# tomato trouble



## buggga

was having a good week until i decied to have a fresh tomato on my sandwich----massive diarrhea--my question is the tomato skin came out unchanged (sorry to be gross)---is this normal for us with ibs---i have been worried all night--and also do you think the tomatos caused this horrible episode--i was doing pretty good and now i feel like im back to square one! thanks for your help!


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## BQ

Yes it's normal for us and those without IBS. Some things just don't get broken down ALL the way. So no need to worry.Do I think the tomatoes caused it?? I have no idea. Have you had trouble with tomatoes before?


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## jacques125

I wouldn't stress out over any food that may trigger it. Tomatoes are one of the best foods for you even though they are acidic. The skins are the most nutritious since they have lycopene and help you prevent cancer - http://www.lycopenebenefit.com/lycopenebenefits.html. I'm 63 and an IBS-D patient for 25+ years. I eat everything and deal with the problem without medication. I'm much better now than in my 30's when I had diarrhea every time I ate. My only suggestion; be patient with your body and try not to take medication for your problem whenever possible (especially laxatives when constipated) .  Diarrhea causes cellular damage in your gut however, it also heals itself fairly fast. An interesting finding - intestinal cells die and get replaced every 6 weeks or so. Good luck and please be kind to your body.


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## PD85

I don't have many specific food triggers, but tomatoes are one of them. Spaghetti with tomato sauce for dinner? Cross me off for doing anything tomorrow! I can eat small amounts of them, like in ketchup, but any whole piece of tomato and I'm done for.


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## overitnow

Tomatoes are a part of the nightshade family (eggplants, peppers, other seeded "vegetables"). They can be reactive for us. I used to have similar effects, along with killer GERD, from tomatoes. A couple of summers ago, long after my IBS was well controlled, I started buying fresh, sweet tomatoes from a local greenhouse, eating them everyday in sandwiches. After a period of time, eczema--another long dormant condition--broke out again and my stools got distinctly softer and stickier. It took awhile; but dropping the tomato sandwich from my lunchtimes eventually solved both conditions.Mark


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## lib2266

Tomatoes are my worst nightmare...but they can be tricky. Cherry tomatoes and chunk tomato on pizza always causes problems for me. I'm ok with tomato sauce and sometimes a regular Jersey tomato but it's never certain. I simply avoid them most of the time..it sucks too because I love a Caprese salad or a good fresh pizza so I tend to only eat them when I know I'm homebound for a while.


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## Trudyg

I have read that what you look like on the outside is a reflection of the insides--if you have excema or acne, so does your gut, in other words. If that is so, then whatever would excacerbate one would be a trigger, right? Don't know i beleive it totally, but to some extent it makes sense.


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## overitnow

Trudyg said:


> I have read that what you look like on the outside is a reflection of the insides--if you have excema or acne, so does your gut, in other words. If that is so, then whatever would excacerbate one would be a trigger, right? Don't know i beleive it totally, but to some extent it makes sense.


I suspect you are right. Do you suppose I have bags under my intestines, as well?







Mark


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## cera

Tomatoes are bad because of the high acid. Tomatoes and garlic for me are a nightmare - I stay away from Italian food altogether.


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## JessicainLondon

I don't think I have too much of a problem with tomatoes, but I have heard about people needing to deseed and peel them before eating. If you can manage them in a tomato sauce, that may be why - the things that are hardest to break down (seeds / skin) just aren't there, or have been blitzed beyond recognition. I do find, though, that they give me a lot of bloating. This morning, I received a list from my consultant of low, moderate and high flatulogenic foods (i.e. gas production levels). Tomatoes are on the low list. This morning, I also ate raw tomato in an omelette and I feel like my stomach lining is on fire, and my bloating has increased. Clearly, different effects happen for different people. If you can't bear the thought of eliminating tomatoes from your diet, you could always try a little amount on a day where you're at home, with nothing to worry about getting done, etc.


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## BQ

I LOVE tomatoes.... tomato ANYthing.. sauce.. whole.... stewed.... juice... you name it. I love it. And if I eat too much of it... forget it... I'm running to the can. But sometimes... I don't care. LOL And it is just worth it to have a nice glass of tomato juice ... and pay for it later...


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## overitnow

It is interesting to read Jessica's comment about the difficulty we have with digesting seeds and skins, as these are normally where the highest concentration od nutrients reside. (Probably another reason why supplementing has helped me so much.) RE BQ's affair with the love apple, the first really dangerous meal I tried after getting this under control was a couple of big slices of cheese pizza and a beer! Wheat, milk, tomatoes, and Italian seasonings. The beginning of my post-IBS (Butterfly) years.Mark


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## EnviroChick

My friend who is in dietary school told me that tomato skin is a huge problem for people with bowel issues. Fruit/veggies skin are very hard to break down and with our rapid transit times, they can irritate the lining of the intestines and really do some damage. Also, seeds,mushrooms, nuts, and popcorn are a huge problem too. I can't eat a mjaority of that stuff, nuts are sometimes ok but it look me 3 years to figure out why I got sick everytime I ate a tomato. Makes sense now!


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## Mrs Me

Would this be the same with apples? I had a terrible day yesterday and the only thing i done different was eat an apple.


