When we are in mood for Mexican food, tacos is the food that pops up to our head. The exotic ingredientes, specially the sauces are somehow irresistible.
It’s hard to pass near a street taco stand or a Mexican restaurant and overlook the flavor. Even if you haven’t a taco in your life, you can get hooked up the smell of the seasoned ingredients.
But as much enticing as tacos looks, the combinations of many spices and sauces may deter you from trying them. That’s why it’s common to see some people wondering if eating tacos can cause a reaction in stomach and make you poop as a result.
And the doubt is understandable since this type of Mexican food has a particular combination of spices and seasonings in its preparation, which can cause unwanted reactions.
In this article, we’re going to give you a straight answer and explain different details that are very important for your stomach health.
Do tacos make you poop?
There is a high probability that eating tacos can cause reactions in your body at the gastrointestinal level, such as making you defecate, bloating in the abdomen and gas. This type of food has a high content of fat and seasoning substances, some based on hot sauces.
However, everything depends on each person’s body and how its digestive process is. It also influences if you have some type of pathology present in the stomach, which is why its consumption is not recommended.
How do tacos affect my body?
Although not all bodies are the same, it is important to consider that fried foods and similar foods that have a high fat content, as well as those that include condiments and various sauces, can cause diarrhea since they are difficult for the human body to process.
Generally, taco meat is seasoned, preparing it in the following way: after simmering it, the excess fat is drained from the meat and it is previously seasoned with combinations of seasonings and spices.
So, it safe ti say that the process used in the preparation of the meat contributes to extract part of the fat from the meat. Therefore, it ‘s deduced that that the combination of sauces and condiments can cause unexpected reactions in your body.
What ingredients found in tacos can cause diarrhea?
The ingredients used in the preparation of the tacos are used in traditional Mexican cuisine, with certain combinations, we can mention: the use of Mexican-style tortillas, made with corn or flour, can be fried or baked, which are filled with meat (particularly beef), beans, spices, and sauces (including spicy sauces).
Of all the previous ingredients, the combination of beans, spices and sauces, and the seasonings used in the preparation of the meat are the cause of diarrhea in most of the cases.
Do tacos cause bloating and gas?
Tacos can cause the colon to swell and produce various gases because the foods used in their preparation contain some types of carbohydrates, either starchy or sugary, which the stomach and the small intestine do not digest properly, resulting in problems to properly digest it directly to the large intestine, where bacteria break them down and gases are formed.
9 Types of tacos
The most popular tacos and how they are prepared are described below:
Tacos al pastor
It is made with pita bread and lamb meat. Generally, it is prepared with pork and marinade. The common ingredients are: orange, achiote, chilies and other spices and sauce.
Carnitas Tacos
It is also prepared with pork and cooked with its own fat. The various ingredients are: from orange juice to caramel; the taco is prepared with all the parts of the pig.
BBQ tacos
It is one of the most popular tacos. Lamb meat is used and the way of preparation is traditional. Essentially, its preparation is a combination of cultures. It is important to mention that the taco is accompanied by the consommé that was obtained from the juice of the meat used.
Cochinita tacos
Pork meat is used. Its preparation is based on the following ingredients: marinated with achiote, sour orange and wrapped in banana leaves, just like the BBQ. Currently, it is placed in pressure cookers, together with purple onion marinated with sour orange and habanero chili, which gives it a particular flavor.
Tacos de carne asada
The meat used in this taco is beef, including corn or wheat flour tortillas. It is important to mention that the most used cut of meat is the “arrachera” type (the flank part of cow), because it is a soft meat with a great flavor.
Tacos de canasta (Basket tacos)
They are made with the following ingredients: potatoes, beans or pork rinds. They are submerged in fat inside a basket lined with blue plastic. Also, boiling oil is added.
Chicken tacos
It is one of the tacos that can be healthier, as it contains less fat. They are prepared with the following pieces of chicken: breast, thighs or thigh, which are prepared with different spices.
It is important to mention that the chicken meat used for the filling is saturated with a lot of flavor, and is accompanied with mole and onion as well as fresh cilantro and taco sauce.
Golden, beef, chicken or lamb tacos
These tacos are submerged in oil and then covered in cream, cheese and lettuce.
Beef tacos
This type of taco can vary depending on the ingredients to be used, which can be: rice, beans, boiled egg, chicken with guacamole or chile relleno.
As you can see, there are varieties of tacos which combine amounts of species in the preparation of the meat, which can be of different types, as well as in the mixture with different dressings, spices, condiments and sauces.
For this reason, you must know how to choose, considering that the combination of different ingredients are those that can cause adverse reactions in your body.
FAQs
Tacos generally do not cause constipation issues. However, each body is different, and in some cases it can cause diarrhea and in other cases, constipation, but with a lower percentage of possibility.
If your body is sensitive to seasonings, sauces, and excess fat, there is a high chance that you will have diarrhea.
Generally, it takes 24 to 72 hours for healthy people to fully digest food and eliminate waste products. But of course, it also depends on your health status.
In this sense, the first stop for food is the esophagus, which is responsible for moving food from the back of the throat to the stomach, and then six to eight hours after eating, the food passes through the stomach to the small intestine.
Keep in mind that if your metabolism is slow and you exceed yourself in this type of food, which has a high lipid content, there is a chance that you will increase your body weight. Having said that, you can eat it a couple of times during the week, without causing too much problems in body siluete.
Taking a few precautions, tacos can be healthier than burgers; considering that the meat to be used in the preparation of tacos is lean and that the tortillas are not very salty or highly processed since they may have ingredients based on refined carbohydrates that lack fiber, which would also generate overeating.
Conclusion
Definitely, when you proceed to eat tacos, there is a high probability that they can cause reactions in your body at the gastrointestinal level, such as: making you defecate, causing swelling in the abdominal part and also produce multiple gases.
We cannot forget that this type of food has a high content of fat and seasoned substances, some are even based on spicy sauces.
We must be careful in that sense, and move carefully if we don’t want to have a bad time; each organism has its particular digestion process and you must know yours.
However, it is proven that tacos can be a healthier food than hamburgers and pizzas; if the following aspects are considered:
- The meat used is lean.
- Tacos should not be very salty or highly processed since they may contain ingredients based on refined carbohydrates that lack fiber.
- Do not use excess seasonings, sauces and spicy foods.
It is important to consider your health at an individual level, if you have some type of pathology, for example, gastritis; a reason for which its consumption is not recommended.
You should also control the intake of this food in excess since having a propensity to overweight or a slow metabolism can cause unwanted body weight gain.
Finally, before taking an inappropriate path, it is recommended to consult with a qualified professional nutritionist who can design an effective individualized dietary plan.
David is a writer and graduate professor. He writes for different websites. With 7+ years of experience in writing and education, David has combined his expertise in teaching with his passion for physical and mental wellness. He researches and writes to bring you valuable information about weight loss, nutrition, fitness, community, society and more.