What to eat to increase bile secretion? 5 natural bile-boosting foods

Bile helps the body digest fats and absorb fat-soluble vitamins. When bile flow is reduced or obstructed, the body may show noticeable signs such as fatigue, jaundice, dark urine, or pale stools.

If you are looking for ways to increase bile secretion or increase bile flow, it's important not to try to stimulate the body to produce as much bile as possible. Instead, you should first identify the cause of abnormal bile secretion or flow. In this article, Tiptory helps you understand the role of bile, dietary and lifestyle changes that can support liver and gallbladder function, and recognize when symptoms require medical attention.

Part 1: What to eat to naturally increase bile secretion?

Method 1: Eat healthy fats to support bile

Prioritize healthy fats in your meals

• Dietary fat can stimulate the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK), which in turn promotes gallbladder contractions and the release of bile into the small intestine to aid fat digestion. Therefore, instead of trying to increase bile secretion by eating a lot of fat, you should include a moderate amount of beneficial fat sources in a balanced diet.

• Suitable options include fatty fish, olive oil, avocados, and nuts. These are sources of unsaturated fats that can support heart health and gallbladder function when consumed in moderation.

Choose foods rich in good fats

• Fatty fish: You can choose salmon and other fatty fish in your diet. Fish oil is also mentioned by NIDDK as a healthy fat that can help the gallbladder contract and empty regularly.

• Avocado: You can add avocado to salads, whole-grain bread, or other daily meals to supplement unsaturated fats.

• Nuts: Almonds and cashews can be part of a balanced diet. Prioritize unsalted or unsweetened varieties and eat them in moderation.

Do not assume that eating more fat is always better

• The goal of increasing bile through diet is not to maximize total fat intake. Foods high in saturated fats, fried foods, and fatty desserts can make a diet unhealthy. NIDDK recommends prioritizing healthy fats like olive oil and fish fats, while limiting unhealthy fats.

• If you have gallstones, eating a very high-fat meal can stimulate gallbladder contractions, and in some people, it can cause pain due to gallstones blocking the bile ducts. Therefore, you should not self-prescribe a high-fat diet to increase bile secretion without first identifying the cause of your symptoms.

Combine good fats with a balanced diet

• To support long-term gallbladder health, combine healthy fats with fiber-rich foods, such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, and whole grains; also limit sugar and refined carbohydrates. This approach is recommended by NIDDK to reduce the risk of gallstone formation.

• Do not fast for extended periods or lose weight too quickly with the aim of improving bile flow. Rapid weight loss can increase the risk of gallstone formation by affecting the composition of bile and the gallbladder's ability to empty.

Do not try to increase bile flow if there are abnormal signs

• If you experience persistent right upper abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting, you should seek medical attention instead of just changing your diet. These signs may be related to bile duct obstruction or gallstone complications.

• Medically, increasing bile secretion is not always the treatment goal. The liver produces bile, and the gallbladder stores and releases bile when needed. If bile flow is obstructed, the problem needs to be diagnosed and treated appropriately rather than just trying to increase bile flow.

Method 2: Prioritize unsaturated fats

Choose unsaturated fats instead of saturated fats

• Polyunsaturated fats (PUFA) are a beneficial group of fats, especially when used to replace foods rich in saturated fats. Current nutritional guidelines from the American Heart Association recommend prioritizing unsaturated fat sources in a heart-healthy diet.

• Regarding bile, cholesterol is an important raw material for the liver to synthesize bile acids. However, it should not be assumed that simply eating a lot of PUFA will directly increase bile secretion. Modern scientific evidence supports building a balanced diet, replacing saturated fats with unsaturated fats, rather than focusing on a single type of fat.

Supplement foods rich in unsaturated fats

• You can include the following foods in your meals in appropriate portions:

  • Walnuts and other nuts.

  • Sunflower seeds and flaxseeds.

  • Liquid vegetable oils such as olive oil, canola oil, soybean oil, and corn oil.

  • Various fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, herring, and rainbow trout.

• These foods not only provide unsaturated fats but can also contribute to a more balanced diet. The AHA currently recommends prioritizing nuts, seeds, fish, and non-tropical vegetable oils over sources rich in saturated fats.

Support cholesterol control

• When the goal is to improve cholesterol, the most important thing is replacement, not just simply adding more fat. Replacing some saturated fats with unsaturated fats can help lower LDL-cholesterol and support a reduction in cardiovascular risk.

