We have heard some people ask – “Why does barbecue upset my stomach?”
There are folks who suffer from diarrhea after eating grilled food while others are completely fine with these foods.
Unfortunately for people who love barbecue, the after-effects of eating it can be quite frustrating. After all, no one wants to experience gassy stomach, flatulence, pain, and burping because of a luscious barbecue!
Just imagine how difficult it is to thoroughly enjoy the scrumptiousness of the dish only to reap the nasty effects later on.
So, if you are one of those people who simply can’t pass up the chance to munch on some barbecue, yet you suffer afterwards from stomach upset, this post is for you! Find out why it happens and if there’s anything you can do about it.
Why Does Barbecue Upset My Stomach
Everyone enjoys a good barbecue. Whether it is grilled meat or grilled jackfruit for those who are plant-based, just the sight, smell and taste of BBQ is absolutely satisfying.
However, there are people who experience stomach sensitivities when eating barbecue. Perhaps, their stomach gets gassy from eating BBQ. And it could be a multitude of causes – a food intolerance issue, or how the food has been cooked, and even how you consumed it.
Let’s take a look at these reasons why your stomach may be upset after eating barbecue.
1. Food Combination
Perhaps barbecue was the last thing you ate, which was then followed by stomach upset. However, it could also be due to other foods that you ate with it and irritated your stomach. For instance, foods like beans, spices, garlic, and cruciferous vegetables may have induced flatulence for you. In other cases, MSG and artificial flavoring can also trigger an upset stomach.
There are also people who are very much sensitive to alcoholic drinks. So, when they drink beer in addition to eating barbecue, they may suffer from gas or flatulence. Your stomach may also rumble when you don’t usually eat onions but decide to fry some up and add to your burgers.
And lastly, some flavoring that include MSG or other ingredients to irritate your stomach may be to blame for your upset stomach.
2. Fatty Meat
It is also important to consider the fact that fatty meats can cause gas in some people. There are folks who have a difficult time digesting meat with fatty cuts. This is why it may be worth considering eating leaner cuts of meat if the fat irritates you.
3. How You Eat BBQ
Not many people may be aware of this but the way you eat your barbecue can also be causing gas. You may not be chewing your food enough or eating too quickly, which is why instances of flatulence may occur.
Some people stand while eating their barbecue or wolf down their meal so quickly, which can cause indigestion and gas. If this is the case, you should eat your meals slowly and really chew every bite to help your stomach with the digestion process.
Read more: Are Pellet Grills Good For Burgers?
4. Food Intolerance
The simplest reason behind an upset stomach after eating barbecue is food intolerance. Some people who get the wind each time they munch on some barbecue could be due to food sensitivities. If you don’t normally eat barbecue and decide to eat one, then you definitely will experience some gas.
The same goes for other ingredients you include in your barbecue such as spices, onions, mushrooms, food coloring, turmeric, celery, and a few other items that typically cause intolerances in some people.
5. Way of Cooking
There are different ways to make barbecue. Some people smoke them while others grill them. For others, they may experience gas when a certain kind of wood is used to cook the barbecue such as fruit tree wood, hickory, and so on. Others cannot handle regular charcoal, or pellet or chunk for grilling.
So, you might want to find out if the format or method of grilling the meat causes you stomach upset. Then, you can do things differently.
If you are not doing well with some types of smoker, gas smoker may help. Or, it could also be how much smoke and how long you smoke the meat that make a difference. When you oversmoke, for instance, your stomach gets upset. Change up the format and type of smoke, as well as the amount of smoke and see how that helps.
We would also like to add that oversmoking, charring and grilling tends to introduce some compounds that were already present in the fuel. This is why you should consider keeping the fuel clean and make sure it is clean-burning. Avoid lighting it with other things that can risk getting additional components to your fuel such as styrofoam or plastic bags.
Keep in mind that these materials don’t only make you feel sick but may lead to serious health problems in the future. A charcoal chimney starter, which is widely available in many shops, may also be worth a try if you have an extra sensitive stomach.
Read more: Do You Need Oil To Cook Bacon?
Wrapping Up
Nothing can be more frustrating for some people than to suffer from stomach upset after eating barbecue – especially if this is the kind of meal they really enjoy. This is why if you are experiencing these effects from consuming barbecue, you may want to change up your way of preparing and cooking it.
Consider the tips we have shared with you in this post and see if any of these things help at all in improving how your stomach feels after enjoying a good barbecue.
