Intestinal Problems Caused By Eating Nuts
Related
Finally, nuts are getting the kind of attention they deserve. Rich in protein, healthy fats and fiber, nuts are good for your health, and eating a handful a day may improve heart health and reduce your risk of developing a chronic illness. But if its been a while since youve eaten nuts, you may experience some intestinal distress from your new snack due to its fiber content. If you suspect your intestinal distress is related to a food allergy, call your doctor right away.
Do Nuts Cause Gas And Bloating Heres What You Need To Know
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclaimer for more information.
Nuts are a nutrient-dense and versatile snack loaded with protein, healthy fats, fibers, and minerals. Studies showed that consuming nuts may help you achieve better health by decreasing your risk of getting heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, and certain types of cancers, including breast and colorectal cancer. However, some people may experience gas and bloat after eating nuts.
Nuts generally do not cause gas. But they contain fiber, phytates, tannins, and galactooligosaccharides, all of which may cause gas and bloat when consumed in large amounts. The best way to reduce gas and digestive issues is to consume nuts in moderation and within the daily recommended serving.
Lets take a look at how nuts give you gas and make you gassy and what you can do about it.;;
What youll learn in this post:
Your Favorite Salty Snacks
If movie theater popcorn and big bowls of chips make you feel super puffy, it could be excessive saltiness that’s to blame. “Eating high-sodium foods can trigger water retention, which can balloon you up,” Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, told Charlene K. Petitjean on Health. “When and if you do succumb to salt, drink a lot of water to help flush it out.”
Recommended Reading: Ibs Slang
Side Effects Of Almond Milk And Who Should Avoid It
Due to the presence of proteins, calcium, minerals, and vitamins almond milk has gained a lot of importance since ages. It is prepared by finely blending almonds in water to get a nutty and creamy beverage. It is mostly preferred by people who have lactose intolerance or are allergic to soy milk. Apart from being a beverage, it is also being used for cooking and baking. However, not everyone would find drinking almond milk effective due to its side effects. Some of them are mentioned below.
Instead Of Soy Milk Drink Unsweetened Almond Milk
If you’re sensitive to;lactose,;you might think that any;alternative;would beat;cow’s milk.;But soy milk is made from soybeans. The body absorbs these;bad boys poorly and they;can;end up fermenting in;your colon, creating gas that makes your belly balloon.
Because soy milk;contains more liquid than;straight-up beans, a;splash of it;in;your coffee;won’t do the average person any harm. However,;a few;of bowls of cereal with soy milk particularly sweetened varieties;;can lead to problems in people with particularly sensitive stomachs. So opt for nut milks when you can, and make sure they’re unsweetened.
Also Check: Lettuce And Ibs
Myth Buster: How Your Healthy Nut Habit Might Be Making You Fat
If you squint real hard, you might be able to see the glimmering health halo that sits forever atop an almond, a macadamia, or even a peanut. It’s no wonder: Tree nuts and legumes contain good-for-you monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, various vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, and other bioactive compounds that reduce your chances of dying from diabetes; respiratory, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases; and cancer, according to a 2015 study in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
In fact, The US Food and Drug Administration recommends eating 1.5 ounces of nuts a day to reduce your risk of heart disease. And as a nice bonus, additional research has shown that snacking on nuts can help curb weight gain. “Because of the filling fiber, fat, and protein in nuts, your hunger is satisfied for long stretches, which can keep you from getting too hungry and then overeating,” says Ellen Albertson, PhD, RD, founder of Smash Your Scale and author of The Diabetic and The Dietitian. Nuts also require a lot of chewing, which has been shown to generate a satiety signal. ; Finally, because nuts aren’t easily digested, about one-fifth of the fat in nuts never actually gets absorbed by the body, according to research in the;Journal of Nutrition.
MORE: 4 Things You Need to Know About Nut Butter before Buying
Get schooled in proper portion sizes.