• For example, replacing butter or animal fat with a moderate amount of olive oil, canola oil, or nuts is a more reasonable choice for a daily diet.

No need to aim for a fixed fat ratio

• The original content suggests 15–20% of daily energy from polyunsaturated fats. However, this ratio should not be applied mechanistically to everyone. Current nutritional guidelines emphasize an overall eating pattern rather than a fixed number for each type of fat.

• If you are interested in how to increase bile flow, prioritize a diverse diet including vegetables, fruits, whole grains, appropriate protein sources, fish, nuts, and healthy vegetable oils. The goal should be to support overall liver and gallbladder health rather than trying to make the body produce a lot of bile.

Considerations for high cholesterol or biliary tract disease

• If tests show high LDL-cholesterol or you have been diagnosed with dyslipidemia, dietary changes are important but may not be sufficient. The ACC/AHA 2026 guidelines recommend assessing overall cardiovascular risk and choosing appropriate treatment methods for each individual.

• In particular, if you are trying to increase bile secretion due to jaundice, abdominal pain, dark urine, or pale stools, you should not arbitrarily increase your fat intake. These symptoms may be related to liver, gallbladder, or bile duct problems and need to be evaluated for their cause.

Method 3: Low-fat milk helps the gallbladder contract

Low-fat milk can stimulate gallbladder contractions

• Drinking about 250 ml of semi-skimmed milk can stimulate the gallbladder to contract and release bile into the small intestine. This mechanism is related to the body's response to food after eating, in which the hormone cholecystokinin (CCK) plays an important role in stimulating gallbladder contractions. Ultrasound studies in humans show that CCK can significantly reduce gallbladder volume and increase the amount of bile delivered to the intestine.

• However, it is important to distinguish between increasing bile secretion and increasing bile release. Milk does not necessarily make the liver produce more bile; the main effect of interest here is helping the gallbladder empty, delivering the bile already produced and stored by the liver into the digestive tract.

Milk can be used as part of a meal

• If you tolerate milk well, you can consume about 250 ml of low-fat milk with meals instead of viewing it as a separate treatment to increase bile flow.

• Do not drink large amounts of milk with the aim of forcing the gallbladder to contract. The ability of the gallbladder to contract depends on many factors, especially meal composition and digestive hormones like CCK. Research in humans shows that dietary fat can produce a clear gallbladder contraction response.

Understand the correct goal when trying to increase bile flow

• If the goal is to increase bile secretion, milk is not a direct way to increase the amount of bile produced by the liver. The liver continuously produces bile, while the gallbladder stores and releases bile when the body needs to digest fats.

• Therefore, if you suspect poor bile flow, you need to find the cause instead of just trying to make the gallbladder contract more. In particular, people with gallbladder or bile duct disease should not self-administer gallbladder-stimulating measures without prior medical evaluation.

Do not use this method to self-treat gallbladder disease

• If you experience right upper quadrant abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, fever, nausea, or vomiting, you should see a doctor to determine the cause. These symptoms may be related to gallbladder or bile duct disorders and should not be treated solely by changing milk intake or diet.

• In particular, if you already know you have gallstones, do not try to eat or drink a lot of fat to stimulate gallbladder contractions. A high-fat meal can stimulate gallbladder contractions and, in people with gallstones, may cause symptoms.

Method 4: Eat vegetables to support bile

Prioritize vegetables in your diet

• Artichokes, radishes, and celery are often mentioned when discussing how to increase bile flow. However, current evidence is not strong enough to confirm that eating these foods can significantly increase bile secretion in humans.

• Among them, artichokes have more direct research data. A small, randomized, placebo-controlled trial in 20 people showed that artichoke extract could increase bile secretion for a short period. However, the study used standardized artichoke extract administered directly into the duodenum, not regular artichoke consumption, so it cannot be inferred that eating artichokes will produce a similar increase.

Artichokes can be added to meals

• If you want to supplement foods that support liver health and the digestive system, you can use artichokes as part of a diverse diet.

• Artichokes or artichoke extract should not be considered a definitive method to increase bile secretion. Evidence for their bile-stimulating effect in humans is limited and requires more large-scale studies.

Be cautious with radishes and celery

• Radishes and celery are nutritious and can be used in a healthy diet, but the evidence that they directly increase bile secretion in humans is currently not convincing enough.

• In particular, results from animal studies should not be directly applied to humans. Therefore, instead of promoting radishes or celery as a way to increase bile flow, they should simply be viewed as vegetable sources that help diversify your diet.

