Noshing on veggies is a smart move for your nutrition, but they can affect your body in unexpected ways. Here's how to deal, according to experts.
It’s hard to name a food better for you than vegetables. Packed with fiber, micronutrients, and antioxidants, veggies are the ultimate health food. Research associates eating more vegetables with less weight gain, reduced markers of heart disease, and lower risk of type 2 diabetes. And because these plant foods are free of the top nine food allergens, low in calories, fat, and sodium, and can be prepared in seemingly endless tasty ways, they fit in just about any diet. Conductive Gel
It’s no wonder the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate guidance recommends filling over one-quarter of your plate with veggies at mealtimes, and the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans call them a core element of a healthy dietary pattern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends adults strive for 2- to 3-cup equivalents of vegetables each day — yet report that only 10 percent of Americans meet that goal.
Clearly, most of us could use more veggies in our diets, not fewer. But there are a few circumstances when adding veg might not be the best idea. In certain unique scenarios (or if you have any of a handful of health conditions), you might benefit more from leaving the colorful stuff off your plate — at least for a while.
Although no nutrition expert would cast aspersions on asparagus or throw shade on nightshades, here are 10 potentially unsavory side effects of veggies.
For runners, there’s nothing worse than hitting the pavement for a jog, only to be hit with stomach cramps. So-called “runner’s trots” (aka exercise-induced diarrhea) can make you run to a bathroom, rather than the finish line.
Runner’s diarrhea may have various causes, says Michael J. Thomas, MD, gastroenterologist at Palm Beach Children’s Hospital in Florida. But what you eat prior to running could be a factor — and if you happen to nosh on veggies, it might set you up for a case of the runs. Dr. Thomas says that high-fiber foods like vegetables are a potential trigger for diarrhea during exercise.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you should never eat your veggies if you’re training for a race. “The recommendation is to avoid these dietary items … at least three hours before exercise, particularly in individuals with a history of diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues,” Thomas advises. You can always experiment to see how you respond to specific vegetables, too. “Runners should trial such dietary items during training to assess intolerances,” he adds.
In general, adding any kind of vegetables — fresh, frozen, or canned — is a good idea for health. But when you have the choice, skip the canned variety when added salt is involved. Often, manufacturers add copious amounts of salt to canned vegetables to preserve their flavor. Canned tomatoes with added salt, for example, contain 306 milligrams of sodium per cup — a far cry from the 9 milligrams in 1 cup of fresh, raw tomatoes, per the USDA.
For people with heart health issues, this high sodium could spell trouble. “Consuming excessive amounts of high-sodium vegetables can potentially lead to adverse health outcomes such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke,” says Ashley Kitchens, MPH, RDN, of Plant Centered Nutrition in Durham, North Carolina. Case in point: a systematic review found that every 1 gram increase of sodium intake increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by 6 percent.
If you have existing heart health problems or know you’re at risk, the solution is simple: Opt for fresh vegetables over canned. Or if you do choose canned veggies, try rinsing them before eating to wash away some excess sodium or opt for no-salt-added products.
“Starchy vegetables can be part of a well-balanced diet for someone with diabetes,” says Kitchens. “They are nutritious and provide essential vitamins and minerals.” In fact, Idaho potatoes recently became the first vegetable to participate in the American Diabetes Association’s Better Choices for Life program. And higher veggie consumption in general has been associated with better glycemic control in research.
That said, piling on the starchy veggies isn’t a smart move for your blood sugar. “Starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn, and winter squash can raise blood sugars because they are rich in carbohydrates,” Kitchens says. To keep your blood glucose in the black, keep starchy veggie intake moderate. The CDC’s Diabetes Plate Method allows for starchy veg to compose up to 25 percent of your plate.
If you have diabetes, you can also focus your veggie efforts on nonstarchy choices. “Nonstarchy vegetables are great options for people with blood sugar issues. These include veggies like leafy greens like spinach, kale, and lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, bell peppers, cucumbers, and zucchini,” says Kitchens. “These vegetables are low in carbohydrates but packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals.”
Certain vegetables are notorious for causing gas. Cruciferous veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, for example, contain compounds called glucosinolates, per research. When broken down in the digestive tract, these release sulfurous gasses that can make your belly feel full and tight as a drum (not to mention create smelly gas).
In certain scenarios, you may want to avoid cruciferous vegetables altogether to banish the bloat. (On a romantic date, say, you might want to pass on that broccoli side dish.) At home, try cooking these veggies for at least a few minutes to reduce their gas-creating potential. As research suggests, heat pulls some glucosinolates out of cruciferous vegetables, so methods like roasting, boiling, or pan-sautéing can all help.