49 Pistachios
MORE:This is What a Perfect Day of Clean Eating Looks Like
Make more work for yourself.
Fermentable Carbohydrates And Bloating
Unlike most other nuts, cashews contain fermentable short-chain carbohydrates. Fermentable short-chain carbohydrates are typically referred to as FODMAPs, or fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols.
Not everyone can digest foods that are high in FODMAPs, including people with irritable bowel syndrome. The short-chain carbohydrates that make up FODMAPs aren’t easily absorbed by the body. They ferment in the colon, so they can cause a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating. To minimize such gastrointestinal side effects, consumption of foods that cause such symptoms may need to be infrequent or eliminated altogether.
If you eat cashews regularly and experience bloating, it might be because they’re a high-FODMAP food. Your doctor may recommend a low-FODMAP diet to figure out what other foods are causing you to experience similar gastrointestinal side effects. When people remove high-FODMAP foods from their diets, they tend to experience less abdominal pain, bloating and gas.
If you’re following a low-FODMAP diet and cashews are causing you gastrointestinal side effects, you may need to remove them from your diet. Fortunately, you can consume most other nuts, except pistachios, as an alternative. Low-FODMAP nuts include:
- Almonds
Don’t Miss: Prenatal Vitamins Causing Stomach Cramps
Nuts Fiber And Tummy Trouble
If youre experiencing intestinal problems after adding nuts to your diet, its most likely from the fiber content, which is a carbohydrate your body cant digest. Almonds have the most fiber with about 4 grams per ounce, while cashews have the least with 1 gram in an ounce. Its not uncommon to experience abdominal pain, gas, bloating or constipation when adding more high-fiber foods, like nuts, to your diet.
Best And Worst Foods To Avoid Bloating
Let’s talk about something uncomfortable: gas and bloating. Most of us pass gas anywhere from 12 to 25 times a day, according to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and surveys show that abdominal bloating affects up to 30 percent of Americans. “Having a perfectly flat stomach all the time isn’t normal,” said Health contributing nutrition editor Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD.”After you eat and drink, food and liquids take up space inside your stomach and intestines, and that means some expansion.”
A ballooned belly doesn’t necessarily indicate that something is wrong with what you eat, but if your abdomen is too swollen to squeeze into your jeans, you may want to identify the belly bloaters in your diet.
Worst: Broccoli, cabbage, kale
Kale, broccoli, and cabbage are cruciferous vegetables, which contain raffinose a sugar that remains undigested until bacteria in your gut ferment it, which produces gas and, in turn, makes you bloat. But don’t shun those healthful greens just yet. “Consistently eating nutrient-rich, high-fiber foods leads to having a stronger, healthier digestive system that’s less prone to bloating,” Sass said.
Worst: Legumes
Combine legumes with easily digestible whole grains, like rice or quinoa. Your body will eventually get used to them. “If you eat fruits, veggies, nuts, whole grains, and beans often, they won’t bother you as much as if you eat them sporadically,” Sass said.
Worst: Dairy
Worst: Apples
Also Check: Why Does Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea
There Are Also Healthy Foods That Cause Bloating
But and promise you wont be mad when we tell you that its often also the healthy foods that cause gas and bloating. We can, for example, find some of the main culprits for a bloated belly in the category of vegetables, especially those high in fiber. This is probably the reason eating beans, lentils, broccoli, cabbage or sprouts doesnt seem to do your intestines any favour.;
Especially foods that contain a high amount of soluble fiber tend to make people more bloated and gassy than usual as this type of fiber is more difficult to digest. However, dont ever think you can just remove fiber from your diet and live happily ever after. Fiber is crucial for a healthy digestive system as it speeds up your digestion and helps your body with cholesterol management.;
What you need to do instead is give your body the chance to adapt and increase the amount of fiber in your diet slowly and gradually. Also keep in mind that foods containing the soluble type of fiber will make you more bloated and gassier than veggies and foods mostly containing insoluble fiber.
