Help! Veggies hurt my stomach.

ebbingfat
ebbingfat Posts: 117 Member
in Food and Nutrition
My whole life, I've eaten a diet made primarily of processed foods. Chicken nuggets, mac and cheese, fast food, etc. My vegetable intake typically consisted of potatoes and corn. Occasionally, I'll start eating healthier, and try adding more plant-based meals to my diet. The big problem is, afterwards, my stomach usually kills me.

The biggest perpetrator seems to be anything green. I could eat carrots all day every day, but as soon as I eat a meal with a sizable amount of spinach, kale, or even broccoli my stomach cramps up. I made some stir fry today for lunch consisting of carrots, broccoli, lentils, and quinoa with a side of cucumbers and hummus. Now, I'm sitting on the couch cursing that decision.

I even tried drinking green smoothies as a way to get more vegetables into my diet, and despite the fact that I love them and want to drink them, they too hurt my stomach afterwards. I was so sure they would be the solution, because I figured maybe my body was just having trouble digesting them so blending them would help.

Do you think this is just a result of having eaten processed foods for so long, and will eventually go away once my body acclimates to my new diet? Or does this sound like a possible health problem that I should see a doctor about?

Replies

  • rejectuf
    rejectuf Posts: 487 Member
    Do small amounts of veggies at first, and slowly increase. Avoid broccoli and cauliflower for now, as they can be associated with some intestinal issues. Definitely give them a shot, but maybe get used to other vegetables first.

    But yes, your body is most likely just reacting to something new and probably the increased fiber content of the vegetables you're eating.

    edit: If slowly increasing the amount of vegetables doesn't work, then go see a doctor. They will be able to give you a better plan to start eating healthy than anyone on these forums.
  • Killin183
    Killin183 Posts: 3 Member
    It could be that your body isn't used to the fiber increase, you typically have to take it slow in the beginning. However, I have had problems digesting fresh veggies and fruit in the past but it wasn't specifically one type of fruit or veg it was simply anything that could be classified as hard to digest. Cooking or blending typically help me to digest these foods. If it continues and doesn't improve, I would go to a doctor to see if they say anything about a possible sensitivity to the green veggies.
  • turpenoid
    turpenoid Posts: 73
    The same thing happened to me too when I first started! I thought that if I threw a bunch of veggies into my diet, I would just start shedding fat immediately. Instead, I got stomach cramps that made me want to cry.

    As many people on here pointed out to me, extra fiber reaches your large intestine faster than other foods do. If you're not used to it, your system needs a bit of time to adjust. That's when the gas and general discomfort starts.

    Just add these new foods in slowly and you should be feeling better within a week. Once I dialed my veggies back a bit, I noticed a much happier tummy the next day. This article kind of helped me figure out what to eat within a day, just based off of what foods are most fibrous.

    http://www.vegan-nutritionista.com/gas-and-bloating-from-vegan-diet.html

    Good luck and I hope you feel better!
  • ebbingfat
    ebbingfat Posts: 117 Member
    Do small amounts of veggies at first, and slowly increase. Avoid broccoli and cauliflower for now, as they can be associated with some intestinal issues. Definitely give them a shot, but maybe get used to other vegetables first.

    But yes, your body is most likely just reacting to something new and probably the increased fiber content of the vegetables you're eating.

    edit: If slowly increasing the amount of vegetables doesn't work, then go see a doctor. They will be able to give you a better plan to start eating healthy than anyone on these forums.

    Cauliflower seems to sit well in my stomach, surprisingly. Or at least it does when I roast it, I haven't really tried it many other ways.

    I bet it is the fiber. I've never watched how much fiber I get in my diet, but I can assure you it was likely never a lot. My body is probably freaking out, haha. I'll have to just try to space out my veggies more and have a small amount in each meal, instead of having meals that consist of a lot of veggies.
  • ebbingfat
    ebbingfat Posts: 117 Member
    The same thing happened to me too when I first started! I thought that if I threw a bunch of veggies into my diet, I would just start shedding fat immediately. Instead, I got stomach cramps that made me want to cry.

    As many people on here pointed out to me, extra fiber reaches your large intestine faster than other foods do. If you're not used to it, your system needs a bit of time to adjust. That's when the gas and general discomfort starts.

    Just add these new foods in slowly and you should be feeling better within a week. Once I dialed my veggies back a bit, I noticed a much happier tummy the next day. This article kind of helped me figure out what to eat within a day, just based off of what foods are most fibrous.

    http://www.vegan-nutritionista.com/gas-and-bloating-from-vegan-diet.html

    Good luck and I hope you feel better!

    Ahh, I'm so glad someone else has had this problem. That makes me a lot less worried. Thank you so much!
  • DivineChoices
    DivineChoices Posts: 193 Member
    When I first started eating larger quantities of fruits and vegetables, there was a tale of woe to be told! I had MAJOR gastrointestinal distress. We're talking "you better not leave your house" type distress. But after a few days, the problems resolved themselves.

