Chocolate is flagged on its own
GallDiet treats chocolate as a moderate trigger. Cocoa butter is a fat, and a typical milk chocolate bar is about a third fat by weight.
The scores
How GallDiet scores chocolate, from highest to lowest.
Each number is the average GallDiet score, out of 100, for that kind of food or meal among people who have gallstones and still have their gallbladder.
Chocolate protein bars and shakes
low 70sChocolate cereal and granola
high 50sMilk chocolate
mid 50sChocolate cake and brownies
high 40sDark chocolate
mid 40sChocolate ice cream and frozen bars
mid 30sChocolate chip cookies
low 30sThe labels describe the score, not your health: 85 and up is a high score, 71 to 84 is Caution, 31 to 70 is Moderate risk and 30 or less is High risk. Hot chocolate, white chocolate and chocolate milk are not listed because fewer than 10 people have scanned each one so far.
Why the scores differ
Cocoa butter, plus whatever the chocolate is in.
Dark does not score higher
Dark chocolate has a healthier reputation, but it does not score higher in GallDiet. It contains more cocoa butter than milk chocolate, and the score is led by fat, not sugar.
Baked goods and ice cream stack up
Cookies, brownies and ice cream add butter, cream or oil on top of the chocolate. That is why chocolate chip cookies average about 20 points lower than a plain milk chocolate bar.
Raises the score
A chocolate protein shake or bar Chocolate cereal or granola Plain chocolate over chocolate baked goods
Lowers the score
Cookies and brownies Ice cream Nuts or peanut butter in the bar
No gallbladder
Chocolate after gallbladder removal.
GallDiet scores meals differently for people who have had their gallbladder removed. Fewer people in that group have scanned chocolate, so treat these numbers as a rough guide.
Chocolate cookies
high 30sChocolate, all kinds
mid 30sMore on eating after gallbladder removal.
Your own answer
An average can't tell you how your body will react.
The same food is fine for some people with gallstones and a trigger for others. These scores show the pattern across many people, not what will happen on your plate.
GallDiet scores your own meal from a photo, a barcode or a typed name, checks it against the triggers you have saved, and keeps a record of what you ate before each bad day.
About these numbers
Where the scores come from.
The scores on this page are averages of what GallDiet gave to meals its users scanned or typed in, up to October 13, 2026. A group of meals is shown only when at least 10 different people scanned it, and every number is rounded.
A GallDiet score starts at 100 and loses points for common gallstone triggers in the meal, mostly fat. It does not know your portion size, your medical history or how your body reacts.
GallDiet does not diagnose, treat, prevent or cure gallbladder disease or any medical condition. Use these scores alongside advice from your doctor or dietitian, not in place of it.
Medical context: public guidance from the NIDDK covers eating, diet and nutrition for gallstones. If you have severe pain, fever, vomiting, jaundice or chest pain, seek medical care immediately.
FAQ
Common questions about chocolate and gallstones.
Can I eat dark chocolate with gallstones?
Dark chocolate averages in the mid 40s out of 100 in GallDiet, across 22 people with gallstones. That is a little lower than milk chocolate, which averages in the mid 50s. Dark chocolate has more cocoa butter, and GallDiet's score is led by fat. That group also includes dark chocolate with nuts, which lowers the average.
Is milk chocolate OK with gallstones?
Milk chocolate averages in the mid 50s out of 100 in GallDiet, across 31 people. GallDiet treats chocolate as a moderate trigger because of the cocoa butter, so no kind of chocolate bar scores high.
Which chocolate foods score lowest?
Chocolate chip cookies average in the low 30s out of 100 and chocolate ice cream in the mid 30s. Both add butter or cream on top of the chocolate, and GallDiet counts each as a trigger of its own.
How much chocolate can I eat with gallstones?
GallDiet cannot answer that. Its score does not change with portion size, so one square and a whole bar score the same. A smaller amount means less fat in one sitting. Your doctor or dietitian can advise you on amounts.
Does chocolate cause gallbladder attacks?
Some people with gallstones find that chocolate sets off their symptoms and others eat it without any trouble. An average score cannot tell you which group you are in. Keeping a record of what you ate before each bad day is the practical way to find out. If you have severe pain, fever, vomiting or yellowing skin or eyes, seek medical care.
Can I eat chocolate after gallbladder removal?
Among GallDiet users who have had their gallbladder removed, chocolate foods of all kinds average in the mid 30s out of 100, across 37 people. That is more than 15 points lower than for people who still have their gallbladder. Follow the advice your surgeon or dietitian gave you.
Where do these numbers come from?
They are averages of the scores GallDiet gave to 256 scans from 134 people who have gallstones and still have their gallbladder. A group is shown only when at least 10 different people scanned it. The scores are estimates based on common gallstone triggers, mainly fat, and they do not change with portion size. They are not medical advice.
Scan your own plate before you eat it.
Start with one meal photo, one barcode or one typed meal name. GallDiet is free to try.
Not a medical device. If you have severe pain, fever, jaundice, vomiting, or symptoms that concern you, seek medical care.