Picture this, you’re at an elegant and super fancy restaurant. You’re all dressed up and with a selection of your closest friends. You peruse the menu and settle on the salmon. You love it, it’s delicious.
But as the meal draws to a close, your stomach starts to feel…a little funny. You try to ignore it as you and your friends discuss whether or not to get desserts. Despite your slightly-off tummy, you decide to get one anyway.
The waiter makes his way around the table and just as it gets to your turn and it’s silent you let out a little toot.
Uh-Oh
You’re probably feeling a little embarrassed right now, but don’t be. It’s actually not your fault. You see, salmon is quite well known for making us pretty gassy. Why? Find out in this article.
Why Salmon Might Be Making You Gassy?
It’s all in the ingredients! While salmon contains many great things such as tons of nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids, it also includes a type of sugar called raffinose. And this sugar will be the culprit for your gas.
You see, when you’re digesting food, your body won’t break down raffinose which means that it’ll make its way to the large intestine. And here the sugar becomes fermented by bacteria.
The process of fermentation will produce gas which can also lead to a general feeling of bloating and discomfort.
Unfortunately, there isn’t really a surefire way to prevent this side effect but there are a few tips and tricks that can help you suffer less such as avoiding certain foods and drinking plenty of fluids.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how salmon affects the stomach and how you can manage gassy symptoms, and more. So stick with us!
Is Salmon Good For Your Stomach?
Since salmon can make you bloated and gassy, you might be wondering if it’s actually good for your stomach at all. Well, let’s take a look.
The Good
So, on the good side of things, salmon is considered a relatively healthy choice. It’s filled with tons of nutrients and vitamins, it’s a great source of protein, and it contains omega-3 fatty acids too.
Of all the fish options, it’s one of the lowest in mercury too which makes it one of the best choices for younger children or pregnant women.
The Bad
Salmon can cause some gas as well as some bloating. But it’s worth noting that this won’t happen for everyone, though it does happen to many. Other than that, though, it doesn’t really cause any other issues for your stomach.
The Verdict
Salmon is pretty good for your stomach overall. There are way more positives than there are negatives, and it’s worth remembering that the rich sauce of protein may also be why you’re feeling gassy.
Especially if you don’t eat protein-rich food all that often. But since it can cause some uncomfortable bloating, it is probably wise to limit how much you do eat of it. As with anything, you don’t want to eat it in excess.
How To Quickly Alleviate Salmon-Caused Gas
I’m pretty sure it’s a universal feeling to be embarrassed by passing gas. Sure, someone else does it and we’re likely to roll on the floor in hysterics (when isn’t toilet humor funny, let’s face it) but it’s a whole other mortifying experience when it happens to you.
And so, you’ll probably want to try and find some fast-acting gas-relief techniques to stop it from happening. Plus, bloating can be really uncomfortable and no one wants to be in pain. Below, you’ll find a few tips and tricks to help you.
Fluids – The first thing you’ll want to do is try and relax your digestive system. This should help ease the passage of gas. The best way to do this is to drink herbal tea or a cup of warm water.
Lying Down – Perhaps not one for a restaurant, but if you’re at home you can try lying down in a comfortable position and taking slow deep breaths. This is known to help with discomfort or pain.
Helping Hand – If all else fails, you could also opt for over-the-counter remedies that are known to help relieve gas. Options such as simethicone work well.
It is worth noting that if you have severe pain or bloating, or constant/frequent gas issues you should always consult with a medical professional to rule out any other underlying medical conditions that could potentially be the cause.
Other Salmon Side Effects
Feeling bloated or gassy are not the only side effects that people have experienced from eating salmon. In fact, some individuals have reported indigestion, diarrhea, and allergic reactions too.
Of course, an allergic reaction is a possibility with pretty much any food. But there is a higher chance of you being allergic to salmon if you have a pre-existing allergy to shellfish or fish.
For those with allergies, the symptoms can range in severity from hives and swelling to difficulty breathing and anaphylaxis. I would recommend avoiding salmon if you have a pre-existing allergy to any kind of fish.
In terms of diarrhea, this side effect is more common when the salmon hasn’t actually been cooked correctly. It’s very unlikely that you’ll experience this symptom from perfectly prepared salmon.
Like with many kinds of meat, if salmon is not completely cooked before it’s consumed it may contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning. Thus you will end up with symptoms such as vomiting or diarrhea.
And then for indigestion, this can be a common symptom due to the high-fat content. While experiencing indigestion you may also notice feelings of bloating, nausea, or heartburn.
If you do experience these symptoms after eating salmon, it is best to go and speak to a medical professional as soon as possible.
What Happens When You Eat Too Much Salmon?
Much like every other food source out there, there is such a thing as eating too much of it. Yes, for the most part, it’s a healthy food filled with great nutrients, but it should still only be eaten in moderation.
Why? Well, too much salmon can cause a lot of those nasty side effects we’re trying so hard to avoid. Salmon has a really high content of fat and this can take our bodies longer to digest than a lot of other foods out there. This can then cause increased levels of gas, bloating, and discomfort.
If you fill your body full of salmon, that’s going to only keep increasing the amount of gas and discomfort you feel. In large quantities, salmon may also lead to painful indigestion as well as heartburn.
If you notice these side effects when eating salmon, it may be a sign that you should probably lower your intake, at least for a little while.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Does It Take Salmon To Leave The Stomach?
There’s no hard and fast answer to this question as it can differ depending on a range of factors such as how much you’ve consumed, the type of salmon you’ve consumed, and your personal digestive system.
Generally speaking, sockeye salmon tends to leave the stomach in around 2 hours whereas pink salmon, it can take upwards of four hours to leave the stomach.
Does Drinking Water Relieve Gas?
Yes! Water is great at helping to break down any food in your stomach and your intestines. Because of this, it can help make digestion a little easier for your body and thus reduce the amount of gas that is produced.
It also helps to push the food through the digestive system, so it will also help to alleviate bloating and stomach ache too.
What Happens If I Eat Salmon Every Day?
If you ate salmon every day, you’d see many benefits such as reduced inflammation, a lower risk of heart disease, improved brain function, prevention of cognitive decline, and more.
However, you’d also see a fair few drawbacks such as consuming high amounts of mercury and PCBs and weight gain from the high-fat content which can put you at risk of many other health implications.
While there are many benefits to salmon, it is best to be eaten in moderation.
Final Thoughts
Being gassy is good for no one, let’s face it. It’s painful, uncomfortable, and sometimes a little embarrassing too. So, it’s best to know what you’re getting yourself into beforehand.
As you have seen from this article, a small amount of salmon probably won’t leave you in immense pain, and there are a few tips and tricks, as mentioned above, that can help alleviate those symptoms.
But eating salmon in excess may cause you to feel pretty general all around, which is why it is always best to eat it in moderation.
Have you ever made something so delicious that you wished you could savor it forever?
Only to find that the recipe has now mysteriously vanished from your phone and the entirety of the internet. Yep, there’s not much more painful than that.
Hi, my name is Mark Williams and I have been infatuated with cooking since I was young. I would beg my mother to pull a chair up to the counter so I could watch what she was doing.