Vegetables are great for your heart — but not always great for heartburn. Kitchens says certain acidic veggies can trigger a bout of reflux. “Tomatoes tend to be a common culprit because they’re highly acidic and can irritate the lining of the esophagus. And it’s not just [raw] tomatoes, this could also include products like pasta sauce, salsa, and ketchup,” she says. “Other vegetables that may trigger heartburn include onions, garlic, and spicy peppers.”
Keeping a food journal can help you identify whether certain vegetables cause irritation in your upper GI tract. From there, you can take steps to minimize symptoms. “If you experience GERD symptoms after consuming a particular vegetable, it’s probably best to avoid it or eat it in moderation,” Kitchens recommends. “The important thing is to take the time to make that connection with what you’re eating and how you’re feeling so you can eat to feel your best and minimize GERD symptoms.”
Different foods affect people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in different ways. But for many individuals, there’s a common thread of veggie offenders. Thomas recommends people with IBS avoid vegetables known to cause gas and bloating, many of which are high in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols (FODMAPs). (The low-FODMAP diet is a popular choice among people living with IBS.)
“These particular short-chain carbohydrates (FODMAPs) are poorly absorbed in the small intestine and transition into the colon, where they are rapidly fermented, resulting in abdominal bloating and discomfort.” Thomas says examples include onions, leeks, artichokes, peas, asparagus, mushrooms, and cauliflower.
For some people with IBS, going FODMAP-free might be a long-term commitment. But a pause on high-FODMAP veggies could be temporary. Thomas says some people may eventually be able to reintroduce these vegetables under the guidance of a registered dietitian.
Like IBS, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can also be affected by diet. While each case is unique, some veggies may cause flareups of Crohn’s or ulcerative colitis. Thomas points to a study that found that 45 percent of Crohn’s disease patients experienced adverse symptoms after eating corn.
The only way to know if a vegetable gives you trouble is to keep tabs on your symptoms. (Again, a food journal can help.) Once you’ve identified trigger foods, try limiting them or avoiding them completely during a flare.
People with kidney disease need to maintain a delicate balance of potassium levels. “When your kidneys are not functioning properly, they may have difficulty removing potassium from the body,” explains Kitchens. “If that’s the case, potassium levels can build up in the blood and can potentially lead to serious health complications such as irregular heart rhythms, muscle weakness, and even a heart attack.”
Unfortunately, many healthy veggies are high in potassium. If you have kidney disease, your doctor may direct you to steer clear of high-potassium choices like potatoes, spinach, and tomatoes.
But never fear — Kitchens says it’s possible to include vegetables in your diet without overdoing it on potassium. “If you have kidney disease, you can focus on eating low-potassium vegetables such as bell peppers, cucumbers, cooked carrots, zucchini, and green beans,” she says.
Eat asparagus and an hour later you’re guaranteed to smell its unique funk when you use the bathroom. The pointy-topped stalks aren’t the only veggies that can affect the odor (and even color) of your urine. Eating high amounts of beets can turn your pee a rather alarming shade of crimson, and carrots and rhubarb can tinge your urine orangey-red. These changes are due to the presence of certain chemicals and pigments in these vegetables — asparagusic acid in the case of asparagus and betacyanins in beets, as research notes.
Fortunately, changes to your urine’s color and smell from veggie consumption are generally harmless, according to Harvard Health. But if you suspect something is off with your urinary health, it’s best to discuss it with your healthcare provider.
If you’re going in for surgery — especially surgery involving your GI tract — your doctor may recommend some dietary modifications after your procedure. This could include staying away from vegetables. “Postoperative dietary practices have a long history for promotion of implementing a low-fiber diet in the immediate and early recovery from surgery,” says Thomas. By limiting fiber, he says, you’ll have less bulky, less frequent bowel movements, reducing potential post-op complications.
That said, many doctors have now moved past this line of thinking. “More recent literature demonstrates beneficial outcomes of adequate dietary fiber intake starting immediately after surgery and has no statistical increase in rates of postoperative complications,” Thomas says. The benefits of veggies’ fiber content for a thriving gut microbiome probably outweigh any downsides post-surgery, he adds.
Still, it’s important to follow your doctor’s guidance for diet before and after surgery. If you receive a recommendation to nix the veg for a while, just be sure to ask when you can add it back to your plate.
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