    My one suggestion is to make sure you're drinking a decent amount of water. All that fiber can back you up FAST.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Why eat foods that give you digestive problems? There are plenty of fruits and veggies out there that aren't green.
  • Chain_Ring
    Chain_Ring Posts: 753 Member
    Don't eat green vegetables.
  • HeidiCooksSupper
    HeidiCooksSupper Posts: 3,831 Member
    I ate all sorts of fruits and vegetables and loved them all my life -- and was told my stomach aches were from nerves. I finally got tested for food sensitivies and guess what? I react to tomatoes, onions, canteloupe (yes, they tested for canteloupe) tree nuts (especially walnuts), and a slew of other miscellaneous stuff. Both garlic and chocolate are on my list. I can't decide which is more tragic! I avoid all those, my tummy doesn't hurt, and since my GERD is reduced or gone so are my sinus infections and sinusitis.

    So, if I were you, I'd either get an allergist to give you a prick test for foods or start a process of elimination yourself and test to see what gets to you. Then develop work-arounds. For instance, I make a red pasta sauce out of roasted red peppers instead of tomatoes. I saute celery with asafoetida instead of sauteing onions to start a recipe. You'll need to figure out your own work arounds but it's definitely worth it!
  • ebbingfat
    ebbingfat Posts: 117 Member
    Why eat foods that give you digestive problems? There are plenty of fruits and veggies out there that aren't green.
    Don't eat green vegetables.

    I like green vegetables and want to eat them. I'm not going to give up on eating them before I figure out whether this is a permanent or temporary problem. And, as many have suggested here, it is probably just a reaction to all the sudden added fiber in my diet. I'd hate to cut out healthy foods that I actually like simply because of a temporary problem.
  • FireOpalCO
    FireOpalCO Posts: 641 Member
    It would help if you defined "hurt my stomach". Sharp gas pains? Difficulty pooping? Nausea? Feeling like it's trying to work it's way back up your throat?

    If it's something like some intestinal distress, my suggestion is slow cooker recipes. Since they will cooking for a very long time and softened up, it might be easier for you vs. raw or quickly cooked like in stir fry. Do a beef stew, chicken & dumplings, etc. Keep track of what does and doesn't upset you.

    Also, how much fresh fruit are you eating? Because that could land you in the same boat if it's fiber. Did you increase your water intake accordingly?
  • kunai118
    kunai118 Posts: 6 Member
    I had similar problems and it took about 4 days for the pain to stop.
  • Madelinec117
    Madelinec117 Posts: 210 Member
    I went through the same thing after having a finicky stomach for over a year due to medical treatments. I had to gradually add the veggies a little at a time. I like the cauliflower and broccoli raw, but my stomach couldn't handle it. To solve that, I would microwave it for a minute- it was still raw but made it easier on my digestive system. Even cucumbers were difficult for me to eat, and that is my favorite veggie. It took a long time to get to this point but now I have no problem eating them as much as I want.
  • Edwardshar
    Edwardshar Posts: 271 Member
    I would just stop eating veggies. :)
  • ebbingfat
    ebbingfat Posts: 117 Member
    It would help if you defined "hurt my stomach". Sharp gas pains? Difficulty pooping? Nausea? Feeling like it's trying to work it's way back up your throat?

    If it's something like some intestinal distress, my suggestion is slow cooker recipes. Since they will cooking for a very long time and softened up, it might be easier for you vs. raw or quickly cooked like in stir fry. Do a beef stew, chicken & dumplings, etc. Keep track of what does and doesn't upset you.

    Also, how much fresh fruit are you eating? Because that could land you in the same boat if it's fiber. Did you increase your water intake accordingly?

    It's just a sort of cramping feeling in my stomach. No nausea or anything. The green smoothies gave me sharp gas pains.

    I've been eating a fair amount of fresh fruit. Usually grapes, bananas, or watermelon, sometimes apples or strawberries. I haven't been getting any sort of stomach pain from the fruit, just the veggies. But then again, I tend to snack on fruit throughout the day in small quantities, whereas I tend to eat a lot of veggies in one meal.

    I have been drinking more water than I used to. I stopped drinking soda or a lot of juice, and just drink water throughout the day. I have a water bottle that I typically refill at least twice.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
    I'd also suggest trying one veggie at a time, in small doses, to see if you can narrow it down. It might be just certain types, or it might be a question of the amount. It seems weird that you're reacting to green leafies like kale as well as things like cucumber, but if you're getting more than one at once, it's hard to tell which ones really bother you.
  • hnsaunde
    hnsaunde Posts: 757 Member
    I upped my fiber content from ~13g to ~30g overnight by using green veggies, and it HURT SO BAD for the first few days! It felt like I had menstrual cramps without the other physical symptoms. It does go away eventually, and I agree with the others who say to drink enough water.

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