Dietary Habits That Can Contribute To Diarrhea

by Eric Bakker N.D.

A lot of my patients get diarrhea, and it can be a huge problem for them. Many people associate diarrhea with parasites like Blastocystis and Dientamoeba fragilis. However, there are also food and drinks that can trigger very loose bowel movements. Some of the items in your diet and lifestyle that can cause diarrhea are:

1. Alcohol: For many people, alcohol can trigger diarrhea. If you’re a regular drinker and your bowel movements are becoming overly loose, you may want to back off a bit. Cut back on the wine, the beer, and the hard liquor. You might not have to stop entirely, but definitely cut back to see if there is a cause and effect.

2. Caffeinated beverages: Caffeine stimulates the bowel for some people. Other people can get constipated from caffeine. I’m not opposed to a cup of coffee in the morning, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend having three, four, five, or six cups a day. If you’re drinking excessive amounts of coffee or caffeinated tea, cut back an see if your diarrhea diminishes.

3. Smoking: Nicotine has been linked with diarrhea. If you’re vaping, smoking, or chewing tobacco, you may want to cut back for several reasons, not just gut health.

Further readings:

4. Brassicas: If you have a really messed up gut, including low levels of beneficial bacteria and imbalanced flora, brassica vegetables can lead to gas and loose bowel movements. Brassicas include broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy, and Brussel sprouts, to name a few.

5. Spicy foods: Chid, cane pepper, too much garlic, too much cumin, or far too much turmeric can all cause digestive problems including diarrhea.

6. Fatty foods: Fatty foods can cause loose bowels, particularly in people with pancreatic dysfunction. Be careful about eating anything deep-fried. The pancreas can get overloaded and diarrhea is the result. Even healthy people will get diarrhea if they eat too much fatty food. I used to love deep-fried foods, but I gave them up entirely a few years ago. Since I did that, I’ve had perfectly formed bowel movements.

7. High sugar foods: High sugar foods, even “healthy” foods like grapes and melons, can precipitate diarrhea.

So that’s a bit of a list of foods that can cause diarrhea. I hope it’s helpful.

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About Eric Bakker N.D.

Eric Bakker ND has completed almost ten years of study and has almost almost 25 years of clinical experience in natural and integrative forms of medicine, and has pursued continuous post-graduate study in Australia, America, India as well as in New Zealand.

Eric is the past Vice President of the NZ Natural Medicine Association and is currently on their editorial advisory board.