The body is a finely tuned machine, capable of more biological functions that we can even imagine. Seriously, how can a human heart beat 100,000 times in a single day? With the body capable of doing so much, you would think it could easily digest just about anything. Well, think again.
If you’ve lived long enough to wipe your own behind, you know that your body can’t effortlessly digest just anything. And we’re not even talking about coins, nails or other items not intended for human consumption. We’re talking about real foods – some harvested right from the farms of this very planet.
Here are 7 foods that make your stomach upset:
Corn: Ah yes, the grand daddy of all indigestible foods. Why is corn so hard to digest? While corn contains fiber, which is great for your digestive system, it also contains cellulose, a type of fiber that humans can’t break down easily because our bodies lack the necessary enzyme.
Chili Peppers: Spicy foods in general can be difficult to digest. Chili peppers, in particular, can irritate your esophagus (the tube that carries food from the throat to the stomach), and cause serious heartburn. Ouch!
Fried Foods: News flash: fried foods are not good for you. Wait, you already knew that? Well, maybe you didn’t know that fried foods are particularly bad for your digestive system. All that grease and oil can cause a host of problems, none bigger than heartburn and acid reflux.
Ice Cream: I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream! While most of the screaming stems from excitement, some can be attributed to the cramping, bloating and indigestion this tasty treat causes. The painful side effects can be blamed on the dairy content in ice cream, which is notorious for causing upset stomachs.
Raw Onions: In addition to stinking up your breath, raw onions can cause a considerable amount of gas. If you’re not one to cook your onions, we recommend enjoying them alone.
Gum: Gum can cause stomach pain, because each time you chew you’re inadvertently swallowing air. Too much air in your stomach can cause stomach pains until the air is properly released from body.
Soda: You know how soda makes you burp? That’s because it’s heavily carbonated. In addition to relaxing your esophageal sphincter, which prevents acid from escaping your stomach (causing burbs), carbonated beverages like soda can also cause diarrhea and cramping. This can be especially troubling for people with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease).