The emphasis on eating a diet that consists of plenty of fruits has never been greater. The United States Department of Agriculture developed new guidelines in 2011 designed to encourage people to fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal in its MyPlate guideline for a healthy diet. Yet, many people experience cramps or digestive upset when they eat fruit. The solution is not to stop eating fruit, but to determine what types of fruits or situations might be the culprits.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
About 10 percent to 15 percent of the population suffers from irritable bowel syndrome, which manifests itself as abdominal pain, gas, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. Citrus fruits are one trigger for IBS. It is typical to experience cramps in the lower abdomen during a bout of IBS. If you notice that after eating citrus fruits you have IBS symptoms, avoid citrus fruits. Fruits high in fructose, such as apples, berries, cherries, prunes, pears and peaches, tend to ferment and cause gas, which is difficult to tolerate if you suffer from IBS.
Food Poisoning
If you eat food contaminated with bacteria or parasites, you can get food poisoning. Sometimes, water used to grow fruits is contaminated by animal waste, and if you don't wash contaminated fruit properly, you can get sick. Cramps usually begin two to six hours after eating the contaminated fruit. You may also experience diarrhea, fever, headache, vomiting and weakness. Most people recover within 12 to 48 hours.
Traveler's Diarrhea
About 20 percent to 50 percent of international travelers get traveler's diarrhea, a type of food poisoning, particularly when traveling to Latin America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Symptoms include abdominal cramps, diarrhea, bloating, nausea and vomiting. Raw fruits are a common cause of traveler's diarrhea because they can easily be contaminated with infectious agents that enter your digestive tract. The most common cause of traveler's diarrhea is Escherichia coli bacteria. This disorder usually clears up without special treatment in one to two days. Avoid traveler's diarrhea by not eating raw fruits when traveling.
Gassy Foods
Everyone reacts differently to foods, and some people experience gas pains from certain fruits. Apples, avocados, bananas, melons, peaches, pears, prunes and raisins can cause bloating and cramps from gas pain. Remove those fruits from your diet for a few weeks to determine if you have fewer cramping episodes. Begin adding one fruit at a time to see whether you can tolerate it. If you can, wait a few days, and then add another fruit. This will help you pinpoint the fruits that may be causing your cramps.
