I eat sauerkraut fairly often and I nearly always get pretty bad diarrhea about 2 or 3 hours after eating. It isn't painful but it can be inconvenient if it happens at a bad time or when I'm not home. Is there any way to prevent it or is it just something you have to accept when you eat sauerkraut? I don't think any other foods cause this problem for me.

Sauerkraut doesn't do that to most people. Certainly never caused an issue for me. I don't eat it often because my Italian wife doesn't like it. Must be something about it that your digestive system can't handle

'Fairly often' is how often? And with something like hot dogs, or what? Is it always from the same source?
I would draw a schedule of what you ate those days, all day. It's unusual to have food go through the digestive tract in less than 6 hours, and most people who say they got food poisoning right after eating something really got it several hours earlier.

You need to discuss this with your doctor.

I react badly to certain foods. Spaghetti (ground beef, spaghetti sauce with seasoning added, and noodles), always set me off in a matter of hours. I get severe stomach cramps, nausea, heart burn, and then diarrhea. I tried taking antacids before eating it, but to no avail.

Discovered, after a colonoscopy, that I have IBS (irritable bowel syndrome), and a lot of foods can cause an upset. So now I avoid those foods.

Every person is different. Just because some people don't have a reaction to spaghetti, or sauerkraut (I'm German, so it's a staple), doesn't mean that it's not normal for you.

I'd avoid eating sauerkraut, and I'd talk to your doctor.

Sauerkraut is from cabbage. Both are notorious for causing gas/diarrhea in some people. All you can really do is avoid it if you are planning on being in a situation where it may be embarrassing.

Thanks for the tips, I'm mostly German too and have eaten Sauerkraut all my life and have no plans to give it up. It's strange that it's the only food that has certain effects on me because I can eat anything else with no problems, spicy foods, dairy, fried foods, garlic, onions, coffee, wine, beer, etc. IBS usually starts by age 30 and I'm in my late 30s so I know it isn't that, it's kind of a mystery. I had a colonoscopy a few years ago because colon cancer runs in my family but there was nothing wrong.

My dad was a Lutheran pastor and 100% German heritage. He had to be ultra careful at church picnics and church suppers to skip any dishes containing cabbage (e.g., cole slaw) or sauerkraut. Gas, upset stomach, bloating, and diarrhea resulted when he ate them. I suspect my mom always served on food committees in order to check out the incoming food and give my dad a heads-up on what to avoid.

Age isn't a mystery though! I've had changes each decade of my 70 years. I'd say that most of us start out cast iron and slowly become less tolerant of what we eat and drink.

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Originally Posted by earl237

IBS usually starts by age 30 and I'm in my late 30s so I know it isn't that, it's kind of a mystery.

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My IBS didn't start until I was 48.

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Originally Posted by J_9

My IBS didn't start until I was 48.

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I was in my late 30's as well.

Just because you don't get it by age 30, doesn't mean you won't get it. To think there's a time line and that if you don't get it by that time line, is silly.

Also, cabbage is notorious for gas and stomach discomfort in many people. :)