Raw veggies hurt my stomach?

Jillianx115x
Jillianx115x Posts: 41 Member
edited May 2016 in Food and Nutrition
Hi all,

So lately a couple days per week for lunch I've been having a salad which includes lettuce, cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, alfalfa sprout, 1 hard boiled egg, a pinch of some shredded cheese, and balsamic dressing.

I have noticed that I get a stomach ache every time I eat fresh salads like this. Does anyone else have this issue? If so, what can be done to combat it?

It's only with thr salads. If I have for exaple a pita with some grilled chicken and mustard for lunch, my stomach is fine.

I'd really like to continue eating salads for lunch but this stomach nonsense is ridiculous.

Opinions?

Replies

  • hmaddpear
    hmaddpear Posts: 610 Member
    I have the same issue - and it only gets worse the more you push it. The only thing I've found I can do is eat salad only sparingly, and focus on the more easily digestible salad stuff. I tend more to have 'cooked salads' now - left over veg (beans, broccoli, courgettes, mushrooms, roasted peppers etc.) with a simple dressing, including a drizzle of oil as that can help.

    I've been recommended Beano for this issue, but I've not seen it in the UK, so am unable to comment as to whether it does help.

  • Jillianx115x
    Jillianx115x Posts: 41 Member
    hmaddpear wrote: »
    I have the same issue - and it only gets worse the more you push it. The only thing I've found I can do is eat salad only sparingly, and focus on the more easily digestible salad stuff. I tend more to have 'cooked salads' now - left over veg (beans, broccoli, courgettes, mushrooms, roasted peppers etc.) with a simple dressing, including a drizzle of oil as that can help.

    I've been recommended Beano for this issue, but I've not seen it in the UK, so am unable to comment as to whether it does help.

    I am not the only one- interesting! Thank you for the info. I too do just fine with cooked vegetables. I had 2 cups of steamed broccoli last night and I had no issues. Weird.
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    had a similar issue. i have an autoimmune that typically has me inflamed someplace.
    i eat veggies sparingly uncooked.
    i think it's cause raw veggies can be pointy? because cooked ones don't bother me.
  • skinnyforhi
    skinnyforhi Posts: 340 Member
    The struggle is real- this happens to me. The rawer I eat, the sicker I get. Kinda frustrating when you're trying to eat healthy, right? After years of seeing specialists, I self-diagnosed myself as needing to limit raw fruits/vegetables after some trial and error and some good old-fashioned google (very scientific here, but hey, I feel better, so I'm happy). By no means do I avoid my 5 a day (or more). There's just no raw veganism in my future.

    There is something called the low FODMAP diet which you might google to see if the listed foods are giving you trouble (it limits foods with short-chain carbohydrates that are poorly digested/absorbed and thus ferment and cause gastrointestinal discomfort). But for me, I can tolerate most anything, if I cook it. And I can tolerate greater quantities of raw fruits than of raw vegetables.

    As a tip, to get my vegetables in, I have turned to a lot of stir fried and brown rice noodle dishes. I cook harder vegetables like carrots for a longer time, but I throw things like peppers in at the end and just cook them for 2-3 minutes. This gives me the "fresh" taste I'm craving as they still stay a bit crunchy. It likely preserves more of the nutrition, too. Just some thoughts for you to gnaw on.
  • tiny_clanger
    tiny_clanger Posts: 301 Member
    Me too. Turns out I have "silent reflux". My only "traditional" symptom of reflux was a slightly painful tummy after eating raw cruciferous veggies - kale and the like. It was like drinking a hot drink too quickly, like a nagging warm painful sensation.

    I've started using medication to control the stomach acid and either cooking or massaging my veggies in lemon juice and salt before eating. This seems to minimise any pain caused by raw veggies.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    Skip the lettuce, put a damp paper towel over the rest and steam it lightly in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. You can add salsa and grilled chicken or tuna to that and still have a salad feel to your lunch.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited May 2016
    Extra post.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    Veggies are good cooked then cooled.

    Maybe a different green like spinach or just a heartier lettuce that you can wilt - unless it turns out greens are your issue, bell peppers, I like the sweet mini peppers and they are reasonably priced, zucchini or other squash roasted, onion if you can. Cabbage might be a little harsh for you raw so try it cooked most of the way. Basically roasted just about any veg can be made into a salad and really yummy dressed with the balsamic.
  • AmazonMayan
    AmazonMayan Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited May 2016
    Extra post

  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    I can't eat most veggies and fruits as I have Crohn's disease and they cause major issues. Lettuce, spinach, tomatoes are the worse.
  • French_Peasant
    French_Peasant Posts: 1,639 Member
    Try grilled romaine (so freakin' delicious) to see if that helps with the raw salad issue--unfortunately it might not keep well in a lunch box, so you might have to move it to dinners if it addresses the issue. Here are just two recipes out of many available:

    http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017536-grilled-romaine

    http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/grilled-romaine-salad-recipe.html

    Another thing you can try is to isolate each of the ingredients, just having one of each ingredient for a couple days in a row to see if it is a (or THE) culprit--is it every raw veggie/greens that has this effect, or just certain ones that you can then eliminate from your salads?
  • cariduttry
    cariduttry Posts: 210 Member
    i have similar issues, but i think mine is from some washes/rinses they put on veggies. raw salads sometimes make me sick (ibs-y though, not stomach pain), raw celery sometimes makes me sick, etc. i don't think it's the veggies per se, but whatever chemicals are on them. just a suggestion for you to try and narrow your issue down!
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Restaurant salad or homemade salad? Many restaurants treat the greens and fruits with a preservative that stops it from browning. When I get some of the treated stuff it gives me cramps and the trots.
  • webbz92
    webbz92 Posts: 38 Member
    Veggie like fresh raw spinach, Swiss chard, and sometimes lightly steamed broccoli, will make my stomach hurt! I started drinking lemon peppermint tea after and it helps soothe me. I also have noticed that if I steam the spinach just a little, I don't have much discomfort.
  • kmlbarky
    kmlbarky Posts: 16 Member
    Yes! Raw veggies flare my ibs horribly! I've been having a little more luck with salads lately if I add more meat. That may be weird, but it helps me. Grilled chicken, tuna, and especially this chili-like protein supplement I have.
  • Jillianx115x
    Jillianx115x Posts: 41 Member
    Thanks everyone for the responses and insight. I appreciate it all.
  • oh_happy_day
    oh_happy_day Posts: 1,137 Member
    I was getting painfully bloated with raw salads, I've switched to warm ones. Mostly steamed broccoli and green beans, with a bit of brown rice and tuna along with some lemon juice, herbs and olive oil. It's stopped the bloating and it's even easier to prepare in bulk!

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