Why You May Be Nauseous After Eating and How to Stop It

In most cases, nausea after eating is temporary and goes away on its own. However, if symptoms persist or worsen, it may indicate an underlying condition such as food allergies or a digestive disorder.

Depending on the cause, nausea may be treated with dietary changes, medications, or other remedies. Understanding what is causing your nausea is key to finding relief.

Here's a look at what can cause nausea after eating and how to prevent it.

What Causes Nausea After Eating?

Here are some reasons why you may be feeling nauseated after meals.

Food Poisoning

You can get food poisoning after eating food contaminated with germs or toxic substances. Food poisoning is commonly caused by:

• Improper washing of hands, utensils, and cooking surfaces
• Leaving food out for too long at room temperature
• Not cooking food to a safe minimum internal temperature
• Raw meat like chicken or fish coming into contact with produce or ready-to-eat foods

Symptoms like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramping typically start within 30 minutes to several hours after consuming the contaminated food. They usually last for a few hours to several days and go away on their own.

Food Allergies or Intolerances

Food allergies occur when your immune system identifies certain foods, such as cow's milk or nuts, as a harmful invaders. It overreacts, triggering the release of histamine and other symptom-causing chemicals. Symptoms can appear within minutes of eating, ranging from mild nausea and abdominal discomfort to hives and difficulty breathing.

Common food allergies include:

• Milk
• Eggs
• Soy
• Peanuts
• Tree nuts
• Wheat
• Shellfish
• Fish

Unlike food allergies, food intolerances do not involve the immune system. Instead, they occur when the body has difficulty digesting certain foods or food ingredients. Food intolerances can cause bloating, gas, stomach pain, or diarrhea.

The most common type of food intolerance is lactose intolerance, which occurs when your body cannot digest lactose, a sugar in milk and dairy products.

Other common food intolerances include:

• Gluten
• Caffeine
• Histamine, found in foods like wine and cheese
• Alcohol
• Sulfites, found in beer, cider, and wine
• Salicylates, which are naturally present in many fruits, vegetables, and spices
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG), found in cured meats and savory foods

Stomach Virus

Viral gastroenteritis, also known as the "stomach flu," is an infection of the intestines that causes diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. In some cases, it may also cause fever.

The norovirus is the most common cause of the stomach flu. Symptoms usually appear within 12 to 48 hours of exposure and last up to 3 days. Norovirus is highly contagious and quickly spreads from person to person. You can get it from direct contact, eating contaminated foods, and touching surfaces contaminated with the virus, and then touching your mouth.

Digestive Diseases

Digestive conditions, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), gastroparesis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), can cause nausea after eating.

Here is a look at common digestive diseases that may cause nausea after eating.

• IBS: A chronic disorder of the digestive tract that causes changes in bowel habits, abdominal pain, and bloating without any visible signs of disease or damage in your digestive tract. The condition affects around 12% of people in the United States.
• Gastroparesis: Also known as delayed gastric emptying, gastroparesis is a condition that causes food to pass through the stomach much slower than it should. Common symptoms include early satiety, nausea, and vomiting after eating. Gastroparesis is commonly caused by diabetes.
• GERD: A condition that occurs when stomach contents flow back up into your esophagus. It commonly causes heartburn and regurgitation. However, it may also cause nausea.
• Gallbladder disease: Chronic gallbladder disease involves gallstones and inflammation. This can lead to a gallbladder attack, which tends to happen after heavy meals. Gallbladder attacks can cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and fever.
• Pancreatitis: Characterized by inflammation of the pancreas, pancreatitis causes abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. It can be caused by gallstones, medications, and heavy alcohol use.

Medications

Some medications can cause nausea and appetite changes. These may include:

• Antibiotics
• Antidepressants
• Cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy
• Pain medicines
  

Feelings of nausea often improve when your body adjusts to the medication or treatment is stopped.

Pregnancy

Hormonal changes occur during pregnancy that may make you feel nauseated after finishing a meal. Although it most often occurs early in the day, pregnancy nausea—or morning sickness—can occur at any time of the day or night.

Around 7 in 10 pregnant people experience nausea in their first trimester. It typically improves in the second trimester but may persist throughout pregnancy.

Mild cases of morning sickness won't harm you or your baby. However, severe nausea and vomiting during pregnancy (hyperemesis gravidarum) may require medical treatment.

Other Health Conditions

Other conditions that may cause nausea after eating include:

• Diabetes: Nausea can occur when blood sugar levels are too high or too low.
• Anxiety: Anxiety disorders can cause nausea and other GI symptoms after eating.
• Liver disease: Early signs of cirrhosis (liver scarring) may include nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite.
• Bowel obstruction: An intestinal obstruction occurs when food or stool cannot pass through the digestive tract. It is often caused by a hernia, surgery, or cancer.

How Can I Get Rid of Nausea After Eating?

Here are some things to help you stop feeling sick if you're feeling nauseous:

• Stay hydrated with clear liquids
• Rest
• Get fresh air
• Suck on ice cubes
• Avoid strong smells
• Try chewing on ginger or sipping on ginger tea
• Nibble on saltine crackers

Diagnosis

There are many potential causes of nausea after eating. A healthcare provider will look at your family and medical history, ask for more details about your symptoms, and perform a physical exam to help narrow down the exact cause.

Using a food diary to track what you eat, what symptoms you experience after eating, and how long they last can also help your healthcare provider make a diagnosis.

A healthcare provider may also recommend additional testing to confirm or rule out diseases associated with nausea and vomiting. This may include:

• Blood tests
• Urine tests
• An upper GI endoscopy
• An ultrasound of the abdomen
• A gastric emptying test, which measures how long it takes food to empty out of your stomach
• An X-ray of the GI tract
  

Treatment

Treatment will depend on the cause. For example, treatment for IBS may include following a low-FODMAP diet, prescription medications, and probiotics.

GERD or gallbladder disease may require a combination of approaches, including prescription medications, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding fatty foods.

For food allergies or intolerances, avoid foods or ingredients that trigger symptoms and closely read food labels. If you have a stomach virus, you'll want to stay hydrated and avoid sugary beverages, fatty foods, caffeine, and milk products until symptoms improve.

Some conditions, like bowel obstructions, often require surgery.

How to Prevent Nausea After Eating

You may be able to avoid feeling nauseous after eating by:

• Eating small, frequent meals throughout the day
• Avoiding spicy, greasy, and sugary foods
• Following a bland diet
• Limiting high-fiber foods
• Taking small bites and chewing your food well
• Avoiding large meals two hours before you go to bed
• Drinking liquids slowly

When to Contact a Healthcare Provider

In most cases, nausea after eating is not a sign of serious illness. But you should see a healthcare provider if you have:

• Severe stomach pain
• Blood in your vomit
• Confusion
• Signs of dehydration, like dark urine
• Stiff neck or severe headache
• Vomiting that lasts longer than 24 hours

A Quick Review

Feeling nauseous after a meal is not usually a concern. It is often temporary and resolves within a few days. Eating a bland diet, staying hydrated, and getting rest can help reduce symptoms.

However, if you constantly feel nauseous after meals, or if the nausea is accompanied by vomiting, severe abdominal pain, or confusion, contact your healthcare provider. It may be a sign of a more serious health condition that requires medical management.