If you enjoy the hot and spicy flavor of eating pimentos, you may start avoiding them if they continually cause gastrointestinal complications. Pimentos are a small cherry-pepper that’s related to the chili pepper and is commonly served in ethic dishes and inside a green olive. Eating spicy foods, such as pimentos may cause various digestive symptoms in some people with certain conditions. Stop eating pimentos until you and can be seen by your doctor and report all adverse reactions.
Heartburn
One of the most common gastrointestinal symptoms from eating pimentos is heartburn. Various foods can trigger heartburn symptoms more than others, such as mint, fatty foods and spicy foods. If you’re prone to heartburn, avoid all trigger foods to prevent unwanted symptoms. Heartburn is a burning gnawing sensation that develops behind your breastbone and can cause radiant pain in your neck and upper back. This condition is caused by stomach acid entering the esophagus because the flap that separates the stomach from the esophagus spontaneously opens. Most occasional heartburn from eating pimentos is treated with over-the-counter antacids, according to MayoClinic.com.
Peptic Ulcers
Spicy foods, such as pimentos do not cause the development of ulcers, but may cause symptoms of an ulcer to get worse. Peptic ulcers are open wounds that develop in the lining of the digestive system that can cause pain and abdominal discomfort. Most ulcers are caused by an infection of the H. pylori virus, but may also develop as the result of alcohol abuse, the regular use of certain medications and smoking, according to FamilyDoctor.org. When you eat spicy foods, the spice may cause irritation and further aggravate the open wound in your digestive system.
Food Allergy
Although pimentos are not considered a common food allergen, your doctor may want to perform allergy tests if you develop gastrointestinal symptoms along with other symptoms after eating the vegetable. You can have a food allergy to any food that can cause vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, cramping, bloating and gas shortly after eating the pepper. Other signs of a food allergy include nasal congestion, trouble breathing, shortness of breath, skin rashes, dizziness, increased heart rate and a drop in blood pressure.
Digestive Conditions
If you have certain underlying digestive conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome or ulcerative colitis, eating pimentos may trigger gastrointestinal symptoms associated with these conditions. Consult your gastroenterologist before eating pimentos if you have a chronic digestive condition.