What Is Gas And How Nuts Cause Gas
According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, gas is air found in your digestive tract.
Gas may exit your body either through your mouth, which makes you burp or belch, or via your anus when you fart. Passing wind through your anus is also known as flatulence.
The intestinal gas comprises various gases, including carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen.
Your flatus or fart may carry odor depending on the amount of sulfur it contains. Flatus with more sulfur will produce stronger odor.
Burping or passing gas a few times a day is generally considered normal and is a part of healthy digestion. In fact, your intestines usually generate between 500 and 2000 ml of gas on a regular basis.
Apart from burping and passing gas, you may also experience bloating, which is the feeling of swelling or fullness in your abdomen. This gas symptom usually happens when youre eating a meal or after a meal
Normally, intestinal gas is caused by swallowed gas or digestion of food by bacteria in your large intestine.
Certain foods, including nuts, tend to give you more gas compared to other foods.;
This reaction, however, may vary from one person to another. Nuts that can cause gas in one person may not necessarily make another person gassy.
However, some health authorities recommend limiting the intake of nuts and legumes to reduce the amount of flatus or gas produced.
Generally, nuts cause gas and bloat due to the following compound:
- Fiber
Recommended Reading: Why Does Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea
Increasing Your Fiber Intake Too Quickly
You know that upping your fiber intake can aid your rapid weight loss efforts, but if you aren’t used to eating the uber-filling nutrient a large dose of the stuff can be hard for your body to digest, explains Rumsey. The result? A midsection that’s suddenly as round as a basketball. “Wean yourself onto high-fiber foods like bran cereals, beans, and lentils, starting with small portions,” suggests Rumsey. Another trick: Down a large glass of water with every high-fiber meal. Fluids help to move fiber through the digestive tract, preventing bloat.
Surprising Foods That Give You Bloating And Gas
4 minute read time
It isnt something that most of us like to talk about but the reality is, nearly everyone gets bloating and/or gas. For most people, this is just a normal, healthy, and relatively undisruptive fact of life; a natural result of foods being broken down and digested by the body.
However, some people may find that certain foods give them an uncomfortable amount of bloating and/or gas. This could be accompanied by stomach upset, which in some cases can even be painful. Many might not realise that a particular food is causing the issue, or may be too embarrassed to bring up the problem. As such, the problem food will continue to be eaten, causing more discomfort.
If you think a food might be causing you problems, but cant quite put your finger on what, weve put together some unexpected foods that can give you bloating and/or gas. Take a look at the list below.
You May Like: Does Lettuce Cause Diarrhea
You Could Possibly Gain Weight
Because nuts are so filling, they can help aid your weight loss goalsbut theres a caveat: This only applies if you consume a moderate number of nuts. Eat more than the recommended handful, and you might actually start to gain weight.
Thats because nuts are calorie-dense, Jones says, meaning they contain more energy per ounce than many other foods . For example, 1 ounce of almonds contains about 160 caloriesso even if you just double your serving, youre packing in 320 calories for a snack. That could result in weight gain if you dont account for the extra calories eaten throughout your day.
That said, if you love nuts and simply fit the extra calories into a balanced diet overall, you shouldnt have too many issues. For example, if youre having a low-calorie salad and want to bulk it up with extra nuts because it wont be filling otherwise, by all means add the almonds to round out your meal.
Cashew Nut Nutrition Facts
A healthy serving of nuts is about one ounce . An August 2017 study in the Indian Farmer journal explains that between 28 and 30 grams of cashews are equivalent to 14 to 18 cashew nuts.