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## overitnow

I do believe apple is an insoluble fiber.Mark


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## Holden37

I originally thought I might be allergic to tomatoes they did such a number on me (before I was diagnosed)...no more Friday night pizza for me I suppose.Appreciate you sharing


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## jmc09

I love tomatoes myself and dont really have any problems with them other than sometimes the less quality ones have tougher skin.As a male,the chemical lycopene,which is found a lot in tomatoes,is a big help against prostate disease in older men and is available in supplement form now if tomatoes are a problem to eat.


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## avesher

Im glad I saw this thread cause it explained a major issue Im having tonightanyone ever have any troubles after they eat kiwi fruit?edit: after investigating I think shoving an entire jar of black olives down the hatch was my downfall


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## ibsdesi

Here is my list of items to stay away from. It looks list is not the same for everyone.I have IBS for 3 years. Below list is result of extensive research on myself.

Raw onions

Raw fruits

Tomato(either raw or not)

whole wheat stuff

anything hot spicy.

bell peppers(will bring me down for days).

carbonated drinks

Meat

Any artificial sugars

At night couple of pills of benefiber(weight management) keep my life right.

--

This is no medical advice, see ur doctor for your condition.


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## urbanfresh

jacques125 said:


> I wouldn't stress out over any food that may trigger it. Tomatoes are one of the best foods for you even though they are acidic. The skins are the most nutritious since they have lycopene and help you prevent cancer - http://www.lycopenebenefit.com/lycopenebenefits.html. I'm 63 and an IBS-D patient for 25+ years. I eat everything and deal with the problem without medication. I'm much better now than in my 30's when I had diarrhea every time I ate. My only suggestion; be patient with your body and try not to take medication for your problem whenever possible (especially laxatives when constipated) . Diarrhea causes cellular damage in your gut however, it also heals itself fairly fast. An interesting finding - intestinal cells die and get replaced every 6 weeks or so. Good luck and please be kind to your body.


Wow, 25 years is a long time. What's the best advice you could give someone who is 24 and has had IBS-D for 6 years? I have D every day just now and I can't get it to calm down no matter what I do.


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## Perk

I'm very careful with tomatoes, fresh is a no-no, I have found same can product is ok and one jar tomato sauce that works for me. During the summer I purchase low acid tomatoes from a farmers market and cut off the skin before a eat it with bread. I love fresh tomato, rye bread sandwiches with butter! YUM Yes, I pay for it the next day


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## Christina1993

I never have any serious problems with tomatoes or anything tomato based but something mega strange is that one particular brand of tomato sauce causes me SO MUCH pain and has me running to the bathroom for hours! Tutoroso I think it is? I'm probably spelling it wrong... yet I can eat any other kind of canned tomato sauce! Like say, Redpack for example, I read the ingredients and they're the same pretty much but one of them send me running for the bathroom! What the heck! So weird.


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## Dianaearnshaw

Fruits - including tomatoes, will have natural yeasts on their skins which is why some can be taken cooked, when the yeast is destroyed, by some people. (Think about it; plums that fall off the tree quickly start to ferment - hence all the drunken wasps that feed on them!)

IBS sufferers usually have a candida overgrowth - another yeast - which can make them sensitive to all yeasts. To be honest, it is probably best to have mostly cooked foods as there can be some yeasts on all sorts.


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## Friday

Raw tomato - ok. Cooked tomato, puree, ketchup etc - no way, D for the next 2 days. Shame as it means no pizza/pasta with tomato sauce.


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## Christy_NM

Isn't it a wonder...I can eat raw tomatoes, but cooked ones are a trigger for more than just IBS. I've had IBS-D for 20+ years and there are still some foods about which the effect is unsure (like cantaloupes). Sweet corn: I've seen it transit my body in 7 hours, looking very ... um ... recognizable. Other times it's no problem.

I was wondering if the offending tomato sandwich in the lead post might have been a trigger because it was too much of the FODMAPS stuff. It may get "blamed" on the tomato because it's the obvious leftover after digestion. But, check the bread and other ingredients. It could be something else entirely.

It's just amazing how individual sensitivities are!
Christy


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## aury

Mrs Me said:


> Would this be the same with apples? I had a terrible day yesterday and the only thing i done different was eat an apple.


Apples are high in fodmap sugars, which trigger IBS. Sorry for late reply 😆


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## aury

cera said:


> Tomatoes are bad because of the high acid. Tomatoes and garlic for me are a nightmare - I stay away from Italian food altogether.


Italian food is not just tomatoes and garlic, educate yourself please. Plus, the majority of Italians use garlic in a way that doesn't trigger IBS because they don't eat the cloves, they just fry garlic until golden, then they discharge it before adding other ingredients to the sauce. Also the cheese sauces can be IBS friendly, many cheeses are naturally low in lactose or are made lactose-free from the factory.


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## Silviegee

I get the same problem with tomatoes. I somehow sensed when my IBS started that tomatoes were not my friends, and didn't even try to eat them. They had always made me "go" in the past when I was normal.
So anyway, last summer a neighbour gave me some gorgeous home grown organic cherry tomatoes. I do like them very much so thought I'd try. I got 10,
The first evening, with my dinner I had 5 tiny ones. I even peeled them. Oh joy! I was fine the next morning (and I have a quick gut transit. I will know the next morning if what I ate the evening before didn't suit me.)
So the next evening I ate the other 5, peeled also, and expected no problems. I was so happy to be able to eat them again in moderation.
But sadly no. I had a bad gut upset the next day. And I hadn't eaten any other trigger foods, so I know it had to be the tomatoes, as that was the only different food which I had eaten.
I haven't touched them since.


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