Substituting broccoli for chips, soda for sparkling water, and fast food for home-cooked meals may seem like direct routes to a healthier you.
But the truth is, switching to a healthy diet doesn’t always feel good right away for some people.
As you transition away from a diet high in sugar and fat foods, your body will go through an adjustment period. Some people transition without problems.
Others find themselves facing problems with loose stools and frequent trips to the bathroom.
Going through this can be confusing. After all, shouldn’t you feel better after cleaning up your diet?
The answer is usually yes. However, while getting the full benefits of a healthy diet, you may encounter some digestive issues.
3 Reasons A Healthy Eating Can Cause Stomach Problems
Understanding the potential triggers of stomach pain is the first step in solving this common health problem. Here are three reasons why your new and improved diet may be uncomfortable:
1. Changes in diet can affect the gut microbiome
Trillions of microorganisms living in the gut form a complex ecosystem called the microbiome. When you change your diet, your microbiome changes too.
It’s important to remember that changes in your gut microbiome don’t happen overnight. The process is gradual. When switching to a healthier diet, your gut ecosystem goes through a period of adaptation.
As your body begins to reach a new balance of microorganisms, this shift can cause symptoms such as diarrhea.
Over time, these symptoms should lessen as you continue to provide your body with nutritious food.
This change reflects the body’s natural response to dietary changes. It demonstrates the need for patience and persistence when transitioning to a healthier lifestyle.
The food we eat plays a big role. They can influence the growth of certain bacterial strains and promote intestinal health.
Fermented foods are a good example. They are rich in probiotics, which can help your gut.
Kefir and sauerkraut are good examples. They increase the number of beneficial bacteria such as lactobacilli. These bacteria aid digestion and strengthen the immune system.
Additionally, garlic and onions contain prebiotics.
Prebiotics feed and support the growth of beneficial gut bacteria.These foods will promote Bifidobacteria And helps reduce harmful bacteria in the gut.
This can lead to positive long-term changes, such as more beneficial gut bacteria. However, when you first change your diet, you may experience digestive discomfort, including diarrhea, as your gut bacteria adjust.
2. Increased fiber intake can cause temporary indigestion
Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet. It helps you feel full and supports digestive health.
The downside is that increased fiber intake, especially the insoluble fiber found in whole grains, may cause gas, bloating, cramping, or altered bowel movements.
So while fiber is important (and essential) to your health, it may take time for your stomach to adjust to eating more fiber.
Tools like MyFitnessPal can help you track your daily fiber intake.
You should aim to add 5 grams per day until you reach the recommended daily amount, which is 25 grams per day for women and 38 grams per day for men.
3. Drinking more water will affect defecation
When eating healthily, you are often encouraged to increase your water intake.
Hydration is vital to overall health. But increasing your water intake too quickly may lead to more frequent bowel movements.
Too much water can speed food through the digestive tract, causing loose stools. It’s like putting your digestion on the fast track, but your gut may not be used to it.
Interesting facts: In 2023, MyFitnessPal members logged over 5B glasses of water
Less common triggers for stomach problems
If symptoms persist, consider an elimination or FODMAP diet to get to the root of your stomach pain.
FODMAPs (fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides and polyols) are a group of carbohydrates that are difficult to digest.
Many healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables and grains, are rich in FODMAPs.
These foods are essential for a balanced diet. Unfortunately, consuming large amounts of them can cause severe gastrointestinal distress, especially in people with FODMAP sensitivities.
The good news is that only about 10% of people need to worry about this happening.
If you are considering going this route, you should talk to your healthcare provider.
Tips for healthy eating
You don’t want to give up on a healthy life just because of short-term stomach problems. Luckily, tools like MyFitnessPal can help you track your diet to see if you can pinpoint the problem.
If you have diarrhea, here are some tips from Dr. Nicola Guess, scientific advisor and nutritional scientist at MyFitnessPal:
- stay hydrated
- Avoid sports or energy drinks
- Track your fiber intake and don’t overdo it
- Avoid alcohol and caffeine
- Check food ingredient lists for polyols, sweeteners that can cause diarrhea (common examples include sorbitol, xylitol, and mannitol)
- be good to yourself
Having diarrhea when starting a new diet may dampen your enthusiasm. But this is a common roadblock to getting healthier.
The body usually needs time to adjust to a new diet, so it’s not uncommon to experience some discomfort during this transition.
However, persistence and careful changes in your eating habits can help you overcome these obstacles. You can benefit from the positive long-term effects of healthier eating habits.
If these stomach problems persist or severely affect your quality of life, talk to a medical professional. Remember, your health is a marathon, not a sprint.
Step-by-step changes will help you cross the finish line of health with resilience and joy.
Originally published June 1, 2020; updated May 10, 2024