The USDA states that an ounce of raw cashew nuts has 157 calories, 12.5 grams of fat, 5.2 grams of protein and 8.6 grams of carbohydrates. About 0.9 grams of these carbohydrates come from fiber, which means that each ounce of cashews has 7.6 net carbs. Each ounce of cashews also contains various vitamins and minerals, with:
- 69 percent of the daily value for copper
- 11 percent of the DV for iron
- 20 percent of the DV for magnesium
- 20 percent of the DV for manganese
- 13 percent of the DV for phosphorus
- 10 percent of the DV for selenium
- 15 percent of the DV for zinc
- 10 percent of the DV for vitamin B1
- 5 percent of the DV for vitamin B5
- 7 percent of the DV for vitamin B6
- 8 percent of the DV for vitamin K
Cashews also contain small amounts of vitamin E, B-complex vitamins, and potassium and calcium. According to an August 2015 study in the Journal of Food Science and Nutrition, cashews also contain other nutrients, like lutein and zeaxanthin, antioxidants and other beneficial bioactive compounds.
Read more:13 Types of Nut and Seed Butters and Their Benefits
Read Also: Do Prenatal Vitamins Cause Diarrhea
How Many Nuts Can You Eat Every Day
1. Almonds
Although they are one of the healthiest foods, they also have high amount of calories and fats. One oz. of almonds contains 14 g of fat and 163 calories. The recommended amount of almonds per day is about 23 almonds or 1 oz. per day. This rule is true not only for whole nuts but also for almond butter and almond flour.
2. Cashews
Cashews have a creamy texture, which makes them an excellent substitute for sauce, but they are also very addictive. According to weight management expert, you should be eating only 4-5 cashews per day. There are various reasons for not eating too many nuts ; however, one of the unique reasons is sensitivity in some individuals to amino acids phenylethylamine and tyramine present in cashews, which can lead to headaches.
3. Walnuts
There are a lot of health benefits of walnuts and if you are not already consuming them, you should start. They are beneficial in decreasing your cancer risk and treating diabetes type 2. However, you should not overdo them. The recommended quantity of walnuts is 7 whole shelled nuts each day. The adverse effects of consuming excess walnuts are loose stools or bloating.
4. Pistachios
5. Pecans
6. Brazil Nuts
7. Hazelnuts
- Peanuts: The recommended amount of peanuts is about 12 peanuts per day.
- Macadamias: The recommended amount of macadamia nut is about 15 macadamias per day.
- Pine nuts: The recommended amount of pine nuts is about 2 tablespoons per day.
Broccoli And Other Cruciferous Vegetables
The cruciferous vegetable family includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts and several others.
These are very healthy, containing many essential nutrients like fiber, vitamin C, vitamin K, iron and potassium.
However, they also contain FODMAPs, so they may cause bloating in some people .
Cooking cruciferous vegetables may make them easier to digest.
What to eat instead: There are many possible alternatives, including spinach, cucumbers, lettuce, sweet potatoes and zucchini.
Also Check: Lettuce Causes Diarrhea
Almonds And Your Digestive System
“Almonds usually do not cause bloating,” says Patricia Raymond, MD, a gastroenterologist with Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach. That being said, if you think that almonds could be related to tummy discomfort, it may be because of their fiber content.
Read more:4 Unwanted Side Effects of Eating Too Many Almonds
Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet. Soluble fiber helps with blood sugar and cholesterol control, while insoluble fiber helps pass food through your digestive system, according to Harvard Health. Almonds contain primarily insoluble fiber.
It’s suggested to get at least 25 grams of fiber each day, according to the FDA. Though most people fail to get enough, if you’re taking in quite a lot of fiber, especially if the increase hasn’t been gradual, you could experience some gastrointestinal discomfort. Too much fiber can lead to bloating, gas, constipation, cramping and diarrhea. So if you’re having a few servings of almonds on top of an already fiber-filled diet, this could be the reason for your bloating.
/95 Side Effects Of Overeating Almonds
5 SIDE EFFECTS OF OVEREATING ALMONDS: We all think that almonds are our best friends. Munching on them is considered as an ideal binge behaviour as they are loaded with vitamin A. Sure they are but what if you are overdoing the snacking? Is there any harmful impact of eating almonds more than you should? Yes, there are five. Here we list them.
Also Check: Why Does Lettuce Give Me Diarrhea