Spicy food can be a cruel mistress.
You love the adventure that begins the moment you take a bit, but there can be all kinds of consequences to this relationship, as well.
One that many people seem to be suffering from involves the supposed connection between spicy food and constipation.
Is there any truth to it, though?
Overeating May Be the True Problem
People who link spicy food and constipation are often big, big fans of the former (and, obviously, not so fond of the latter).
This is a key point, though. People who only have spicy food every now and then generally don’t report the same problem.
Now, that could be because they simply have less instances of it.
However, the issue could also be that, when you love a certain type of food, you tend to eat a lot of it.
Maybe this isn’t the case with you, in which case, congratulations on all your self-control.
For the rest of us, a plate of our favorite food is a plate that will soon be completely clear.
Unfortunately, the side effect to this kind of passionate self-indulgence is that you may end up constipated.
Therefore, the problem isn’t spicy food. Rather, it’s the massive amount you eat in one sitting. The good news is that you can simply eat smaller portions of spicy food and constipation should cease being a problem. Smaller portions may also be better for your waistline, too.
Lack of Exercise Can Cause Constipation, Too
Speaking of your waistline, another reason spicy food and constipation may be unfairly connected is due to a lack of exercise.
There are all kinds of healthy foods that provide plenty of kick. Lots of Indian and Thai food is known for the health benefits it provides, yet will also set your mouth on fire with a single bite.
That being said, spicy food is often accompanied by lots and lots of carbs, grease and oil. Take a look at the menu at just about any bar and you’ll find plenty of examples.
This is important because if you’re eating a lot of food from the second group, there’s a good chance you’re not in the best shape either. A lack of exercise has been proven to cause constipation, as well.
There’s more good news here, though: just make exercise a regular part of your life – as we should all be doing anyway – and then you can get back to enjoying your spicy foods.
Your Stomach Just Isn’t Use to Spicy Food Yet
Believe it or not, almost every stomach can warm up to hot food (see what I did there?).
However, in the meantime, your stomach may not be so welcoming to your new love of spicy food. Constipation could definitely be a consequence. Conversely, you could experience diarrhea, too.
Stress May Also Be the Culprit
This is a fairly well-known fact, but it’s worth bringing up just to be safe. When you’re under a lot of stress, this mental issue takes a physical toll on your body.
One of the ways this may happen is by keeping your bowels from working properly. You’re literally so tense that nothing is moving properly.
If you’re a lover of spicy food, your constipation could be caused by what you’re doing before and after you’re eating.
Stress has all kinds of other nasty effects on your health, so it’s definitely a good idea to stop and consider if this may be the root cause.
Other Foods Could Be Responsible
I talk about this phenomenon a lot because it’s the source of a lot of misinformation about spicy food. Constipation, diarrhea, heartburn and even early births have all been blamed on spicy food. While the early birth one is complete and utter bunk, the other three are far more complicated than people usually give these topics credit for.
To put it simply: spicy ingredients are often paired with other ingredients that can cause problems.
For example, you may have a mild peanut allergy you’re unaware of and you love Thai cuisine. Therefore, whenever you have the chance, you sit down to a meal that probably includes a lot of peanuts. Of course, there’s plenty of spicy food, too.
Constipation eventually occurs and you think that the spices are to blame. In reality, your stomach is binding up in reaction to the food you are mildly allergic, too.
Fatty, deep-fried foods can play all kinds of mean tricks on your stomach, but, again, a lot of it is spicy so people blame the taste for the problem.
Are You Drinking Enough Water?
Along the same lines, you may be constipated because you don’t get enough water in your diet. Notice I said water, not soda or other drinks that contain lots of sodium.
Too much salt makes it impossible to have a healthy bowel movement. You need water to help move things along.
Aside from soda, what else has lots and lots of salt?
Correct: deep-fried, fatty foods, many of which are prepared with a kick. You might even have a few beers when you eat them.
Try to drink a gallon of water over the course of your day. This will go a long way toward avoiding all kinds of different stomach problems, including any adverse effects you’re currently feeling because of constipation.
How to Get to the Bottom (No Pun Intended) of the Issue
Here’s the way I recommend people to test whether or not spicy food and constipation go hand-in-hand for them.
Sit down with a bowl of peppers. Jalapenos are fine. The important thing is that you have nothing but spicy peppers with nothing added to them.
Eat a handful on an empty stomach and then wait to see what happens. If your stomach turns to cement and you become constipated, then spicy food is not your friend.
You can try slowly introducing less spicy peppers over time and working your way up. This might help your sensitive stomach get used to the kick, but there are no guarantees.
Otherwise, if you have no problems, congratulations! You can eat spicy food. Your constipation is being caused by something else.