We’ve all heard we should eat more servings of fruits and veggies. That’s because a diet rich in assorted plants can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancer.
But what if you experience unpleasant side effects like stomach pain after eating fruit (along with other digestive symptoms)? To help you get to the bottom of your aches, here are the potential reasons fruit makes your stomach hurt, as well as remedies that may help you feel better.
1. You Can’t Digest Fructose
One reason you might get a stomachache after eating fruit is that your body has trouble digesting fructose.
Fructose is one of the naturally occurring sugars found in fruits, fruit juices, some vegetables, and honey. When your digestive system doesn’t absorb fructose properly, it can lead to abdominal pain, diarrhea, and gas.
There are a couple of types of fructose-related digestive issues you could have. First is fructose malabsorption, a condition where the cells of the small intestine can’t properly absorb the sugar.
It leads to symptoms like:
Rarely, you may have hereditary fructose intolerance, a genetic condition in which you lack an enzyme that breaks down the sugar.
Fructose intolerance shows up during infancy and can lead to serious complications like liver and kidney damage because of the buildup of undigested fructose. It also causes symptoms like:
Nausea
Vomiting
Bloating
Diarrhea
Stomach pain
Low blood sugar
Seizures or coma (in extreme cases)
Fructose can also cause stomach pain and other symptoms in people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), who may need to avoid high-fructose fruits — like apples, pears, and dried fruit — altogether.
Fix It
Speak with your doctor if you regularly experience side effects after eating fruit to determine if you have fructose intolerance or malabsorption.
People with hereditary fructose intolerance should completely avoid foods and drinks that contain the sugar.
If you have malabsorption, eating lower-fructose foods and limiting your fructose intake can help curb or prevent these stomach cramps.
Some lower-fructose options to try include:
2. You’re Eating Too Much Fiber
Fiber plays a major role in digestive health. People often turn to it for relief from constipation. Still, the nutrient can also help lower your risk of diabetes and heart disease, in addition to helping you maintain a healthy weight.
Fruits are a major source of nutrients, although some contain more fiber than others. High-fiber options include:
But while the nutrient is an essential part of a balanced diet, eating too much fiber too quickly — which can happen if you eat a lot of high-fiber fruit — can lead to distressing symptoms like intestinal gas, stomach bloating, and cramping.
Fix It
One remedy for preventing stomach pain after you eat mangoes and other high-fiber fruits is to gradually increase your fiber intake over the course of a few weeks.
Easing into a higher fiber intake helps your digestive system better adjust to the nutrients. And be sure to hydrate, as drinking plenty of water can also help minimize stomach pain and other side effects. Aim for about 22 to 34 grams (g) of fiber a day.
3. You Have a Food Intolerance
Another reason you may feel sick after eating fruit is that you have a food intolerance.
Indeed, people with food intolerances or sensitivity have a hard time digesting certain foods or chemicals in food. For example, your body might react to chemicals called histamines that are found naturally in fruits like bananas and pineapples.
Signs of a food intolerance include:
Diarrhea
Gas
Bloating
Headaches or migraines
Nausea
Upset stomach
Heartburn
In some cases, a particular food — or in this case, fruit — ‌isn’t‌ to blame. You may instead have an intolerance to sugars in the fruit, like fructose, as mentioned above.
Fix It
Your doctor can help you determine if you have a specific food intolerance or sensitivity. Typically, you can manage symptoms like stomach pain after eating fruit by reducing or eliminating the trigger food from your diet.
4. You Have a Fruit Allergy
Though uncommon, another possible reason you feel sick after eating fruit is that you’re allergic. Allergic reactions to food, including fruit, can cause the following symptoms:
Itchy or tingly mouth
Hives, itching, or eczema
Swelling of the lips, face, tongue, throat, or other body parts
Abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting
Dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting
In severe cases, an allergic reaction can cause anaphylaxis, where your throat swells up and restricts your breathing. Seek medical care immediately if this happens to you.
It’s important to note that a food allergy isn’t the same thing as a food intolerance or sensitivity. Food intolerances tend to result in digestive troubles, while allergic reactions often have more respiratory or skin-related symptoms.
Fruit is also associated with oral allergy syndrome, which is a reaction to pollen rather than to the fruit itself. While oral allergy syndrome shouldn’t cause stomach pain, it can result in an itchy mouth and throat after eating fruit.
Fix It
Tell your doctor if you experience an allergic reaction to fruit. If a specific type is a trigger, avoiding it altogether can help prevent symptoms. You can also ask your healthcare provider for an allergy test to determine which food items you are allergic to.
5. You Have Acid Reflux
If you have an underlying condition like acid reflux — when acid in your stomach intermittently leaks back into your esophagus — certain foods and beverages can lead to aggravating symptoms.
People with chronic acid reflux, also called gastroesophageal reflux disease or GERD, can experience the following symptoms, especially after eating acidic, spicy, or fried foods:
Heartburn
Regurgitation
Feeling of food caught in your throat
Coughing
Chest pain
Trouble swallowing
Vomiting
Sore throat and hoarseness
A common sensation that comes with heartburn is — you guessed it — stomach pain. It may be to blame for your fruit-related upset stomach.
Acidic fruits tend to trigger these symptoms. Here are some fruits you may want to avoid with GERD:
Tomatoes and tomato-based foods
Lemons
Limes
Oranges
Grapefruits
Fix It
Consult your doctor if you experience symptoms of reflux or need assistance in managing the condition more effectively. Your doctor may prescribe acid-reducing medications or recommend avoiding certain foods that trigger symptoms.
6. You Have Food Poisoning
Symptoms such as stomach pain, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea can start anywhere from six hours to six days after you ate the contaminated fruit, so it’s not always easy to tell where your symptoms came from.
Fix It
Food poisoning symptoms usually resolve on their own. In the meantime, make sure to drink plenty of water to replace the fluids you’re losing through vomiting and diarrhea. Consider adding some electrolytes to your water if you’re concerned about dehydration.
You have blood in your stool.
Your diarrhea lasts more than three days.
You have a fever over 102 degrees F.
You’re vomiting so often you can’t keep liquids down.
You have signs of dehydration like feeling dizzy when you stand.
You’re pregnant.
The Takeaway
Fruits and vegetables are generally healthy, but some may cause stomach upset.
Reasons for fruit sensitivity include fructose intolerance, acid reflux, and food intolerance.
Symptoms can be mitigated by making changes such as eliminating problematic foods.
Consult your doctor if you experience stomach upset after eating fruit and they can help to determine the cause.
