Cabbage Juice & Bowel Discomfort

Drinking cabbage juice might cause embarrassing symptoms to develop within a few minutes. Cabbage is a major gas producer, according to the University of Michigan Health System 1. Everyone tolerates foods differently, but if you find that you're prone to gas, bloating and stomach cramps after eating cabbage, you might want to avoid drinking cabbage juice.

Gas

If a portion of the carbohydrates in the cabbage juice remain undigested, they will ferment in the colon. The fermentation process causes the release of vapors that form an odorless gas. If the gas becomes trapped in the digestive system, you will develop gas pains and bloating. Gas causes sharp pains in the abdomen that come and go and range from mild to severe. Most gas pains are alleviated when you pass gas or belch.

Food Intolerance

Another common reason you might develop digestive discomfort after drinking cabbage juice is food intolerance. According to the American College of Gastroenterology, when your small intestine fails to create the appropriate enzymes to break down the proteins, sugars and carbohydrates in certain foods, a portion of them remains undigested. When the undigested part of cabbage juice enters the colon, bacteria interact with it, leading to diarrhea, nausea, cramping, bloating and vomiting.

Treatment

If your bowel discomfort is the result of excessive gas, talk with your doctor about using a digestive enzyme supplement or simethicone. Digestive enzyme supplements, when taken with the first sip of cabbage juice, might reduce your symptoms by assisting your digestive system in breaking down the juice. Simethicone is an over-the-counter gas medication that helps break small gas bubbles, creating a larger gas bubble. The larger gas bubble helps your body expel the gas more effectively. If you’re diagnosed with a food intolerance to cabbage, you will need to avoid cabbage and cabbage juice to prevent symptoms.

IBS Consideration

If you notice that cabbage juice causes chronic diarrhea or constipation, you might have irritable bowel syndrome. The cause of IBS is still unclear, but dietary modification is an effective way to prevent symptoms. Talk with your doctor before you change your diet to treat a medical condition.