Haven’t made this version specifically but it gives you the ratios: https://mariamarlowe.com/recipe/my-breakfast-obsession-amaranth-porridge/
How about avacado toast? Sourdough bread sliced thin with a good olive oil, then a layer of avacados, cottage cheese with salad supreme sprinkled on top. i had salmalilla over Christmas 2022 and ever since can not eat onions or eggs. Wonder if it is the sulfer? So glad that you are feeling better everyday. Looking forward to your next book!
Tofu scramble! Add veggies of choice. Seitan (wheat gluten) and TVP are also high protein and almost no fat.
Chia pudding! soak 4 tbsp of Chia seeds overnight in just over a cup of any sort of dairy type thing. I use a can of coconut milk with a little water, but that might have too much fat. Almond milk, soy milk and regular milk will all work. Then dress with whatever you usually put on your oatmeal. Also, thank you everyone for all the ideas- I am going to borrow lots of these.
I have an easy breakfast option that worked well for me on Weight Watchers.
Combine one egg, well beaten, with one medium mashed banana, one packet Truvia, one tablespoon cocoa powder. Pour the mixture into a ramekin that has been coated with non-stick spray. Microwave for 90 seconds or so, depending on the power of the machine. Turn out onto a saucer. I spread a little no-sugar jam on top. I don’t know if the banana has too much sugar or starch, but this is pretty satisfying.
I buy Catalina Crunch cereal from Costco. Made by a diabetic, gluten free and no sugar, paired with your milk of choice. Not cheap, but nice when you just want a bowl of cereal.
Godspeed for quick healing!
I know it’s almost oatmeal, but what about granola with nuts and seeds? Yogurt bowls or smoothies with greens to balance out the fruits?
Sorry you’re having to deal with this. I’ve been on an extremely restricted diet for about a year (there are about 80 ingredients on my ok list, which is not a lot—that includes, like, salt) and I feel like 50% of my mental energy just goes into figuring out what to eat now…
Hello Ilona, as a long time chef(before I became a therapist 🙂 and someone with no gall bladder and is also pre-diabetic- gotta love getting older- I recommend a really good quality Italian sour dough bread. It’s lower in sugar as the sour dough starter eats the sugar to reproduce, so you could have a bit of French toast in the morning with fruit. I also like breakfast rice- which is basically rice made with chicken stock, chicken meat, carrots and leeks( the green parts don’t have as much sugar in them as onions which are very high). I make a big pot and then freeze some portions and eat the rest as needed. I hope you feel better soon!
I am so confused about all these comments about sourdough. You can make bread with no sugar at all. It’s actually traditional. The problem with bread isn’t sugar, it is flour. And the carbs from flour are the same whether it is a yeast or sour dough starter. You can make bread with less refined flour or alternatives (like rye) and that will give you more complex carbs and maybe even fewer but sourdough? I think this is an urban myth.
Ilona, on the sugar front: The amount of carbs in refined sugar is VASTLY different depending on the USDA website vs sugar packages for the same number of grams. White cane sugar. Half the websites cite the usda number. Half cite the sugar package number. I actually called 2 sugar companies and the usda trying to find out which is true. I even asked a number of dieticians – half cited one number and half the other. I got nowhere. I only bring it up because if you make things from scratch and are trying to figure out carbs, you should know the discrepancy exists. It is extremely mysterious. The USDA number is lower. It kind of makes me wonder how they are calculating the carbs on packaged food.
Quinoa (cook in bone broth, then you can fry it up if you want in ghee or butter), Greek yogurt, steel cut whole oats with flax and chia with So-Delicious unsweetened coconut milk (0 sugars), diced sweet potatoes lightly browned in ghee with dill and rosemary.
My wife and sister both had gall bladder removed. Wife uses Turmeric w/Bromelain along with cider vinegar just before eating and NOW Super Digestive Enzymes just after a meal. After the recovery period of a few months, both eat pretty much normally simply trimming excess fat, with the exception of super fatty or greasy foods like pork ribs, fried chicken, etc.
Had my gall bladder removed three years ago. The limited menu hurts. What works for me is very small quantities of the foods I like and far too many salads.
First thing is portion control. Go smaller and have some snacks. (Ahem) You will be very regular. Used to be people talked about answering a call of nature. Now, for you, Nature is holding a stop watch and it is a timed event. Pay attention and get the timing down.
