You may experience some gas, bloating or loose stools after eating bread or grains if you're sensitive to fiber, but if you develop digestive problems every time you eat bread or other grains, you may have a more serious condition. Common digestive problems that result from eating bread and grain are either a wheat allergy or celiac disease. A grain allergy is different from celiac disease, according to MayoClinic.com. Any symptoms that develop after eating bread and grain need to be reported to your doctor. Before treating your symptoms, you should receive a clinical diagnosis.
Gluten Intolerance
Gluten intolerance is a common digestive condition that causes significant digestive problems shortly after eating bread or other grain-based foods that contain gluten. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and sometimes oats. Almost all breads are made with a grain that contains gluten. If you are gluten intolerant you should purchase breads that are labeled, "gluten free." Breads made from soy flour, rice flour or corn flour do not contain any gluten. If you have celiac disease, your immune system attacks the lining of your intestines when you eat gluten. Even a small amount of gluten can cause significant damage. The damage in the lining of the intestines causes the small hair-like surface villi to diminish. Villi absorb nutrients into your blood stream. As villi are destroyed, your ability to absorb nutrients is impaired, causing malnourishment.
Symptoms
Symptoms vary from person to person but cause common reactions. Some symptoms are the result of malnourishment. Common symptoms of celiac disease include decreased appetite, abdominal pain, indigestion, gas, constipation, lactose intolerance, nausea, vomiting, weight loss, stools that float, fatigue, bruising easily, depression, growth delay and nose bleeds.
Grain Allergy
Although wheat is the most common grain that causes an allergic reaction, if you're allergic to wheat you have a greater chance of having an allergy to other grains, according to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network. A grain allergy is caused by a hypersensitive immune system. The proteins in wheat and grain are safe for consumption by most people, but if you're allergic to certain grains the body mistakes them as toxic. If this occurs, you will experience an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction causes mast cells in soft tissue to produce histamine, a chemical that leads to inflammation. If you're allergic to certain grains, you will experience various digestive symptoms.
Allergy Symptoms
If you are allergic to grains, you will develop common food allergy symptoms. These symptoms can vary in severity in each individual. In some cases, a severe allergic reaction can lead to death because off the inability to breathe. A grain allergy will cause digestive symptoms, such as bloating, stomach pain, diarrhea, vomiting and nausea. Other symptoms from a grain allergy may cause asthma, sinus congestion, skin rashes and lightheadedness.
