Popcorn Gastritis: 10 Things Nobody Told You (Complete Guide)

By - Aneeza Pervez

How does popcorn gastritis develop?  Does this lightweight snack hurt your stomach? 

Light snacks like popcorn are perfect for on-the-go. While watching movies, people enjoy a bucketful of popcorn as a healthy snack. It is typically rich in fiber, iron, and vitamin B, as well as low in calories. Even though popcorn is nutritious, it may not be suitable for everyone’s diet.

Popcorn Gastritis is a condition when you unabashedly eat popcorn, then you may suddenly experience cramps and an urgent need for feces removal, in return, you may have complex bowel movements or even none at all.

Consequently, you may experience intense stomach aches and restlessness. Continue reading this article while it provides a comprehensive guide on popcorn gastritis.

Popcorn Gastritis: What Exactly is It?

Gastritis is a wide term used to define the range of gastric ailments with the common problem of stomach lining inflammation. Most of the time the condition is mild and can heal on its own or with mild treatment. But, in some cases, it may lead to gastric ulcer or stomach infection. It is usually caused by a bacterial attack or, in some conditions, food irritants or intolerance can lead to gastric pain. 

Popcorn gastritis is a type of gastritis caused by eating popcorn. Normally, popcorn does not cause stomach pain, but sometimes, consumers may experience gastritis symptoms due to high fiber content or corn allergens.

To understand what popcorn gastritis is, let’s take a moment to imagine. So, you and your girlfriend are attending the theater together or watching Netflix at home. While watching a romantic movie with your girlfriend, you both have a bucket full of popcorn. While eating popcorn intrepidly, you feel like nothing will stop you from eating light snacks (popcorn) as much as you want. 

Suddenly, you realize that stabbing pain is emanating from your stomach. Consequently, you have the urge to remove poop urgently. After feces removal, you get good satisfaction. 

Poops, in general, clean the stomach. However, if the condition is severe, blood may be present in your stool, or the stool will be harder. Simply put, this condition happens because you overfed the Popcorn. 

As a result, it causes irritation and acidity in your stomach—resulting in an upset stomach, nausea, vomiting, and indigestion accompanied by stab pain and cramping.

As for popcorn gastritis, I hope you visualized the scene and understood what exactly it feels like!

Symptoms of Popcorn Gastritis

Popcorn arouses gastritis in the same way that general gastritis does. However, popcorn gastritis displays the following symptoms:

• Distension
• Bloating
• Nausea
• Gas pain 
• Stomach pain
• Indigestion
• Difficulty in bowel movement

Is Popcorn Safe for Gastritis?

It’s impossible not to like popcorn, right? But, if you suffer from heartburn or an aching stomach, you should avoid corn products. Indeed, this is a sensitive digestive grain because it has a high fiber content. Stomach irritants (popcorn ingredients) can worsen an already inflamed condition.  

Moreover, you should refrain from purchasing tangy and fatty popcorn. As a result, you can keep the popcorn away from bothering your stomach. Otherwise, your gastric condition will worsen if you don’t.

How Gastric is Popcorn?

Whole grain indeed causes bloating and gas in the stomach. Since popcorn is whole grain, it can cause gastric discomfort or even gastritis in hyperactive individuals. 

Due to the high content of dietary fiber, popcorn accelerates the digestion rate. Therefore, it results in severe stomach aches and cramps. 

Related to read: Is Popcorn Healthy?

What Happens if You Overeat Popcorn?

Excessive consumption of anything is unhealthy. Popcorn is relatively high in dietary fiber, good vitamins, and many other nutrients. However, it is important to maintain moderation. 

Although, it is a filling snack and much lower in calories than many other foods. Still, it can lead to gastritis, upset stomach, and fat gain if you consume too much. Moreover, it can disturb your bowel movement.

Popcorn Intolerance

Popcorn is usually easy on the stomach for digestion, but in some cases, more often when you freely eat these light snacks, it becomes hard to digest for the stomach leading to popcorn stomach aches or intolerance. 

Since it is naturally high in fiber content, high fiber in the stomach may lead to flatulence, bloating, or in severe cases blockage of the intestines. 

Moreover, some people may be allergic to corn or some ingredient added to the popcorn mix, which may lead to popcorn intolerance.

Does Popcorn Gastritis Result from Corn Allergy?

Corn allergy is also known as maize allergy. Popcorn intolerance is indeed the allergic reaction caused by corn and corn-related products irritating immune systems. People with corn allergies are more likely to suffer from popcorn gastritis.

So, if you are allergic to corn, your best bet would be to stay away from air-poppers or any other corn products. 

Popcorn and Indigestion – Does Popcorn Hurt Your Stomach?

Popcorn is actually a snack made from growing kernels of corn that puff up when heated or toasted. 

Corn contains cellulose as one of its main ingredients. However human stomach cannot break it down because cellulose is not digestible. Although it passes undigested through the digestive system, but, it can cause abdominal pain, cramps, or even gas in humans. 

After eating popcorn, you may have trouble pooping. For instance, it may be challenging to extract bowels because of hardness. Additionally, blood in the stool or stabbing pain while defecation is also possible.