Second, avoid red meat, pork, fatty chicken, full-on dairy and anything overly refined/processed. Soda is a death trap. Try a Soy or vegan butter for cooking. Canola oil or a spray instead of Olive oil or butter. Fresh vegetables, home made bread with no salt/sugar ( which is surprisingly good) . Pasta still works for me. Simple sugars from fruit – in reasonable quantities. Yogurt and non-fat cottage cheese. Start small with your favorites. I can still have 1 slice of cheese or 3 strips of bacon on a sandwich. A full-on toasted cheese or a pizza has unpleasant consequences. Sometimes I do it anyway. If you end up camping the bathroom too often go to even smaller portions and more snacking. Daily aerobic exercise seems to make a big difference too.
Be wary of the vegan products, especially the meat. Morning Star farms does pretty well for me. Beyond Sausage does not. Many of the vegan products are very heavy on fats and oils that will cause you problems.
I’ve found some good stuff at hearthealthymarket.com
Good luck.
I actually really like Miso soup for breakfast. I know it’s not traditional but it is warm and satisfying. I also use smoothies as a go to when I’m struggling to think of what to eat. It’s quick , easy and there are a lot of vegetables that also taste good in smoothies. I hope all goes well with the recovery.
Love Grown Power O’s (Original) is a crunchy cereal made with just 5 ingredients: beans (navy, lentils, garbanzo), brown rice flour, and salt. Beans are complex carbs as is whole-grain brown rice flour, but the Power O’s ingredient list just says “brown rice flour.” The cereal has 5 grams of fiber and a 5% daily value for sodium. The Original flavor has no added sugar. It’s pretty tasty for a clean breakfast cereal, and sometimes I just snack on a half-cup. I should note I’m vegetarian.
Eggs are low in fat and no carbs (scramble, omelette, hard- or soft-boiled) — add some hummus and/or tahini?
Wishing you a smooth event-free recovery 🙂
Breakfast muffins made with egg whites and low fat cottage cheese and any veggies that are safe for you to eat. They’re really good!
Maybe try some chicken sausage if you can find some with a low enough fat content?
The FODMAP food suggestions (avoids gas producing food for IBS patients) might help. Suggestions include: Grains like rice, quinoa and oats;
Vegetables like eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini;
Fruits such as grapes, oranges, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple.
Sending healing energy!
May I suggest Japanese New Year soup, ozoni? It’s a broth soup with vegetables.
There are many recipes online (the NY Times even has a variation) and if you don’t have time to make the broth (called dashi) from scratch, you can buy it from most Asian markets (it might be called tsuyu if bottled, and may have instructions for dilution).
It’s one of those soups you add to or not, to taste. So you can add the kamaboko (a fishcake which some find rubbery) or chicken or tofu or miso, or not. Use spinach or mizuna or water cress… skip the mochi…
Glad to hear you’re feeling better, if not fully recovered.
Egg white omelete
I’m not sure, but Paleo?
Hi, when I had my surgery here in Canada, they surgeon recommended to me that I follow the Canadian Heart and Stroke foundation diet like it is my new religion.
For breakfast, I usually do a non-dairy yogurt (Soy,oat or almond, coconut milk yogurt is awful) with homemade granola or I do a protein shake -again, non-dairy. I found that once my gall bladder was removed, dairy became a problem. Once a week, I have a bagel because why not.
Lunch is a salad of some sort with baked or air fryer chicken breast – well seasoned. It is also occasionally tuna or salmon but I am so not a fish person so that is rare. I make my own dressing with olive oil and balsamic vinegar or I use Skinny Girl dressing. I have also been known to use breaded chicken breast or strips (wild, I know). My salads are not just greens. They have corn or veg of some sort. Sometimes I cut up dried dates into them or granny smith apples. Spinach salad always has strawberry and almond with it.
Dinner is whatever I happen to have handy. I am more of a big lunch small dinner person.
I hope this helped even a tiny bit.
Greek yogurt and I add a scoop of various flavors of whey protein powder, fruits and veggies, eggs, cottage cheese pancakes are some of my go tos. I lean heavily on flavor blends: cavendish, TJ green goddess and everything but the bagel.
