Do you get a stomach ache after eating spicy food?
If so, you’re probably lamenting the fact that you’ll have to live without them. Before you jump to any conclusions, though, consider other issues that could be at play.
The Truth About Your Stomach Ache After Eating Spicy Food
Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all explanation as to why some people get stomach aches and others don’t after eating spicy foods.
After all, everyone is different. There are also countless extenuating circumstances that could be at play. We’ll go into the most common ones in a moment.
The important thing is to know that the stomach ache you get after eating spicy food may not be for the same reasons as someone else. A friend who experiences the same thing may be able to pop a heartburn pill and immediately recover, while they seem to have no effect on you, for example.
Heartburn and Spicy Foods
Let’s start with this one because heartburn is such a common problem and is often triggered by eating spicy foods.
Despite its name, heartburn can be felt from the very back of the throat all the way down to the pit of someone’s stomach. The burning sensation is caused by the spread of stomach acid. It doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with spicy food. Plenty of people feel this type of stomach ache after eating spicy food, but others get it when all they had was a sandwich or a few beers.
Again, this goes back to everyone’s physiology being a bit different. What triggers some people doesn’t remotely affect others.
One thing to look out for when it comes to heartburn, then, is the presence of other ingredients that could be responsible.
The good news here is that your stomach ache after eating spicy food may actually be caused by something else entirely. Lose that ingredient and you can dive face first into all the hot pepper chili you want without any consequences.
Some examples of ingredients that often cause this type of stomach pain include:
- Citrus Fruits and Juices
- Alcohol
- Carbonated Beverages
- Caffeine
- Coffee
- Chocolate
- Mint
- Fatty Foods
- Tomato Products
Do any of those look familiar?
If they don’t, it’s still worth looking for them to see if they may be the real reason you get a stomach ache after eating spicy food.
For instance, many people will finish a plate of hot wings and then immediately eat a mint or two in order to tame their breath. If their stomach is sensitive to mint, that would explain the heartburn, not the wings.
Tomato products are another one. They are often included in spicy recipes. Bloody Maries are a great example. These are made with alcohol, too.
You get the point.
Don’t be so quick to write off spicy foods just because of an issue with heartburn. Consider other ingredients that may be playing a role or even solely responsible for the discomfort.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Another ailment that is associated with a stomach ache after eating spicy food is irritable bowel syndrome. As with heartburn, it’s a preexisting condition that may be triggered by spicy food.
As such, it’s important to not simply quit eating spicy foods but to understand what is going on with your body that is bringing this type of problem about.
Some studies have shown that people who suffer from IBS have more of a specific kind of nerve fiber in their stomachs. These nerve fibers are the ones that react to capsaicin, the natural compound that makes chilies spicy.
This may be exactly why you get a stomach ache after eating spicy food. Basically, your stomach is able to feel the spice much more intensely than other people.
Sadly, if this is the case, you’ll probably need medication before you can begin eating spicy food without running the risk of your stomach flaring up. Make sure you see a doctor about this.
Just like with heartburn, though, there’s the possibility that the stomach ache after eating spicy food you get is actually due to another food.
Here’s a list of ingredients to look out for before blaming your pain on spicy dishes:
- Greasy Food
- Dairy Products
- Wheat
- High-FODMAP Fruits and Vegetables
- Beans and Legumes
- Spicy Foods
- Artificial Sweeteners
- Soda
- Alcohol
- Mint
Consider Smaller Servings
One really simply way to explain a stomach ache after eating spicy food is that you may simply be eating too much of it. If you are having small amounts and getting this uncomfortable response, that’s’ different and it’s worth considering the possibilities we just described.
That being said, you can eat too much of anything and end up with a pain in your belly. This is even true with healthy foods like fruits and vegetables. When people eat too much at once, their stomachs have no option other than to fight back a bit.
It’s common sense, then, that if you really love spicy foods, you may be pushing your stomach’s limit when you sit down to enjoy a meal.
Going forward, see what happens if you just have smaller portions. For one thing, most of us would be better off for taking this advice even if it just meant trimming down a bit. If you’re hurting after a spicy meal, though, something as simple as having 6 wings instead of 12 may do the trick.
Also, if losing weight isn’t a priority, you can still eat as many calories worth of food, just spread it out. Give your stomach time to process the first portion before proceeding.
Don’t write off spicy foods completely until you speak with your doctor. They will most likely to tell you the same thing: you’ll need to do some experimenting before you can be sure what is causing your stomach aches. In some rare situations, the problem is actually that your esophagus remains open when you eat, meaning you may need surgery to solve the issue.
Aside from the fact that spicy foods taste amazing, they also offer very real heath benefits. It would be a shame to give these up, so do your due diligence first by experimenting with your diet prior to expelling spice.