Popcorn Stomach Ache – Stomach Pains After Eating Popcorn

Despite gastritis, unhealthy popcorn choice leads to several other stomach disorders. For instance, stomach soreness and digestive illnesses can occur. In fact, eating cheesy, greasy, or buttered popcorn triggers delayed empty stomach disorder. That results from indigestion due to fatty acids.

Moreover, it is unsafe for people with tree and nut intolerance. Also, salty popcorn results in gut problems and bloating. Furthermore, if you eat popcorn while having stomach disease, it will worsen your symptoms and stimulate abdominal pain.

Diverticulitis patients (a disease in which painful and inflamed pouches-like structures emerge on the colon) should avoid popcorn, as coarse particles may tangle within this structure and result in severe pain.

Likewise, it can cause diarrhea because of the high content of fiber. Popcorn also goes negative with IBS and Crohn’s disease. Apart from the above gastric problems, consuming popcorn may also cause excessive air swallowing, leading to gas, bloating, and stomach pain.

Does Popcorn Make You Poop More?

Indeed, popcorn helps you go to the bathroom faster. In fact, fiber is one of the critical nutrients in popcorn, which is the main element that aids in easy pooping. 

While popcorn is easy to eat and digest, excessive consumption might result in hard feces that might be painful and annoying to remove. 

Every time you eat popcorn, a grabbing pain travels up your stomach. As a result, you need to go to the bathroom quickly after eating popcorn. Probably, it can be the ugliest poop you’ve ever seen.

Furthermore, microwave popcorn has 80% more sodium and 30% fewer fibers than air-popped kernels.

Does Popcorn Cause Acid Reflux?

Acid reflux or heartburn is the result of stomach acid overflowing into the esophagus. The consumption of popcorn does not seem to trigger heartburn or indigestion like caffeine and acidic drinks.

Indeed, its acidic reflux depends on how it is prepared as well as its ingredients. Well, the consumption of air-popped popcorn in moderation is not harmful to your health. 

In contrast, if you indulge in flavored popcorn, which contains spices and fat. Then, there is a possibility that you experience heartburn after eating popcorn.

Indeed, the more cheese, oil, and buttered popcorn you consume, the higher your chances of developing acid reflux.

It is best to avoid fatty and oily popcorn when suffering from acid reflux. Otherwise, it will make your heartburn worse.

Alternatives of Popcorn

No doubt, popcorn is the all-time favorite snack of people. However, you can substitute it for your health. Listed below are some wholesome alternatives of popcorn that can satisfy your sweet tooth.

Watch the movie with ease, either in a theater or on Netflix, using any of these items.

How to Cure Gastritis Permanently?

The average healing time for gastritis is two to ten days. Without treatment, it may take many months or even years to recover from this condition. Although, a small precaution with a healthy diet plan is enough to cure chronic gastritis caused by bacteria, an unbalanced diet, or smoking. However, long-term chronic gastritis can sometimes leave specific uncurable symptoms in the body. 

Here are some natural alternatives to recover your damaged stomach wall naturally.

• In order to temporarily relieve inflammation, choose a diet containing anti-inflammatory components. Some anti-inflammatory food options are leafy green vegetables, eggs, berries (strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries), fatty fish (Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna), avocados, green tea, bell peppers, extra virgin olive oil, and cherries.
• Avoid eating food that can cause inflammation. Some food categories that can cause inflammation are fried food, beverages, processed foods, dairy products, refined carbohydrates, gluten, etc.
• Garlic is a helpful remedy for gastritis. It stimulates appetite and aids digestion. 
• Moreover, eating probiotic food also aids in regular bowel movements. Some food options that contain probiotic bacteria: are yogurt, pickles, cheese, tempeh, miso, and sourdough bread.
• Moreover, it is suitable for gastritis patients to use Manuka honey. The product is easily accessible in the market.
• Gastritis patients can minimize the burning sensation by drinking coconut water. Additionally, it helps in the permanent cure of gastritis and many other diseases.
• Avoid smoking, alcohol consumption, and use of other medical drugs that can interact with the stomach lining.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What To Eat When The Gastric Attack?

Avoid fried and tangy food. Try to add more fruits, vegetables, and anti-inflammatory food to your diet plan. Here are some suggestions for your gastritis diet:

What Snacks Are Good For Gastritis?

You can eat these lightweight and healthy snacks for gastritis

Is Corn Bad For Gastritis?

In general, corn is hard to digest. Therefore, it may cause sharp stomach pain and cramps. Also, avoid corn eating if you have a history of corn allergies or discomfort with corn eating.

Can I Eat Popcorn On A Bland Diet?

You can not eat popcorn on a bland diet, avoid corn, cereals, rice, and grains as well.

The Crux of Matter

With these simple diet changes, you can ease popcorn gastritis while improving your overall health. Neither gastritis nor its consequences are fatal. You can help yourself by following a healthy diet, healthy living, exercising, and taking proper medications.

Make sure your tummy is healthy because a happy stomach means a happy life!