Nutrition and Nutritional Care/Support 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

The gallbladder plays a vital role in the digestive process by storing and releasing bile, which is essential for the digestion of fats. Bile, produced by the liver, is concentrated in the gallbladder until it is needed in the small intestine. When fatty foods enter the small intestine, the gallbladder contracts and releases bile into the digestive system. This bile contains bile salts, which emulsify fats, breaking them down into smaller droplets that can be more easily digested and absorbed by the body.

The other options are not functions of the gallbladder. While the pancreas is responsible for producing enzymes needed for carbohydrate digestion, the gallbladder does not perform this function. Nutrient absorption occurs primarily in the intestines, where the digested food is absorbed into the bloodstream, rather than in the gallbladder itself. Lastly, the regulation of stomach acid levels is managed by the stomach and other related organs, not by the gallbladder. Therefore, the primary function of the gallbladder is indeed to store and release bile for fat digestion.