Fruit (except Bananas) Causing Hunger

[CGally81]

Last year, while trying to eat healthier, I introduced apples to my diet. Apples taste great, and I like them, but over time, they started to somehow make me very hungry shortly after eating them. A quick search on Google for "apples make me hungry" confirmed many other people have the problem, but they didn't know why. Fructose malabsorption (or intolerance, but I don't have the symptoms of it) was given as a cause.

In fact, even a simple grape - just one - was enough to start the hunger reaction, along with the stomach grumbling.

Well, I've been going gluten-free for over a month, with only two accidental glutenings with the first 2.5 weeks after it. Shortly after I'd started going gluten-free, I grabbed a few blueberries, but the hunger and stomach rumbling came back, and I had to quickly grab something sugary to stop it.

Anyway, that was over a month ago. Today, having read online that gluten intolerances causes additional food intolerances, including fructose problems, and that therefore this might heal over time, I decided to try something. I grabbed a few blueberries and ate them. That was 30 minutes ago, and I didn't notice any increase in hunger at all, definitely not the "OMG I NEED SUGAR NOW" type of feeling that fructose had been giving me for a year. I think I may be healing from the fructose problems. If so, good, because apples are supposedly a Celiac's best friend, and I really want to reintroduce them.

My question for you folks here is, have you had fructose problems that later went away? Or other food intolerances that later went away after going gluten-free? If so, that gives me hope. Maybe I'll be eating apples again before the end of the year!

[summerteeth]

I was diagnosed (very unscientifically) with lactose intolerance at birth. I believe my doctor saw symptoms of celiac disease and put the "lactose intolerance and IBS" stamp on me. The I was diagnosed with celiac about a year ago. For me, after six months, I could handle lactose again, in small amounts. I can put real skim milk in my chai latte every morning and not embarrass myself - but I still can't just drink a glass of milk.

I think your gut just needs to heal for awhile & I think that is very common during "recovery" - in the beginning, for me at least, too much fiber would do more harm than good.

Good luck

[celiac-mommy]

Another reason is that fruit is a "quick exit" food, which means, when eaten alone, it exits your stomach within 30 min. (45 for bananas). I eat raw and mostly fruit until 12-1pm, and I'm eating a piece of fruit at least every hour because I'm hungry. If combined with anything else (non-fruit) it stays in your stomach and ferments while your stomach is trying to digest the mis-combination. In some it can cause gas or burps.

[CGally81]

Another reason is that fruit is a "quick exit" food, which means, when eaten alone, it exits your stomach within 30 min. (45 for bananas). I eat raw and mostly fruit until 12-1pm, and I'm eating a piece of fruit at least every hour because I'm hungry. If combined with anything else (non-fruit) it stays in your stomach and ferments while your stomach is trying to digest the mis-combination. In some it can cause gas or burps.

That is very strange. Fruit is said to be food that fills you up.

Anyway, the hunger I'm talking about would occur within say, 1 minute of eating it. Maybe 5 at the most. And it's intense, as if the fruit caused additional hunger, and I'm talking cravings for sugar, plus stomach noises.

Anyway, I'd had that problem since last year, but today, after not having eaten fruit (except bananas) for a while, I tried a few blueberries to see if my body was recovering its ability to process fructose, and it apparently is doing better. I didn't get the intensely hungry feeling. My stomach made some noises, but then, it actually had been making some noise before for a different reason, so I can't yet say for a fact if that was caused by the fructose this time.

[Crimson]

Apples have always made me feel extremely hungry. I never thought of it being a symptom of anything. I have had issues with digesting most fruits for a couple of years. The biggest issues come with apples, pineapple, mango, grapes and citrus fruits *the worst*. Of course, I find that since my three weeks of gluten, I cannot tolerate rice anymore. So, my food choices are even more limited now.

Food of any kind is trouble for me these days. It sucks. I love food. My body, however, seems to disagree with me.