Distinguish between increased bile production and bile release

• The liver produces bile, while the gallbladder stores and releases bile into the intestines when the body digests food. After a meal, nervous and hormonal signals can promote bile delivery to the duodenum.

• Therefore, if you are looking for ways to increase bile secretion, you need to determine whether the problem lies in the liver's ability to produce bile, the gallbladder's ability to contract, or bile flow through the bile ducts. Eating just one type of food cannot address all of these causes.

Do not self-medicate with extracts to increase bile flow

• Artichoke extract has a significantly higher concentration of active ingredients than regular food. Therefore, it should not be assumed that taking high doses will better increase bile flow.

• If you have jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, fever, or persistent nausea, you should be evaluated by a healthcare professional instead of trying to stimulate bile yourself.

Method 5: Eat garlic and onions to support bile

Include garlic and onions in your meals

• Garlic and onions can be used as part of a diverse diet and are sources of plant compounds. Some experimental studies suggest that these Allium foods may affect cholesterol metabolism and the composition of bile.

• However, the existing evidence primarily comes from animal studies and is not yet sufficient to confirm that eating garlic or onions will directly increase bile secretion in humans. Therefore, this should not be considered a treatment for bile deficiency.

Garlic and onions may affect cholesterol in bile

• In a study on mice, a diet supplemented with garlic or onions reduced cholesterol levels in bile and altered some indicators related to cholesterol saturation and gallstone formation. The study also noted an increase in the activity of certain enzymes involved in cholesterol and bile acid metabolism.

• Another study on mice showed that garlic and onions could reduce the cholesterol saturation of bile and affect cholesterol crystallization. These are notable results but still need to be confirmed by high-quality human studies.

Use garlic and onions as food, not medicine

• You can add garlic and onions to your daily meals to enhance flavor rather than using concentrated products for the purpose of increasing bile flow.

• Do not self-administer large amounts of garlic, garlic oil, or garlic supplements to treat gallstones. Results from animal studies do not prove that these products can dissolve or prevent gallstones in humans.

Understand how to increase bile secretion correctly

• Increasing bile secretion and improving gallbladder health are not entirely the same. The liver produces bile, while the gallbladder stores and releases bile into the small intestine when fats need to be digested.

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• Therefore, if you are looking for ways to increase bile flow, you should focus on a balanced diet rich in vegetables, fiber, and unsaturated fats instead of relying on a single food.

Do not self-treat when there are signs of biliary tract disease

• If you experience right upper abdominal pain, jaundice, dark urine, pale stools, fever, or vomiting, you should be evaluated by a healthcare professional. These signs may be related to obstruction or biliary tract disease and should not be treated solely by changing foods to increase bile secretion.

Part 2: How to increase bile flow through lifestyle habits

Method 1: Find the root cause of reduced bile flow

Get examined to identify the cause before treatment

• If you suspect you have a bile issue or are looking for ways to increase bile secretion, the most important step is to identify the cause rather than self-medicating with foods or supplements. Biliary tract disorders can involve the gallbladder, liver, or bile ducts, and each cause requires a different approach to treatment.

• You can start with a gastroenterologist or hepatologist, especially if symptoms are persistent or recurrent. The doctor will rely on symptoms, medical history, and physical examination to guide the diagnosis.

Possible causes of reduced or obstructed bile flow

• Gallbladder disease: Gallstones can block the bile ducts, preventing normal bile flow. When bile ducts are obstructed, patients may experience pain in the upper right abdomen and symptoms related to cholestasis.

• Cholestasis: The slowing or obstruction of bile flow can occur due to various medical conditions, from liver damage to problems within the bile ducts.

Liver disease: Some liver diseases can affect the production, processing, or excretion of bile. For example, cirrhosis can cause abnormal liver function tests and bilirubin levels.

• Biliary tract diseases: Conditions causing inflammation, narrowing, or obstruction of the bile ducts can lead to bile backing up in the liver.

The doctor may perform blood tests

• Blood tests can help assess liver and biliary tract function. Some commonly checked indicators include ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and bilirubin. Abnormalities in these indicators may suggest liver damage or biliary tract disease, but do not self-diagnose the cause.

• If gallstones or obstruction are suspected, the doctor may order additional appropriate tests instead of relying solely on a single blood test.

Ultrasound or imaging tests may be needed

• Abdominal ultrasound is often used to detect gallstones and evaluate the gallbladder. Depending on the case, the doctor may order CT, MRI/MRCP, or HIDA scan for a more detailed evaluation of the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts.