I had my gallbladder out more than 15 years ago. Please follow the restrictions your doc gave you until you heal. After that, experiment to see what does and does not work for you. I’ve been reminded recently that tomatoes don’t like me right now. It’s cyclical, so maybe next month they’ll be OK.
Dr Douglas Graham “The 80/10/10 Diet.” Eating fresh raw fruit saved my life. Highly recommend. Yes, it’s the ideal diabetic diet. 😀
Here are a few suggestions:
Catalina Crunch Cereal (Chocolate, Honey, Cinnamon, Fruit flavors) features 11 grams of plant-based protein, 9 grams fiber, zero added sugars, and 5 grams net carbs.
Egg white veggie omelet
Protein shake blended with fruit
Highland Medley Hot Cereal: A blend of steel cut oats, barley and brown rice
My go to meal for quite a while was egg scrambled with either spinach or broccoli in it- just need to use vegetable spray for the pan. My mom prefers peppers in hers. For regular meals veggie stir fry was always good. I could tolerate the vegetable oil even when I couldn’t eat bread. Bean-o helped me with the fat for the first couple of months. It didn’t necessarily keep all the gas away but made it possible to digest cheese and bread. It got gradually better over a period of 6 months to a year until I could eat almost everything
I have the same problem-no gallbladder and diabetic. I eat canned tuna for breakfast (sometimes with pickles and mayo). Strange, but when I had to go with 40 carbs per day to lose some weight it worked for me. You can also get no sugar added sweet pickles for a snack.
I like to make garden veggie omelets or a veggie hash with radishes instead of potatoes, tomatoes, mushrooms, bell pepper fried with salt. I use a ceramic crepe pan that works well without oil. Top the hash with an over-easy egg and its delicious. There’s also lentil flatbread. Soak red lentils for the hours, puree them with water – enough water for a very thin batter, pour a quarter cup in a crepe pan or griddle and fry. I add some salt, garlic salt or something for a little additional flavor. It takes some time to make them but they’re good for breakfast tostadas, air fried for a pita chip replacement, breakfast burritos, or a sandwich wrap and they freeze well. I’ve seen a recipe mixing the lentil puree with Greek yogurt and baking it into little loaves but I haven’t tried it yet. I have tried a similar recipe that worked but it called for almond flour, so I’m not recommending that, but Greek yogurt is a fabulous ingredient for flour less baking.
Good luck!
Consider taking bile salts! It can offset some of the compromises you might need to make to have food that tastes good and is relaxing. Fats can be nutritious and I think it unlocks fat soluble vitamins to eat them together, ie. oil in salad dressing. The gall bladder concentrates bile, so you are still making it, just not secreting enough. Worth a little rabbit hole research at least. That list is brutal. Good luck!
conge workes well for savory breakfast
I typically have a turbo coffee ☕ which is protein powder, coffee and a little milk with some coconut oil. and if still hungry some eggs 🥚
wow the bdh has come through with a tone of suggestions. I won’t suggest anything for wise as I’m really bad at knowing what’s what I’m the restrictions side. I just wanted to say that I’m glad that you’re able to site without wincing and that I how you continue to recover.
My go to breakfast is reheating whatever I had for dinner the night before. If I loved it for dinner, I still love it for breakfast. If you don’t limit yourself to traditional breakfast foods you have a lot more choices. For example, I can quickly make a shrimp stirfry and wrap it in a tortilla and have it for breakfast along with fruit. I keep two bags of frozen shrimp on hand-cooked and uncooked. The first is great on top of salads or for adding to something already cooked. The latter can be quickly thawed for cooking using a bowl of warm water. My husband usually eats oatmeal.
Another thing that is very tasty is a wrap with sliced turkey (whatever kind you like). Add any toppings that are tasty and on your okay list. I like mine with hummus, shitake mushrooms, and a bit of lemon juice. I don’t know if beans are out for you, but shitake mushrooms add a lot of flavor when you can’t have other things. I always have them in my kitchen now.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cholecystectomy/expert-answers/gallbladder-removal-diet/faq-20057813
Generally speaking- the gas producing foods avoidance will be short-term. Hopefully.
Breakfast- perhaps steak and egg whites? Or egg white omelet with chicken/lean meat and veg?
Good luck and swift recovery!