Can Salad Cause Diarrhea? Here’s How to Make It Easier to Digest
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Can Salad Cause Diarrhea? Here's How to Make It Easier to Digest

Can Salad Cause Diarrhea? Here's How to Make It Easier to Digest
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Updated on August 6, 2025
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Eating salad is supposed to be good for you. But sometimes, the mixture of dark leafy greens, onions, bell peppers, lean protein, and other nutritious ingredients doesn’t necessarily agree with your stomach.

Should you stop eating them altogether? Likely, no. But, there are some changes you can make so salads won’t upset your stomach, cause loose stool, or worse, give you diarrhea. (While occasional diarrhea probably isn’t anything to worry about, see your doctor if it lasts for more than two days, according to the Mayo Clinic.

 This could indicate a more serious health issue.)

Here’s why salads make you poop, and how to still enjoy them without upsetting your stomach.

Why Does Salad Give Me Diarrhea?

There are many different reasons why salad may give you diarrhea. While some reasons are relatively harmless, others can be more complicated.

Unwashed Vegetables

Bacteria (including salmonella and E. coli) is one of the leading causes of acute diarrhea, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

 This is why it’s so important to thoroughly wash all of your vegetables before eating.
Rinsing fruits and veggies helps remove soil, stuck-on fecal matter left behind by rodents in the field, and grime left behind from bugs. These contaminants are sources of bacteria that you can easily remove beforehand to lessen your likelihood of having diarrhea.

Undercooked Meat

Diarrhea-causing bacteria can also enter your digestive tract through undercooked meats.

If you add diced chicken, grilled sirloin, or seared fish to your salads, for example, your diarrhea may come from a foodborne illness caused by bacteria or viruses in undercooked meat, notes the Mayo Clinic.

To make sure you’re eating safe meat, check it with a meat thermometer before serving. Cooking proteins up to the temperatures listed below lessens your risk of an upset stomach related to foodborne illnesses, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Safety and Inspection Service.

Internal Temperatures for Meat

MeatTemperature (in Degrees Fahrenheit)
Poultry165
Beef and Veal145
Lamb145
Pork145
Fish145

Too Much Fiber

You’ve probably heard time and time again about the importance of fiber and how most Americans don’t get enough.

 However, it’s possible to go overboard — especially if your body isn’t used to it.
Adding too much fiber too quickly can create intestinal gas, bloating, and cramping, notes the Mayo Clinic.

 That’s especially true of insoluble fiber, found in foods such as cauliflower, potatoes, wheat bran, nuts, and beans.

 This kind of fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and adds bulk to stool, helping promote bowel movements and alleviate constipation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

 Soluble fiber, on the other hand, dissolves in water, forming a gel-like substance that slows down digestion.

Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, citrus fruits, apples, carrots, avocados, barley, peas, and psyllium.

Try to aim for about 22 to 34 grams of fiber per day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, depending on your diet, age, and sex assigned at birth.

If you find eating a large salad is making you run to the bathroom, opt for a small salad alongside a meal made with easy-to-digest foods like soup, potatoes, or noodles.

Then as your body gets used to more fiber, up your intake a little every few days.

 Eventually, you’ll likely be able to bump up your fiber intake without uncomfortable side effects.

How Much Fiber Is in Lettuce?

One cup of shredded lettuce (depending on the type) has about 0.5 to 1 gram of fiber, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

 Other sources of fiber include:

  • Beans
  • Lentils
  • Peas
  • Fruits
  • Wheat bran
  • Brown rice
  • Popcorn
  • Nuts

Food Sensitivity or Allergy

If salad is giving you diarrhea, you may be sensitive or allergic to one of its ingredients.

Food sensitivities and allergies can happen with any type of vegetable or salad toppings, including nuts, wheat, fish, soy, and dairy products.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to tell the difference between a sensitivity and allergy because both can cause gastrointestinal issues, including diarrhea.

 But if you also swell up, have rashes, or find it difficult to breathe after eating a salad, it’s more likely you have a food allergy, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.

While there’s no cure for allergies or intolerances, your doctor can order tests to determine your allergens.

 Avoiding the trigger food can help prevent future symptoms.

IBS or Crohn's Disease

Some salad ingredients (including beans, cabbage, and onions) can upset your stomach if you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), causing gas and diarrhea, notes the Cleveland Clinic.

If you want to follow a diet that eases IBS symptoms, you can talk to your doctor about changing your eating habits. For example, they may recommend adding more soluble fiber to your diet while potentially reducing insoluble fiber, as recommended by the American Gastroenterological Association.

They may also suggest the following:

  • Drinking plenty of water
  • Eating slowly
  • Limiting or avoiding caffeine and fizzy drinks, like soda
  • Not eating too much fatty, spicy, or ultraprocessed food
  • Avoiding or limiting alcohol
  • Keeping a diary to log what you’re eating and your symptoms
  • Trying probiotics
Additionally, your doctor may recommend trying a low-FODMAP diet, which limits a type of short-chain carbohydrates called fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols.

 The small intestines have a particularly hard time dissolving FODMAPs, which can lead to cramping, diarrhea, and bloating.

 This diet is short-term, meaning you won’t follow it forever, but it may help you determine what foods are causing trouble.
Some low-FODMAP foods include:

  • Lettuce
  • Eggs
  • Firm tofu
  • Certain cheeses like Brie, cheddar, and feta
  • Nuts and seeds like peanuts, macadamias, and walnuts
  • Vegetables like tomatoes, carrots, and cucumbers
  • Fruits like grapes, strawberries, and pineapple

How Long Does Salad Take to Digest?