[Juliebove]

I do not have celiac or problems with gluten, but I do have problems with most fruit. It gives me stomach pains and causes burping. This was once so bad that I sat in a restaurant for about two hours, unable to move and they finally threatened to kick me out! It was a buffet place for breakfast. I was a vegetarian at the time and they had nothing suitable for me to eat but fruit.

Luckily I don't like most fruit to begin with, so giving it up is not a problem. I will eat strawberries on occasion and they set well with my stomach. Also apples and pears. I don't eat them too often but they seem to not upset my stomach. Occasionally I will have cranberries or grapefruit and they're fine too. And once in a while I will use dates in a raw recipe. They're fine too.

The worst fruit for me seems to be melon. It was surmised that it is the sorbitol in the fruit that is the culprit for me.

I should add that I eat plenty of fruits that are considered to be vegetables. Like peppers and tomatoes. They don't cause a problem.

[ang1e0251]

There was no fruit that I could eat when I started the GFD. But after a few months, I could eat them all again. I would have dreadful pain from them.

[AliB]

This is only a theory, but i wonder if the reaction you get from fruit is not the fruit itself as such but from certain undesirable yeasts and/or microbes in your gut reacting with the fruit.

They luuuurve sugar. Give them sugar and they are happy. Give them fruit and they may not be quite so happy.

Definitely fruit is best eaten on its own before other food as has been mentioned. It is less likely to be delayed and then ferment, but certain bugs in the gut could well start working on it causing gas as soon as it enters the jejunum and duodenum.

As you have been eating gluten carbs up until fairly recently then rogue yeasts like Candida may well be an issue for you. Whilst Candida Albicans is usually present in small amounts in the colon in a healthy gut where it plays certain roles, things like antibiotics which kill virtually all the gut bacteria both bad and good but don't touch the yeasts, then leave them not only no natural barriers in the good bacteria but also leave them loads of room to proliferate. They can them migrate to the small intestine causing SIBO (small intestine bacterial overgrowth).

The naturally high, and particularly processed carb and sugar Western Diet feeds them and encourages the overgrowth.

Many who follow a gluten-free diet find that gradually they develop problems with other foods - often other carbohydrates, like corn and soy products, but also to seemingly innocuous foods too.

I suspect this is more to do with the gut damage and a resulting lack of certain enzymes for digestion of those foods. Incredibly it seems that certain gut bacteria actually have the ability to switch off different enzymes - probably to preserve their undigested food source!

Generally the gut will heal given time, but reducing the level of carbohydrates and sugars consumed does make a difference.

One thing too that I have found helps is having coconut oil. It is a powerful anti-bacterial, fungal and viral and only attacks the rogue lipid-coated beasties. It can help sort out Candida and things like Helicobacter (another possibility for the 'hunger' feelings, which probably are not actually hunger at all but a result of the gas - I used to get that, and if I burped the hunger would go away. Because the gas makes the stomach swell, it probably sends signals that it needs more food to fill it up!).

You can cook with it, add it to soups, sauces, make mayo with it, I even eat it off the spoon! It is a medium-chain triglyceride and contains Lauric, Capric, Caprylic (often sold in capsules as a Candida treatment) and Myristic fatty acids. It is one of the very few sources of these fats which are essential (so essential that MCTs are found some quantity in human breast milk), particularly as building-blocks of the immune system.