• ERCP is a specialized procedure used selectively, such as to identify or treat certain cases of stones lodged in the common bile duct. This is not a test that patients should self-request solely for the purpose of checking bile.

Recognizing signs that require early medical attention

• Do not simply look for ways to increase bile production at home if you have jaundice or yellow eyes, tea-colored urine, pale stools, persistent abdominal pain, fever, chills, nausea, or vomiting. These symptoms can occur when the bile ducts are obstructed or when the liver, gallbladder, and bile ducts are experiencing problems.

• In particular, abdominal pain accompanied by fever or jaundice requires early medical evaluation as prolonged bile duct obstruction can lead to serious complications.

Treating the cause is more important than trying to increase bile secretion

• If there is indeed a bile abnormality, the goal of treatment is usually to address the underlying cause. Therefore, self-consumption of a particular food, taking supplements, or attempting to increase bile secretion cannot replace medical diagnosis and treatment.

• In other words, low bile is not always a problem that needs to be "increased". The key is to determine how bile is produced, stored, and circulated, and then choose the appropriate course of action.

Method 2: Drink enough water to support bile

Maintain adequate hydration daily

• Bile is composed mainly of water, about 95%. Water and electrolytes are involved in the formation and circulation of bile in the liver and bile ducts. Therefore, maintaining adequate hydration is an important part of overall health, but it should not be understood that drinking more water will increase bile secretion more.

• A small study on humans once noted that drinking water can increase bile excretion compared to a state of fasting, but this was a study on only 9 people who had undergone cholecystectomy. Therefore, this result is not sufficient to confirm that drinking water is a method of treating bile deficiency or helps increase bile production in everyone.

Drink water regularly instead of trying to drink too much

• Drink water throughout the day and increase your water intake when the weather is hot or during physical activity that causes the body to lose a lot of fluid. Actual water needs vary with age, weight, activity level, climate, and water received from food.

• It is not necessary to force yourself to reach a specific number like 3.7 liters or 2.7 liters of water per day. The levels often cited by the National Academies are the total water intake from both beverages and food, not just the amount of filtered water to drink.

You can start the day with a glass of water

• Drinking a glass of water after waking up is a simple way to replenish fluids after a night's sleep. However, this is a habit that supports rehydration, not a special method to increase bile production.

• Throughout the day, you can drink water when thirsty and also get water from foods like soup, vegetables, and fruits. This approach is more practical than trying to drink a very large amount of water in a short time.

Don't confuse adequate hydration with increased bile production

• The liver produces bile by secreting bile acids, lipids, electrolytes, and other substances into the bile canaliculi; water follows these substances through osmosis. Therefore, water is an important component of bile, but the process of bile production is regulated by many complex mechanisms, not simply by "drinking more water, the liver produces more bile."

• If you are looking for ways to increase bile secretion due to abnormal symptoms, the priority is still to find the cause. Drinking enough water is beneficial for health but cannot replace the evaluation of liver, gallbladder, or biliary tract diseases.

Do not self-increase water intake excessively

• Drinking too much water in a short period does not help increase bile more effectively and can cause an imbalance in blood sodium levels. Therefore, the appropriate goal is to maintain adequate hydration, not to drink as much as possible.

• If you experience jaundice, yellow eyes, dark urine, pale stools, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, or persistent digestive symptoms, you should seek medical attention to find the cause instead of just changing your water intake.

Method 3: Limit sugar and processed foods

Reduce sugar and refined carbohydrates

• If you are concerned about how to increase bile or protect gallbladder health, you should limit added sugar and refined carbohydrates such as cakes, candies, sugary drinks, white bread, and foods high in sugar. The NIDDK recommends that a diet to prevent gallstones should contain less sugar and refined carbohydrates.

• This does not mean completely eliminating carbohydrates. Instead, prioritize whole grains, vegetables, legumes, and whole fruits to increase fiber and improve the overall quality of your diet.

Limit processed foods and high-sugar foods

• Sweets, sugary drinks, desserts, and processed foods often provide a lot of sugar or refined carbohydrates but little fiber. A high-calorie diet, rich in refined carbohydrates, and low in fiber is associated with a higher risk of gallstones.

• Therefore, instead of focusing on one food that can increase bile secretion, you should build a healthier overall diet. This is a more scientifically sound approach to supporting liver, gallbladder, and biliary tract health.