Digestion time varies based on factors like metabolism, body type, stress, and the kind of food you’ve eaten.

 But on average, it usually takes about six hours for food to pass through your stomach and small intestine, according to the Mayo Clinic.

 Food then takes about 36 to 48 hours to move through the entire colon.
While simple carbohydrates like rice and pasta take about 30 to 60 minutes to pass through the stomach, adding in protein and fats may make this time longer, per the Cleveland Clinic.

 Most foods stay in the stomach for 40 to 120-plus minutes.

How to Make a Salad That Won’t Cause Diarrhea

If you’re craving a refreshing salad, there are still ways to make one that’ll keep diarrhea and an upset stomach at bay. Here are some tips.

Cook Your Vegetables

Raw vegetables like broccoli, onions, and cauliflower can be tough to digest, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

That’s why it can be helpful to cook certain vegetables before adding them to a salad. Try sautéing onions, baking cauliflower, or steaming broccoli, for example.

Limit Beans and Legumes

If you typically add beans or legumes (like lentils) to your salads, reducing these may help prevent unpleasant side effects. Soaking them beforehand can make them easier to digest as well.

Wash Your Vegetables

As mentioned above, unwashed vegetables can carry bacteria that cause diarrhea and an upset stomach.

 Thoroughly washing your veggies before eating is an important step to salad making.

You can try washing lettuce using a salad spinner, or wash and dry it with a microfiber cloth.

You can also soak other veggies prior to cooking or slicing them to ensure they are as clean as possible before adding to your salad, according to the University of Maine.

The Takeaway

  • If salads are causing stomach upset, consider cooking certain ingredients like broccoli and onions, which might ease digestion.
  • Wash all produce and cook meats at the right temperature to prevent foodborne illnesses that can lead to diarrhea.
  • Starting with smaller servings of high-fiber salads and gradually increasing intake can help your digestive system adjust more comfortably.
  • If your diarrhea persists for more than two days, talk to your healthcare provider to rule out underlying health issues.
EDITORIAL SOURCES
Everyday Health follows strict sourcing guidelines to ensure the accuracy of its content, outlined in our editorial policy. We use only trustworthy sources, including peer-reviewed studies, board-certified medical experts, patients with lived experience, and information from top institutions.
Resources
  1. When to See a Doctor. Mayo Clinic. April 11, 2023.
  2. Symptoms and Causes of Diarrhea. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. September 2024.
  3. Fruit and Vegetable Safety. FoodSafety.gov.
  4. Food Poisoning. Mayo Clinic. February 23, 2024.
  5. Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart. U.S. Department of Agriculture Safety and Inspection Service. April 14, 2025.
  6. Most Americans Are Not Getting Enough Fiber in Our Diets. American Society for Nutrition. June 9, 2021.
  7. Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet. Mayo Clinic. December 11, 2024.
  8. Chey WD et al. AGA Clinical Practice Update on the Role of Diet in Irritable Bowel Syndrome: Expert Review. Gastroenterology. May 2022.
  9. Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. December 2020.
  10. Easy-to-Digest Foods. National Cancer Institute. October 15, 2024.
  11. Vanthomme G. 8 Tips for Reaching Your Daily Fiber Intake. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. October 16, 2023.
  12. 5 Health Benefits of Lettuce. Cleveland Clinic. March 1, 2024.
  13. Soluble vs. Insoluble Fiber. Mount Sinai.
  14. Common Allergens. Food Allergy Research & Education.
  15. Food Allergy. Mayo Clinic. August 30, 2024.
  16. Food Allergies. Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  17. What to Eat (and What to Avoid) When You Have IBS. Cleveland Clinic. April 9, 2025.
  18. Diet, Lifestyle, and Medicines for IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). National Health Service. March 17, 2025.
  19. Low FODMAP Diet. Cleveland Clinic. February 24, 2022.
  20. How Long Does It Take to Digest Food. Cleveland Clinic. April 19, 2021.
  21. Digestion: How Long Does It Take? Mayo Clinic. June 7, 2025.
  22. 15 Foods That Can Cause Bloating. Cleveland Clinic. March 16, 2022.
  23. Bolton J et al. Best Ways to Wash Fruits and Vegetables. University of Maine.
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Waseem-Ahmed-bio

Waseem Ahmed, MD

Medical Reviewer

Waseem Ahmed, MD, is an assistant professor of medicine in the Karsh Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles and serves as Director, Advanced Inflammatory Bowel Disease Fellowship and Education within the F. Widjaja Inflammatory Bowel Disease Institute.

He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan and attended medical school at Indiana University. He then completed an internal medicine residency at New York University, followed by a fellowship in gastroenterology and hepatology at Indiana University, and an advanced fellowship in inflammatory bowel disease at the Jill Roberts Center for Inflammatory Bowel Disease at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medicine. Prior to his current role, Dr. Ahmed served as an assistant professor of medicine within the Crohn’s and Colitis Center at the University of Colorado from 2021-2024.

Dr. Ahmed is passionate about providing innovative, comprehensive, and compassionate care for all patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). His research interests include IBD medical education for patients, providers, and trainees; clinical trials; acute severe ulcerative colitis; and the use of combined advanced targeted therapy in high-risk IBD.

He enjoys spending time with his wife and dog, is an avid follower of professional tennis, and enjoys fine dining.

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Allison Forsyth

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Allison is a health editor and writer who has been featured in Well+Good, Sarasota Magazine, and other wellness publications. She specializes in reproductive health, mental health, interpersonal wellness, fitness, and nutrition topics.

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