It becomes a challenge when a surprisingly healthy food like guacamole causes health problems. And you may start to wonder, how does that even happen. Well, we all have different tolerances to different foods. You may be able to tolerate the worst food under the worst conditions. However, you may also fail to tolerate common healthy foods and dishes. So, even though guacamole is a perfectly healthy sauce, its possible for you to get sick from guacamole. To certain individuals eating guacamole can buy you a one way ticket to stomach discomfort, bloating or even diarrhoea! So, does guacamole cause bloating? Your answer is down below!
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So, does guacamole cause bloating?
The answer is yes! Eating guacamole can make you feel bloated or cause gassing. However, this does not happen to everyone. If you get bloated from guacamole it may be because you have one of these conditions:
- Functional gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome.
- Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.
- Avocado intolerance.
- Digestive problems.
- Absorption problems
How guacamole causes bloating?
The answer is not as simple as the question. So, before we answer the question, we must first know why you get bloated from eating guacamole.
Also read: Avocados cause bloating: Why
Here is the reason why guacamole causes bloating:
Does eating guacamole cause bloating?
The answer:
The main ingredient of guacamole is avocado. Now, avocado is a perfectly healthy nutrient-dense fruit that I also love. Whilst, avocados are healthy, not everyone can stomach them. You may get sick from eating avocados and foods containing avocados. This is because eating avocados can make you feel bloated, full of gas or even cause diarrhoea.
This usually happens if you have underlying gut disorders or problems. If you have functional gastrointestinal disorders then you may have problems with eating guacamole or avocados. This is because if you have these conditions, you may not be able to tolerate compounds in certain foods.
One of these intolerable compounds is a group of compounds called FODMAPs. Fodmaps are highly fermentable compounds found in various foods. And when they are fermented, these compounds release gas into your intestines. The gas will accumulate in your stomach resulting in discomforts and feelings of being bloated.
Therefore, if you have gastrointestinal problems, foods that contain a lot of FODMAPs are not for you. And avocados belong to such a group of foods. Avocados contain polyols which include perseitol and the fermentable sugar mannoheptulose. And these compounds fall under fermentable sugars and polyols.
So, how can guacamole cause bloating ?
These compounds in avocados trigger the bloating process.
So, this is how the process works:
Guacamole is made from avocados as the main ingredient and other ingredients. When people with functional gastrointestinal disorders eat avocados. They then come into contact with fodmaps compounds. These include compounds called polyols and sugars. The main compounds in avocados are the indigestible perseitol and D mannoheptulose.
Now, our bodies cannot absorb these compounds. So, they remain in the intestines since they cannot enter into the bloodstream. However, these compounds do not pass through your gut unaffected. They become energy sources for the bacteria in your gut.
Now, the gut bacteria use the process of fermentation to produce energy from the sugars and polyols. This process is more common in people with functional gut disorders. And also in people who have an unhealthy bacterial overgrowth in their gut.
So, how does this process work?
Well, in summary, guacamole has avocados. When you eat guacamole sauce, you also ingest the avocado and it enters your gut. When that happens bacteria in your colon use the FODMAPs as energy sources through fermentation. It is the fermentation process that causes problems.
The fermentation process produces gas as a by-product. The accumulation of this gas in your colon causes you to feel bloated. And your intestines will feel like they are full of gas. As a result, your colon will now contain some gas that was not supposed to be there.
However, this is not all. The fermentation process also produces osmotically active byproducts. The presents of these compounds in your intestines attract water from surrounding tissues. As a result, water moves from these surrounding tissues into your intestines. This results, in you passing out watery stools.
This is the reason why you feel bloated after eating guacamole or anything containing avocados. You may also pass out watery stools after eating guacamole or avocados. This is how eating guacamole may cause bloating, stomach discomfors or diarrhoea.
The best way to stop getting bloated from guacamole or avocados is to stop taking them. You may also try and see the quantities that you are able to tolerate. Which means smaller portions of the fruit or source maybe tolerable. After all this is a healthy food that no one dares not to try. I hope this blog post answers your question (does guacamole cause bloating?).
If you have a problem of getting bloated after eating several different foods this Table on foods rich in FODMAPs may help you.
Conclusion on guacamole causing bloating
Does guacamole cause bloating? Yes, eating guacamole can cause bloating. However, this problem does not affect everyone. People with functional gut disorders, absorption and digestive problems are the most affected. The reason why you may feel bloated from guacamole is that the main ingredient is avocado. Avocados contain Fodmap compounds that are fermented by the bacteria in your gut to produce gas. The bacteria also produce osmotically active products that attract water into your intestines. As a result, you may also suffer from diarrhoea or watery stools. So, the culprit maybe the avocados in your guacamole sauce.