Why Can't I Eat Red Onion Anymore?

PhoenixRising11

I never used to eat much raw onion before but I then discovered how yummy raw red onion is.
I'd have it with my salmon salad all the time and loved it!

The past few times I've had red onion in my sandwich though it's given me a massive pain in my stomach almost like cramps.
If I leave it out and don't eat any I'm fine but the slightest bit of raw onion and I'm in pain again.
If it's cooked I don't have any problems.

Does anyone else have this problem?
Why is it that I've been fine eating it for months and all of a sudden it's hurting me?

I love you red onion, please don't hate me! :frown:

Emmaroch

i have the same problem with both red onion and onion. it gives me massive pains and almost like heart burn but worse. I have no idea what it is though. May have something to do with its acidity or something. x

lisapickering

I have the same problem when I eat onion. I love them too but I get cramp like pain. Not sure why?? I'm not sure why you could eat it before but now you can't though...

stormieweather

I can't answer specifically for red onions, but there have been times in my life that specific (well-loved) foods caused me distress and I had to cut them out of my diet for a period of time. I developed an allergy to cheese when I was young, and had to stop eating it for a few years. I can eat it fine now. I went through a stage where I was unable to eat spicy foods due to the unwanted affect to my bowels, but I can eat the hottest, sweat-inducing things now, with no after effects. So my suggestion is to avoid it for a month or 3, then give it a shot again...

rodneyderrick

I have this problem some times, but I haven't had any problems lately.

JellyJaks

It is possible to develop allergies over time. I gained an allergy when I was pregnant with each of my children. My OBGYN said it was due to all the hormonal changes my body went through. My daughter brought a peanut allergy. My first son brought bananas and my second son brought pineapples. The only allergy I got over was the peanuts :ohwell: I sure do miss bananas and pineapples. I can't eat anything with the word "tropical" in it.

I'm sorry that you aren't able to eat onions anymore. Onions are something that I've always been allergic to :frown:

BerryH

I get terrible stomach pain and bloating is I eat raw onion. it makes me very sleepy too!

jb_2011

Hmmmm, that's weird! Never heard of it happening. But I did a Google search for "red onion causing stomach ache", and I see that you're not alone. You might want to read about it.

I love red onion and I don't hate you. :bigsmile:

asampeer

Red onions can cause heartburn.

PhoenixRising11

Thanks guys,

Hmm yeah I guess I'll have to cut them out for a while. Since eating healthy they have spiced up my sandwiches lovely and made them not seem so bland but I guess I'll have to find an alternative.

Red Onion is now my enemy.

:flowerforyou:

katenysh

I've discovered that if you marinate raw onion in red wine vinegar it takes some of the potency out of it. Try it, maybe your body can handle it in a slightly milder form.

PhoenixRising11

Red onions can cause heartburn.

It's not heartburn it's more around my stomach area and feels more like severe cramps. I can't think of any other way to describe it. :S

PhoenixRising11

I've discovered that if you marinate raw onion in red wine vinegar it takes some of the potency out of it. Try it, maybe your body can handle it in a slightly milder form.

Yeah I will try that thanks

UpEarly

A lot of people can't eat raw onions. I would bet the stomach pain/cramps you feel is just gas produced as the onions are digested.

Maybe try something like Bean-O.

fteale

I am pretty sure onions are toxic in large quantities.

Either that or your body is telling you to stop eating them for the sake of everyone else! Onion breath is not the nicest!

timlover38

It's just gas. I've had minor bouts with it from time to time. Same with salad. Some days my body acts fine and other days I end up with gas and diahrrea. I had them quite a few times growing up...and never understood why.

All depends on how much bulking fiber you have in your tract, how much protein..etc...

If you have a gut full of green leafed vegetables, don't be surprised if you get gas and diahrrea.

Try taking a beano with your meal next time and see how it does.

Maybe a scoop of protein powder to balance your meal out....

There are sure some cases of people who have food allergies, but mainly its just gas...and gas/diahrrea cramps can make you feel like you are dying.....

aDelphinium

Hello. I have a *terrible* reaction to raw onions and garlic; also green onions, chives, leeks severely upset my stomach. What do they all have in common? They are members of the "allum" family. I've learned that it is a food sensitivity and that it's actually very common. It's not just gas or bloating. One time I just had a taste of onion (I had repeatedly told the waitress that I could not have any onion) and I got so sick, just from the juice, that I was throwing up. I also accidentally ate some raw garlic and I was sick for several days. I can't even digest onion powder (except for when it's in ketchup, go figure!). There must be an enzyme in the allum family, or maybe I'm *missing* an enzyme that causes this reaction.

I hope this helps!

chimes876

The stomach pain your describing is probably indigestion. Like something lodged in the top part of your stomach, right in the center below the breastplate. I've been wondering what causes my chronic indigestion as I'm sitting here kept awake by it again in the dead of night and may have finally figured out that it's red onions. Thanks for this post.

paperpudding

Gosh OP posted this 6 years ago

1stray1

ah its a relief to see Im not alone! I had no idea this was so common. i just wanted to add that in a healthy digestive system you don't experience bad pain - that is, there is no such thing as 'just gas' pain which makes you feel like 'you are dying' so @timlover, be kind to yourself and take it seriously
But I am actually relieved to hear that Im not exaggerating the amount of pain involved! Pale, sweaty, doubled-over can't-stand-up kind of pain! Onions! who knew!

CattOfTheGarage

Let the zombie thread die!