Wheat Bread & An Upset Stomach

If you're treating an upset stomach by eating wheat bread, it is best to use white bread. Whole-wheat bread may contain a lot of fiber, which according to Virginia Tech, could prolong or make your symptoms worse. The most effective way to treat an upset stomach is by modifying your diet until your symptoms improve. If you develop an upset stomach whenever you eat wheat bread, you may have an allergy or intolerance to the proteins found wheat. Document your symptoms and discuss them with your physician.

Bread is a common food that is used to treat an upset stomach. White wheat bread is considered a bland food that is easy to digest and will help form firm stools to promote regularity. If your upset stomach is causing excessive vomiting and diarrhea, you may need to stop eating for a few hours until your stomach settles. Once your stomach settles, add small portions of bland foods back into your diet, such as white wheat bread, bananas, white rice and applesauce. Discuss any diet modifications with your doctor.

A wheat allergy can cause an upset stomach and other concerning symptoms. Wheat contains five proteins that can trigger an overreaction in your immune system. If your immune system doesn't identify the proteins in wheat as safe substances, it will attack them to defend the body. This reaction triggers chemical production throughout your body, causing common wheat allergy symptoms. These symptoms include stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and cramping. Other parts of body that may be affected by a wheat allergy are your sinuses, your lungs and your skin.

Wheat intolerance is a common digestive disorder that causes an upset stomach within a few hours after you consume products that contain gluten. Gluten is one of the proteins in wheat that can trigger an immune system reaction in the small intestines. The reaction damages the villi that line the intestines. The reason this reaction occurs is still unclear to the medical community. Eating wheat bread will not only cause an upset stomach but also can cause permanent damage to your digestive system that may lead to malnourishment.

A wheat allergy and intolerance have no cure and needs to be managed through avoidance. Wheat and gluten are found in many products, such as bread, baked goods, cereals, candy and pasta. Talk with your physician or dietitian to develop a wheat and gluten-free diet.