Stomach Pain After Raw Veggies?

[Alison11]

Hey I'm new here. Recently been diagnosed with celiac disease. Still trying to figure out what works best for me. I notice that my stomach hurts after eating raw veggies and I get really bloated/gassy. Does this happen to anyone else? Any suggestions on how to fix it?

[trents]

Welcome to the forum, Alison11!

What you describe has also been my experience but over the years as I have experienced more complete healing in my small bowel villi, the problem with raw veggies you describe has significantly lessened. I can now eat raw veggies in limited quantities without issue. Some raw veggies like broccoli and cauliflower have bothered me more than others. No problem with raw carrots for instance. Some veggies have more lignin (woody, fibrous material) in them than others. There are also natural defense chemicals like saponins in plants and seeds that can be hard for some people to break down.

People with low stomach acid concentrations, people taking proton pump inhibitors like Prilosec, Nexium and Prevacid are also more likely to have problems with raw veggies.

Imbalances in gut bacteria, common with celiacs and those who have frequently been on antibiotics can also cause issues with raw veggies because the gut bacteria are not able to break down the complex carbohydrates quickly enough into sugars such that these sugars make it all the way to the large bowel to produce a lot of methane (lots of smelly flatus).

I go very easy on raw veggies trays at events and cook my veggies at home. Cooking helps break the lignin down.

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by trents

[Scott Adams]

I too had issues with many foods, including vegetables like tomatoes and garlic, until my gut healed. It might help you to take some enzymes to help you digest, at least until you can heal your gut, which can take 1-2 years.