Choose whole fruits when you crave sweets

• When you want something sweet, you can choose apples, grapes, strawberries, or other whole fruits. Fruits provide fiber and many micronutrients, and are more compatible with a diet low in added sugars.

• Prioritize whole fruits over juices or sugary drinks. Juices can contain a relatively high amount of natural sugar but less fiber compared to eating whole fruit.

It should not be understood that sugar directly reduces bile

• Current evidence does not simply show that eating a lot of sugar will immediately cause the liver to produce less bile. A more relevant link is that a diet high in calories, sugar, and refined carbohydrates can contribute to metabolic factors related to the risk of gallstones.

• Therefore, the goal of reducing sugar is not to "force" the body to increase bile, but to improve the quality of the diet and reduce factors that may be detrimental to gallbladder health.

Prioritize a balanced diet

• A diet that supports gallbladder health should include vegetables, fruits, fiber-rich foods, whole grains, appropriate protein, and healthy fats, while reducing added sugars and refined carbohydrates.

• Do not fast or lose weight too quickly to improve bile. Rapid weight loss and very low-calorie diets can increase the risk of gallstone formation.

See a doctor if gallbladder disease is suspected

• If you have right upper quadrant abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, fever, jaundice or yellow eyes, tea-colored urine, pale stools, you should not just change your diet to increase bile secretion. These may be signs related to gallstones or bile duct obstruction and require medical evaluation.

Method 4: Do not self-administer supplemental bile salts

Only use bile salts when prescribed by a doctor

• Bile salts are bile acids and their salts, which play an important role in the emulsification and absorption of fats. However, supplementing with bile salts is not a common way to increase bile secretion in healthy individuals.

• If you suspect bile deficiency, you first need to identify the cause. Liver disorders, gallbladder problems, bile duct issues, or impaired bile acid absorption can all cause various problems, and not all cases are suitable for bile acid supplementation.

Do not self-purchase products to increase bile

• Evidence regarding the effectiveness of bile salt supplements in humans is limited. Therefore, you should not self-administer them for the purpose of increasing bile just because you have symptoms of bloating, indigestion, or feel uncomfortable after eating fatty foods.

• In particular, if you have liver disease, gallbladder disease, bile duct obstruction, or have undergone gastrointestinal surgery, the use of bile acid-containing products should be evaluated by a doctor beforehand.

Improper use can increase bile acids reaching the colon

• Normal bile acids are primarily reabsorbed in the terminal ileum and return to the liver through enterohepatic circulation. When too many bile acids reach the colon, they can stimulate water and electrolyte secretion, leading to loose stools or chronic diarrhea.

• Therefore, one should not assume that increasing bile secretion is always beneficial. The body needs to maintain appropriate levels of bile acids and bile flow; too little or too much can cause problems.

Distinguish bile salts from medications for bile acid diarrhea

• A common misconception is that medications for bile acid diarrhea, such as cholestyramine or colesevelam, work in the opposite way: they bind to bile acids in the intestine to limit their effect on the colon. Meta-analyses show that these drugs are effective in people diagnosed with bile acid diarrhea.

• Therefore, one should not infer that "bile acids are good for digestion" automatically means that supplementing with more bile salts will always improve digestion.

Consult your doctor before use

• If your doctor determines that you indeed have a bile-related problem and that bile acid supplementation is appropriate, use the correct product, dosage, and duration as directed.

• If you experience chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain, jaundice or yellow eyes, dark urine, pale stools, or unintentional weight loss, you should seek medical attention to find the cause instead of continuing to self-supplement products to increase bile secretion.

References

1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Definition & Facts for Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.
2. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Symptoms & Causes of Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.
3. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Diagnosis of Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.
4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.
5. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2017). Dieting & Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.
6. Everhart, J. E. (2008). Chapter 22: Gallstones. The Burden of Digestive Diseases in the United States. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
7. Di Ciaula, A., Garruti, G., Lunardi Baccetto, R., et al. (2017). Bile acid physiology. Annals of Hepatology, 16(1), 4–14.
8. Hopman, W. P., Rosenbusch, G., Jansen, J. B. J., de Jong, A. J. L., & Lamers, C. B. H. W. (1985). Gallbladder contraction: effects of fatty meals and cholecystokinin. Radiology, 157(1), 37–39.
9. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2024). Gallstones. National Institutes of Health.

Content edited by: Lesley Collins Tran.

Information consulted and verified by expert: Mia Taylor.