[Robinbird]

I too have had very similar symptoms after being gluten free for some time I started having problems with fruit specifically apples I had been eating at least one a day. I have been on and off a low fructose diet but have yet to figure out if it is the fructose or bacterial overgrowth. I do know my symptoms of bacterial overgrowth increase significantly after being glutened and dissipate as I heal. I have been off fruit for some time now but have slowly introduced other foods I love in small amounts that are high in fructose such as onions. I still have yet to figure out what the problem is. I do know digestive enzymes and fiber help tremendously. I could go to the doctor but they failed to diagnose my celiac disease for 21 years misdiagnosing lactose intolerance among other problems. When glutened I also have problems with lactose and still eat it in very limited amounts. The doctors didn't even diagnose my celiac disease, after being sick of being sick I did my homework figured out what was wrong with me then went to the doctor armed with information unfortunately it took three doctors before someone would listen and administer the tests. All the while I was 75 lbs and loosing weight and my body unable to function in any capacity. So I trust my body not doctors. I don't know if it is the fructose that is the problem or if the sugar is feeding a bacterial overgrowth either way anything high in sugar, fructose or lactose in to high of quantities makes my digestive system upset, leaving me bloated, gassy and with possible loose BM's. So I avoid any foods high in lactose, sugar or fructose in addition to being gluten-free. I think my friends might think I am crazy but I care more about being healthy.

[AliB]

Hi robin.

I am becoming more and more convinced that a lot of our health issues are actually down to dehydration.

That may seem a strange thing to say as most people drink quite a bit of liquid during the day, but what most these days don't drink is water.

Thirst is not always a good indicator - I suspect that the high ingestion of sugary drinks and the lack of real salt and its accompanying minerals throws the whole thing out of balance.

Sugar is very dehydrating. Most people have loads of tea and coffee with milk which is often sugared or has milk in, or they drink sugary squashes or soft drinks. Even the sugar-free ones can dehydrate the body.

Carbs, especially the refined ones and the general high consumption of in our Western diet are also dehydrating.

The underlying dehydration can take years to become problematic but without enough water and minerals to enable to body to use it the cells shrink and can't function properly.

I have started rehydrating my body and even in just two days I have seen a difference. I am aiming for the recommended (for me) 7 - 8 glasses a day (or as is correct - half your lbs body weight in fluid ounces - ie. 180lbs = 90 fl oz) and the equivalent of about half a teaspoon of salt spread through the day. It seems it is better to take it on the tongue or on food than in the actual water. Now I am having the salt my thirst is beginning to kick in properly. (You need to be careful of the salt though if you have any kidney problems).

Much of the salt that is used today is highly processed table salt which is just pure sodium chloride. That creates an imbalance in the electrolytes in the body. Real salt - rock salt, himalayan salt, Celtic seal salt or similar unprocessed, unrefined with no additives contains something in the region of up to one hundred different minerals and trace elements.

I am pretty sure that when we get allergies and intolerances (as well as many other health issues) it is the body telling us it doesn't have the hydration to deal with this or that food.

I got a fair bit better after dumping gluten and dairy and then started the SCD, but I suspect that is because I removed grains, starches, sugar and dairy from my diet which are all dehydrating foods. But I still wasn't drinking much water, and certainly not having much if any salt. I am really hoping this will be the 'missing' link to a full recovery.

It seems to have had pretty miraculous effects on many people - there are bits on Youtube and testimonials on the Watercure2 website (a bit basic but gives quite a lot of info), but there is not a huge amount out there. I suspect it has been somewhat suppressed - the Establishment aren't going to be interested in something that could potentially put them out of business!

There are Doctors out there though who have picked up on this and are using it to successfully treat their patients.

I don't know if it will be of any help, but I know I am grateful to have picked up the info about it for my benefit and to pass on.

[Swimmr]

Apples have ALWAYS made me feel hungry! I used to complain to my mom about it as a kid and she's say that it was in my head. LOL

But now she says apples do the same with her.

This is why I don't eat apples. Bananas strawberry pineapple grapefruits and pears I'm fine with. I don't like oranges, but can drink orange juice as long as it's not on an empty stomach because I'll get a case of burps. And it can only be the Simply Orange brand because it's real, not from concentrate like the others.

.

[homemaker]

Canned fruits like peaches and pears is all my stomach can handle right now...if I eat raw fruits it is not a pretty picture...except bananas

Bananas are OK...I like bananas on my gluten-free Cornflakes...YUM!