Bile salts are one of the primary components of bile fluid. Bile fluid is made by the liver and stored in our body. Bile acids help in the digestion of fats in your body and also help you absorb fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K.
Usually, these fat soluble nutrients come from veggies and fruit - hence the importance of pairing all carbs with fat and protein. Not only does this method work for balancing blood sugar, it also supports nutrient absorption.
In addition to bile salts, bile includes cholesterol, water, bile acids, and the pigment bilirubin. Functioning as an anabolic, catabolic, and enterohepatic digestive enzyme, bile helps break down fats to aid in digestion and then help absorb fat-soluble vitamins.
Bile and bile salts are made in the liver and stored in the gallbladder between meals. When we eat, fats enter our digestive tracts, and we send out a signal to our gallbladders to secrete bile. Bile, a liquid that is important to the process of digestion, is released into the first part of our small intestine, the duodenum. This is where most of the digestion of food takes place. One of the many primary functions of bile is to remove toxins and eliminate them from the body through waste.
In addition, bile deficiency can also cause a problem with the formation of hormones that are made from fat. Bile salts are produced by the hepatocyte cells in the liver, which are derived from cholesterol. When an alkaline substance comes into contact with an acid, it causes a neutralizing reaction.
If you cannot absorb fat-soluble vitamins and fatty acids which you have eaten, they pass into your colon which can lead to a number of health problems, including digestive upset and malabsorption.
Bile salts like Choline, Glycine, and Taurine in either food or supplement form can help build the bile. Of course, getting these through food should be the first focus, but there is a time and a place for extra supplementation if needed.
To focus on a food-first approach, aim to focus on these foods below:
Choline-rich foods: Some rich dietary sources of choline include beef liver, eggs, fish, nuts, cauliflower and broccoli.
Glycine-rich foods: bone broth, muscle meats, dairy, eggs, fish and plant-based sources, including beans, vegetables such as spinach, kale, cauliflower, cabbage, and pumpkin, and fruits such as blackberries and blueberries.
Taurine-rich foods: shellfish, dairy, muscle meat, chicken, beef, salmon, seaweed, brewers yeast.
Many of the foods mentioned above might not be attainable, or some might have an allergy to them, which is when supplementation would be called for, under the guidance of a nutritional professional like myself.
You can stimulate bile flow through also using castor oil packs, and by using digestive bitters, which you can learn more about through clicking the previous links.
