Reduce Your Risk of Gallbladder Surgery

The high fiber content of barley may also help avoid gallstones. Gallstones are solid particles that form on their own in the gallbladder, a tiny organ found beneath the liver. Bile acids are produced by the gallbladder and are used by the body to break down fat. Gallstones do not usually create any symptoms. Large gallstones, on the other hand, can occasionally become lodged in a duct of your gallbladder, producing excruciating discomfort. In such circumstances, the gallbladder is frequently removed surgically. The insoluble fiber present in barley may help prevent gallstone formation and lessen the likelihood of gallbladder surgery.

In one 16-year observational research, women who consumed the most fiber were 13% less likely to develop gallstones than necessitated gallbladder resection. This benefit appears to be dose-dependent, as every 5-gram increase in insoluble fiber consumption reduced the risk of gallstones by roughly 10%. In another study, obese people were randomly assigned to one of two quick weight loss diets, one high in fiber and the other high in protein. Rapid weight reduction can raise the risk of gallstone formation. After five weeks, those on the fiber-rich diet were three times more likely than those on the protein-rich diet to have healthy gallbladders.