Diarrhea after eating can be caused by food contamination, difficulty digesting certain sugars, or digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease. Bacteria, viruses, and parasites can also contaminate food and cause diarrhea. Lactose intolerance, food sensitivities, and digestive disorders like IBS and Crohn’s can also lead to diarrhea after eating.
A number of factors can cause diarrhea after eating. A person can eat food contaminated with bacteria or viruses and suffer from diarrhea. Some people have trouble digesting foods that contain certain sugars, such as fructose or lactose, which can also cause diarrhea after eating. In some cases, a digestive disorder, such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, can cause diarrhea after a person eats certain types of food.
Several types of bacteria can cause diarrhea after eating, including pathogenic strains of E. coli, campylobacter and salmonella. Strains of E. coli are usually responsible for traveller’s diarrhea, which occurs when a person eats contaminated, raw foods such as vegetables or fruit or when a person drinks contaminated water. In addition to diarrhea, E. coli can also cause nausea and vomiting. Some people may experience traveler’s diarrhea caused by another type of bacteria, such as campylobacter or shigella. Diarrhea caused by E. coli usually clears up within a week, but an infection caused by campylobacter or other bacteria may take longer to resolve.
Foods can also be contaminated with viruses or parasites, causing diarrhea. Norwalk virus and other caliciviruses can be transmitted to people through food. For example, if a sick person prepares dinner, she can spread the virus to the person who eats it. The parasite-causing bacteria are usually spread through drinking water, although they can also enter the body through contaminated food.
If a person is lactose intolerant, they may also experience diarrhea after eating certain dairy products. Many people cannot digest lactose, which is a sugar in milk and other types of dairy products, because they lack the enzyme needed to break down the sugar. Typically, a person will experience diarrhea and other symptoms within hours of consuming dairy products. Not eating dairy products or choosing lactose-free dairy products can help control and prevent symptoms.
Other food sensitivities can cause diarrhea after eating. Some people may experience a reaction if they consume foods that contain high amounts of sugar alcohols, such as sorbitol. Other people may have fructose intolerance, which prevents their bodies from breaking down and digesting the sugar commonly found in fruit and other sweets, such as soda and candy.
People suffering from conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease may also experience diarrhea after eating. Trigger foods vary from person to person for those with IBS or Crohn’s and other digestive disorders. People who have a wheat allergy or celiac disease may also experience digestive problems after eating foods that contain wheat or gluten.
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