Due to their indigestible skin and seeds, tomatoes can trigger irritable bowel movements that often lead to bloating. One of the most widely accepted reasons for intestinal problems are tomatoes and it would be best to avoid consuming them in larger quantities.
Tomatoes
Tomatoes and tomato products are packed with malic and citric acid, both which can make the stomach produce too much gastric acid. Tomatoes can make your gastric acid levels rise high enough to make it force back up the esophagus.
Help ease constipation: Described as a “laxative fruit,” tomatoes are high in water content and fiber. Eating tomatoes might help your hydration level and support normal bowel movements.
Good for digestion: Eating tomatoes daily can keep your digestive system healthy as it prevents both, constipation and diarrhoea. It also prevents jaundice and effectively removes toxins from the body.
Lectins. Lectins are found in all gluten-containing grains. They are also found in beans, corn, and nightshade vegetables like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and potatoes. Lectins may bind to the cells lining your intestines, disrupting the tight junctions between the intestinal cells, contributing to leaky gut.
Eating too many tomatoes could lead to large amounts of Lycopene building up in your system. Although Lycopene isn't harmful and is generally safe, excessive consumption can eventually cause skin discolouration, digestive troubles, body aches, and acid reflux.
They offer many health benefits. However, excess intake of tomatoes may cause side effects like acid reflux or heartburn, allergies and infections, kidney problems, irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, urinary issues, and respiratory problems.
For many IBS community members, favorite trigger foods include red sauces, such as tomato and marinara sauces. Fact: Red sauces often contain garlic, onions, and sugar, making it a high-FODMAP food that is difficult to digest.
A tomato intolerance or sensitivity occurs when your digestive system reacts adversely after eating tomatoes. There are different types of food sensitivities when it comes to tomatoes: chemical sensitivities to the alkaloids, reactions to the acid content, and IgG reactions to the proteins in tomatoes.
According to both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly, cherry tomatoes are low FODMAP and you can safely enjoy them 45g (3 tomato) serves (1 4). Just keep an eye on portion sizes as they do contain moderate amounts of fructans in 60g serves (1).
Nightshade Sensitivities
Some people who seem to react to tomatoes find they are actually sensitive to nightshades. Common nightshades include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, eggplants, blueberries, tomatillos, and paprika. A sensitivity to nightshades can be an allergic reaction, oral allergy syndrome, or intolerance.
The levels of tomatine found in ripe tomatoes are usually low, and not a cause for concern. However, ingesting large amounts of tomatine, especially when consuming unripe tomatoes or tomato leaves, can cause digestive problems which result in symptoms like nausea, cramps and diarrhea.
There's another misconception out there about tomatoes and other nightshades: That they cause inflammation. (Spoiler: They don't.)
The tomato fruit is high in naturally occurring acids. Because of their high acidic content, for some, tomatoes can stimulate the production of stomach acids which can result in bloating and gas.
High acid foods such as citrus fruits and tomatoes are likely to cause abdominal pain and acid reflux, especially if you are predisposed to Irritable Bowel syndrome. This can worsen already existent symptoms by further causing heartburn and nausea.
Certain vegetables cause gas and abnormal bowel habits. Avoid cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, coleslaw and sauerkraut. Also, limit artichoke, brussels sprouts, onions, shallots, leeks and asparagus.
Some people feel that eating foods from the nightshade family, also known as solanaceous vegetables, may make their arthritis worse. But research has shown that there is no link between inflammation and solanaceous vegetables. Examples of nightshade vegetables include: Tomatoes.
Order a tomato allergy IgE blood test to detect an allergy to tomatoes. This test measures the amount of allergen-specific antibodies in a blood sample. Tomato allergies are exceedingly rare, even though tomatoes and tomato-based items are among the most commonly consumed foods.
While there is little research on the maximum number of tomatoes you can eat in a day. Scientists say ideally one serving of tomatoes comprises either one whole regular tomato or six cherry tomatoes. So enjoy your tomatoes but spread out your intake throughout the week!