5 Foods That Can Cause Diarrhea

And substitutes that may help ease symptoms

Updated on March 01, 2023

Medically reviewed by Suzanne Fisher, RD

Certain foods can cause diarrhea either because they have a laxative effect and you've eaten too much or because they irritate the digestive tract. It is also possible that you have an intolerance to certain foods (like dairy) or are simply eating an imbalanced diet with too many fatty foods and not enough fiber.

Managing your intake of foods that trigger diarrhea is especially important if you are living with digestive disorders that cause diarrhea, such as inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis). The same applies to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), and most specifically the type known as diarrhea-predominant type (IBS-D).

This article looks at five foods that may be the culprit behind (or at least an accomplice to) your chronic diarrhea. It explains why they cause diarrhea and possible substitutes or solutions that may help ease loose or watery stools.

Milk

Lactose, the sugar that is found naturally in milk, can cause diarrhea in some people. This condition is called lactose intolerance, and it’s very common in people over the age of 2.

As with other forms of food intolerance, milk intolerance occurs when your body lacks the enzymes needed to break down lactose.

Symptoms of lactose intolerance can include gas, diarrhea, bloating, cramps, nausea, and bad breath. Avoiding milk products is generally the way to prevent diarrhea caused by lactose intolerance.

There are some over-the-counter products that can help with the digestion of milk sugar, most specifically lactose supplements. There are even milk products in which lactose has already been broken down, making them easier to digest.

Lactose intolerance is not the same as a true milk allergy. People with a milk allergy should avoid all milk products, even those that are lactose-free because it is not the sugar in milk that causes an allergy but the protein that acts as an allergen.

Read more:

9 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus. Lactose intolerance.
Di Costanzo M, Berni Canani R. Lactose intolerance: common misunderstandings. Ann Nutr Metab. 2018;73 Suppl 4:30-7. doi:10.1159/000493669
Esmaillzadeh A, Keshteli AH, Hajishafiee M, Feizi A, Feinle-Bisset C, Adibi P. Consumption of spicy foods and the prevalence of irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2013;19(38):6465–71. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v19.i38.6465
Iriondo-DeHond A, Uranga JA, del Castillo MD, Abalo R. Effects of coffee and its components on the gastrointestinal tract and the brain–gut axis. Nutrients. 2021 Jan;13(1):88. doi:10.3390/nu13010088
Jin DC, Cao HL, Xu MQ, et al. Regulation of the serotonin transporter in the pathogenesis of irritable bowel syndrome. World J Gastroenterol. 2016;22(36):8137–48. doi:10.3748/wjg.v22.i36.8137
Cozma-Petrut, Loghin F, Miere D, Dumitrascu DL Diet in irritable bowel syndrome: what to recommend, not what to forbid to patients! World J Gastroenterol. 2017 Jun 7;23(21):3771–83. doi:10.3748/wjg.v23.i21.3771
Snetselaar LG, de Jesus JM, DeSilva DM, Stoody EE. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025: understanding the scientific process, guidelines, and key recommendations. Nutr Today. 2021 Nov-Dec;56(6):287-95.
Spencer M, Gupta A, Van Dam L, Shannon C, Menees S, Chey WD. Artificial sweeteners: a systematic review and primer for gastroenterologists. J Neurogastroenterol Motil. 2016 Apr;22(2):168–80. doi:10.5056/jnm15206
Moran AW, Al-Rammahi MA, Daly K, et al. Consumption of a natural high-intensity sweetener enhances activity and expression of rabbit intestinal Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1) and improves colibacillosis-induced enteric disorders. J Agric Food Chem. 2020 Jan 15;68(2):441–50. doi:10.1021/acs.jafc.9b04995

By Amber J. Tresca
Tresca is a writer and speaker who covers digestive conditions, including IBD. She was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis at age 16.

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?