Becoming ill after eating cumcumbers?

Question

I've never liked the taste or smell of cucumbers, but I do like pickles. I only get ill after eating a bunch of pickles. However, even consuming the slightest amount of cucumber or cucumber juice, I become very ill with vomiting and diarrhea. What is it that the pickling process removes from cucumbers? I would like to know so I can avoid other foods that might make me sick.

Answer 1

You could also be getting sick because your eating a bunch of pickles at once - that's a lot of vinegar to consume. You could just try drinking the pickle juice?

I do agree with the girl above me.

Answer 2

Some people are sensitive to the skins of cucumbers which can create problems in the digestive system... I don't know that I've heard of them involving the lower digestive system though.

Most people report burping and discomfort, so they either peel the cucumbers or buy the "burpless" version, an "English" cucumber (is longer and skinnier, and comes individually wrapped in plastic.)

Actually, I think that maybe the acidifying of the the pickling process is similar to what's done to milk to make yogurt, and yogurt is more easily tolerated by those with digestive problems (including lower GI) than plain milk... so maybe the pickling actually does something to make the cucumbers less of a problem (fermented foods are generally quite healthy too, though there can be excesses in anything).


Diane B.

Answer 3

perhaps you are allergic to the type of cucumbers usually used for slicing and eating. Pickles are a different variety of cucumbers. I would go nuts, as cucumbers are my staple food